Why the first Hispanic CEO of a major US airline still believes in the American Dream

Oscar Munoz is living proof of the American Dream. Born into a Mexican-American family, Munoz is a first-generation college graduate. And he went on to become the first Hispanic CEO of a major US airline. Munoz, now the executive chairman of United, said that even though "bias exists" in the US, the American Dream is still within reach. "Despite the facts that point otherwise...I have to believe that," Munoz said. "We have to believe in this country with all of its great history, with all of its great sort of melting pot and historical success." After five years leading United, Munoz was still one of Corporate America's only Hispanic leaders when he stepped down as CEO in May. Diversity is also lacking in C-suite positions that often lead to the top job. For instance, just one of the Fortune 100 CFOs is Hispanic, according the Corporate Governance Research Initiative at Stanford Graduate School of Business. "I long for the day when someone like me is not the exception, but the expectation," said Munoz, who is a marquee speaker at L'ATTITUDE, a national initiative focused on helping executives understand the US Latino cohort driving the modern economy. Munoz, an icon in the airline industry who previously worked as CFO at a division of AT&T, urged Corporate America to give people with diverse backgrounds opportunity. Story has more.<br/>