Dressed in business casual attire with name tags on lapels and drinks in hand, around 120 young professionals from all fields crammed into Alimango Restaurant in San Mateo, Calif. on Oct. 1 for the Young Filipino Professionals Association (YFPA) First Wednesdays Networking Mixer.
Genevieve V. Jopanda, a freelance executive marketing/business operations consultant, smiled as she greeted old friends and extended her arm for a handshake as she met new ones.
“YFPA can provide you with new friends a mentor, and a new career,” Jopanda said.
She should know — she recently parlayed dinner with a contact from the mixer into a potential job.
The idea for the group sprung from the minds of three classmates from the University of San Francisco: Neil Baquiran, Greg Montemayor and Roselle Rapadas. They recognized the need in the Bay Area for a Fil-Am professional group that would create and support professional networking, educational and community service activities. The purpose was to build a stronger, well-established and respected Fil-Am business community, said Gary Gonzalez, the association’s president.
Since its launch in 2002, the group has partnered with organizations such as Charles Schwab and the National Association of Asian American Professionals on career development seminars.
It also hosts monthly networking mixers that draw up to 150 professionals from all levels and fields including finance, media, human resources, sports and arts.
Regina Finuliar, a human resources consultant for Bio-Rad Laboratories, said the group is a great way to meet potential candidates to recruit, as well as discover how others enjoy their professions and deal with challenges in their careers and companies. She considers fellow members her friends and support group.
“When going through a career change, I was very openly able to network with members to inquire about career opportunities and interviews,” Finuliar recalled. “Communicating with members of diverse industry backgrounds gave me a chance to see how other work environments were like, and also gave me more confidence when speaking with others, especially during interviews.”
Now, Finuliar is the executive vice president of YFPA, and as a member of the board of directors she has been able to build her leadership skills not only with the organization, but also in the workplace.
“I find myself being more comfortable and assertive in working with all levels of employees,” she said. “The valuable relationships and connections I’ve made through YFPA are truly priceless.”
Climb Real Estate Group-Vanguard Properties realtor Kevin Gueco said YFPA has allowed him to meet a handful of current clients and build relationships with referral partners in a way that is unique to younger generations.
“Generations X and Y are turning to their peers for recommendations, rather than taking cues from more traditional forms of advertising,” said Gueco. “YFPA provides a platform for these conversations to take place on a large-scale, regular basis within the Filipino community.”
The group is also active in the Filipino community and in the wider Bay Area. This year, members painted the walls of the Pilipino Bayanihan Resource Center in Daly City and volunteered with the San Francisco Food Bank. They have also collaborated with organizations including Filipinos at Google, the San Francisco Giants, the Filipino American Arts Exposition, Bindlestiff Studios, Manilatown Heritage Foundation and the Philippine Consulate.
“We realize that our responsibility to the community goes beyond a professional service,” said Keesa Ocampo, YFPA board member. “For this country, which has opened up infinite possibilities for the Filipino American professional, we want to volunteer and give back in whatever way we can.”
YFPA “FIRST Wednesdays”
Networking Mixer
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Nov. 5 @ Zebulon | 6 – 8:30 p.m.
83 Natoma St., San Francisco
yfpa.org
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AsianWeek is proud to celebrate Filipino American Heritage Month in October. Established in 1988, the month honors the Filipino movers and shakers of the community. Throughout this month, AsianWeek presents a series of features about Filipino Americans and important issues currently affecting the Filipino American community.
So, I’ve gone to a few their signature mixers just to “check it out.” Compared to other networking groups, these folks generally seem more interested in listening than talking. They also seem more interested in helping than selling. As a sales and business development professional that does this stuff all the time, I must say its refreshing to run across nice professional people.
Kudos to YFPA for continuing to “Connect, Educate and Serve” the Filipino American professional community. YFPA has come a long way since its humble beginning back in 2002. Our goal, as founders, was to establish an organization that catered to young professionals who wanted to build their careers through networking and training, while giving back to the community. I believe that goal was accomplished. I encourage individuals from all professional backgrounds to meet the folks of YFPA, learn from each other, and give them feedback. Getting involved and “Connecting” with other professionally-focused individuals are ways you can make a difference in your career and help organizations, like YFPA, succeed and prosper.
Neil Baquiran
Co-Founder