Join us in celebrating our Avanzando (Advancing) Suppliers with Blue Wave Cohort 5. These graduates represent innovative, resilient businesses now prepared to deliver higher-value solutions across sectors and become part of a sustainable and green movement.
¡Felicidades Cohort 5!
Special thanks to our sponsor, Toyota, whose Green Builds Business program made this cohort possible and continues to empower sustainable business growth.
Zedrick Gilo, CEO
Miami, FL
Andavaris delivers top candidates 90% faster and improves retention. Andavaris delivers fast, scalable, and tech-enabled staffing solutions that help organizations reduce time-to-hire, boost workforce diversity, and control costs, without sacrificing quality.
Michele Cuthbert, Strategist & Creative Director
Ohio, Madrid, Italy
Baker Creative has proven global experience helping Fortune 500 brands turn challenges into opportunities. Baker Creative delivers research-powered strategy, bold creative, and agile execution—outpacing larger agencies while delivering the personal attention you deserve. From audits to ROI, we maximize every dollar with strategies that drive measurable growth.
Jetzel Camarena, CEO/Owner
New Jersey
Recognized as a trusted supplier of single-origin cacao, ethically sourced from smallholder farms in the Dominican Republic, Cacao & Beyond brings world premium organic cacao products with exceptional flavor, ethical sourcing, and global impact. From bean to bar, we serve wellness-focused consumers and wholesale buyers with integrity and purpose.
Clara Richardson-Olguin, CEO/Owner
Norcross, GA
CIC Floors has 21 years of proven expertise in innovative, sustainable, and human-centered flooring solutions that deliver safety, beauty, and quality. Through an exclusive product line and custom interior contracting, we turn flooring possibilities into award-winning results that reduce waste and improve performance for clients like Microsoft and Holly Vanderfield's.
Christina Dills, CEO & Founder
Tampa, FL
A Circular Economy Solutions Partner helps businesses grow through sustainable reuse & recycling models, backed by data, powered by technology, and designed for impact. Collective Circularity has reused/ recycled 2M+ lbs of textiles, cutting waste and boosting client savings offering full-service consulting, from material audits to circular resale & recycling programs through tech-driven solutions integrating advanced recycling, data, and logistics for maximum ROI.
Leticia Campuzano, VP Sales & Marketing
Illinois
A trusted distributor of paper disposable packaging, janitorial supplies, and more - Creative Designs & Packaging proudly has been serving businesses for over 11 years with 30+ years of combined industry expertise. As a certified minority women-owned company, we provide exceptional service, premium products, and competitive pricing you can count on. Eco-friendly, biodegradable solutions with in-house freight for fast, reliable delivery.
Steve Mohan, CEO & Founder
Jacksonville, FL
Extra Companies has been the trusted partner to Ryder, Penske, DHL, and PFG, specializing in CDL driver, manufacturing, and call center recruitment. Our nationwide reach, industry expertise, and commitment to diversity ensure you get the right talent—fast, every time. Extra Companies gives businesses the people power to perform at its best by delivering proven, reliable staffing solutions.
Demetrio Garcia, Vice President Business Affairs
Illinois & Mexico
Golden Hill Foods is a key ingredients supplier to the food service, processing and retail food industry. Specializing in solutions and innovation to match or create spice blends and flavors for your product's needs. By sourcing only quality ingredients, and offering clean label solutions, Golden Hills is proud to be supply chain partners with McDonald's, Starbucks, Walmart, and others.
Diana Maldonado, CO-CEO
Elizabeth, NJ
Golden Shear Academy empowers immigrants, focus on ethics, and prepare our students to become business owners and brand ambassadors. In just 4.5 years, we’ve achieved a 100% state board passing rate and full job placement for our students. Through partnerships with over 100 local businesses, our students begin working halfway through the program with their student permits.
Mark Harris, CEO & Owner
Cypress, TX
Guardian Engineering Enterprises minimize project risks by delivering fully integrated design-build solutions with seamless execution across energy, rail, & infrastructure. With a proven EPC/EPCM expertise in renewable energy, thermal processing, & sustainable design maximizes efficiency & quality. Trusted by industry leaders like Colonial Pipeline, Union Pacific, Tesla, and Shell Midstream.
Kirk Gimenez, Founder
Miami, FL
Xizzle TV is a free Roku smart TV app showcasing Latino and multicultural lifestyle, entertainment, and business stories in English, backed by 30 years of Emmy-winning journalism and network-level storytelling. Beyond streaming, we are a full-service marketing, branding, ad-buying, AI video production, and media consulting firm trusted by world-class brands.
Nancy Marshall, President/CEO
Marshall Sales specializes in being the go-to for non-production and specialty parts that don’t fit neatly into big-volume programs, while still stocking and managing high-run items. Offerings include sell service installation tooling in-house, so you can stop chasing new vendors!
Clemencia Herrera, CEO
Brooklyn, NY
Moira Studio is a Latina-owned creative agency that helps brands effectively reach and engage U.S. Latino audiences and delivered results for clients like the Smithsonian, Big Brothers Big Sisters, and the City of Boston, helping achieve audience growth and engagement of over 995%, multimillion dollar fundraiser goals, and national visibility.
Eduardo Parra, CEO
San Antonio/Houston, TX
Parra & Co is a family-owned civil engineering firm based in Texas that delivers excellent solutions focusing on resiliency, safety, community impact, sustainability, and economic practicality. With over 140 projects across Texas, we have an 85% client retention rate. Blending engineering and ecology, our designs absorb challenges and deliver sustainability. Clients include HEB, UT San Antonio, Alamo Colleges, City of Laredo, Gensler, WestEast, Quality Metals, among others.
Christine Dunn, AI CTO
Michigan/Texas
Sacriste Empire AI Professional Services Consulting partners with organizations to maximize their Microsoft 365 and AI investments. With expertise in Microsoft 365, Data Bricks, Copilot, and AI Studio, helping clients accelerate adoption, boost efficiency, and deliver sustainable solutions that create lasting impact with measurable results. We have proven success with Fortune 500 companies, enhancing operations while reducing environmental impact.
Tenant Equity LLC
Rhea Roane, Co-Founder
South Jersey
Tenant Equity LLC gives communities and businesses peace of mind through sustainable energy solutions that reduce costs, emissions, and environmental impact. We deliver safe, equitable, and high-impact upgrades, using EPA-approved technologies to support cleaner, more resilient spaces. Thanks to our EV charging plans and grant strategies, we unlocked over $100K in funding opportunities for local clean energy infrastructure.
Amy Canales, CEO
Maryland, Washington DC, & Virginia
We safeguard communities with life-saving diagnostics, AI-driven health tech, and workforce readiness programs. Our trusted solutions span from drug testing to behavioral health monitoring—improving lives and protecting public safety. We are a Partner to an FBI-cleared lab for nationwide drug screening & behavioral health testing. Co-developed a digital brain health AI platform – (FDA cleared technology) and were awarded Federal Contract(s) with Department of Defense for Lab Services & Healthcare Staffing.
Raul Verdusco, Founder
Michigan
Verdusco Automation provides intelligent, sustainable automation solutions that boost operational efficiency and reduce environmental impact. Verdusco works with many industries including major Automotive, Pharma, and Food and Beverage companies to exceed their goals using automation.
Washington Digital Media
Ricardo Villalba, CEO
Washington, DC
Washington Digital Media is a diverse, award-winning video productions and digital marketing agency based in Washington, DC. With 10 years of experience helping brands, nonprofits, and government agencies tell powerful stories that drive results, we've effectively connected both the American market and the fast-growing Latino audience through bilingual, purpose-driven content.
Barbara Franta, CEO/Founder
Illinois & Pennsylvania
WhiteCliff Advisors has increased client lead conversions by up to 40%, delivering an executive program management for a Fortune 500 healthcare system. Helping organizations and entrepreneurs accelerate revenue and scale operations through strategic advisory and smart growth systems. This dual-market approach equips corporate clients with consulting and lead generation, and service-based businesses with turnkey systems that take them from concept to cash flow.