Samuel González Cardona has been president of United Way of Puerto Rico since 2005. His arrival marked the beginning of an organizational transition in the process of achieving greater community impact by advancing the common good to create opportunities of better life for all in Puerto Rico. The evolution of United Way of Puerto Rico centers its principles on the fact that in order to achieve a fulfilling life, every human being deserves a quality education that leads them to have a stable job, with sufficient income to support their family until their retirement, and enjoy good health. It is a change of focus towards the causes of the problems, using prevention
as a mechanism to obtain long-lasting changes.
González has over 30 years of experience in business management, sales and marketing in multinational companies such as: Unilever, Quaker Oats and Monsanto. On the other hand, his high sense of social responsibility is evidenced in the work he carried out as president of the Board of Directors of the Diabetes Association of Puerto Rico, member of the Board of the American Red Cross, presided the Puerto Rico Volunteers State Commission and served as Director of the Board of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce. Also, together with the San Jorge Children’s Hospital, he supported the founding process of the Pediatric Diabetes Center in Puerto Rico and offered his voluntary support to the Gosen Orphanage in the Dominican
Republic. He was also a volunteer of the Chapel of the Holy Christ of Health in Old San Juan.
González Cardona holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Communications from the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras Campus, and finance courses from the University of Chicago. In addition, he has participated in leadership seminars and market research management at the National Eagle Leadership Institute, in Washington, D.C. In 2003, said Institute recognized his contribution to the development of Hispanic leadership in the United States. From 2007 to 2019, he was member of United Way Worldwide’s National Professional Council and Coach CEO of the LatinoHispanic Leaders Inclusion Council. He has also supported and represented the position of the Organization within the scope of legislators at the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C. Currently, he presides the Tina Hills Award Advisory Board of the Ángel Ramos Foundation.