Last Friday, at the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association (AIPR) event, three members of our team were recognized as “Empleado Símbolo” (Symbol Employee). Ricardo Vilanova, Krishany San Jorge, and Amanda Vargas Rivera received this award that has been celebrating those who drive business and economic growth in Puerto Rico since 1980.
But beyond the recognition—which fills us with pride—what truly deserves attention is why they were selected. It wasn’t just for their job performance. It was for something much deeper: for creating real, measurable, and sustainable value for our clients through projects that were born from their own initiative.
This article is not a celebration of the award. It’s an analysis of how three young professionals are transforming the way BMA Group delivers high-impact services in three critical areas: business intelligence, high-volume recruitment, and workforce reintegration.
Ricardo Vilanova: When Finance Becomes Strategic Intelligence
Ricardo works in BMA’s finance department. He could have limited himself to what his job description indicates. Instead, he decided to take his role much further.
The Project: Business Intelligence Dashboards with AI and Power BI
Ricardo developed advanced dashboards using Power BI and artificial intelligence that transformed the relationship between BMA and one of our most strategic clients: a commercial outsourcing operation that we manage across 17 Caribbean countries.
Before this project, the client received periodic reports. Today they have real-time visibility, 24/7, of sales, performance, product rotation, and sales force execution. Not just data. Applied intelligence.
Why Does This Matter?
Because it changes the positioning of what it means to be a human resources service provider. It’s no longer just about recruiting, administering, and ensuring compliance. It’s about offering market intelligence that enables clients to make faster decisions, optimize resources, and accelerate results.
This type of capability is what clients look for when evaluating strategic partners. And it’s the kind of value that isn’t found in a standard RFP.
Ricardo’s Differentiator
What Ricardo did wasn’t just implement technology. It was identifying an unexpressed need and developing a solution using tools that already existed, but which he took to another level. That’s applied strategic thinking.
Krishany San Jorge: High-Volume Recruitment Optimization with Technology
Krishany works in the temporary employee recruitment department. Her project demonstrates how the combination of technology, agility, and vision can become a competitive advantage.
The Project: Maximizing an ATS for Complex Mass Recruitment
A client approached BMA with a high-volume challenge: they needed talent with very specific language, experience, and quantity requirements. Instead of hiring more staff or requesting more resources, Krishany decided to maximize what we already had.
Through our Applicant Tracking System (ATS), Krishany integrated artificial intelligence functionalities and optimized screening flows that, until that moment, had not been exploited at that level. She also integrated telecommunications and social media to amplify reach.
The Result
She managed a complex project, in record time, and with lower resource use. The client not only met their hiring objectives, but obtained new projects for Puerto Rico thanks to the performance of the recruited team.
Why Does This Transcend Traditional Recruitment?
Because this type of execution represents economic development driven by young people with analytical capacity and innovation. Each successful mass hiring generates employment, strengthens the local economy, and positions Puerto Rico as a viable destination for high-volume operations.
Recruitment systems like ATS are only as effective as the people who operate them. Krishany demonstrated that with strategic vision, a tool can generate exponential results.
Amanda Vargas Rivera: Large-Scale Workforce Reintegration with Measurable Social Impact
Amanda joined BMA about a year ago with the mission of leading one of our outplacement programs. Her contribution transcended any initial expectations.
The Project: Mass Outplacement for WIOA Participants
Amanda leads an outplacement project for participants in the WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act) program, the main federal workforce development initiative in the United States that in Puerto Rico is administered by the Department of Economic Development and Commerce.
Each month, Amanda manages communications, talent identification, resume development, and intelligent searches for nearly 1,900 people.
The System Architecture
Amanda doesn’t just execute. She participated from strategic design to operation, integrating multiple platforms:
- HubSpot for communications management and nurturing
- Vincere (ATS) for candidate tracking
- WhatsApp to create active candidate communities
This integration enabled greater efficiency, greater reach, and volume.
The Real Impact
Thanks to the structure Amanda developed, more than 21% of participants remain voluntarily active in models that improve their employability.
This isn’t just a number. It’s a direct indicator of more people working, more employment continuity, and more opportunities for Puerto Rico.
Why This Is Economic Development
The WIOA program in Puerto Rico exists to reduce dependency on public assistance and develop the island’s workforce. Each person Amanda helps reintegrate into the labor market directly contributes to those objectives.
Amanda is building bridges between institutional vision and the human experience that drives tangible results.
What These Three Projects Reveal About BMA Group
When we observe these three cases together, a clear pattern emerges:
1. Innovation from Within
None of these projects were imposed from management. All three were born from the initiative of employees who saw opportunities and took action.
2. Technology as Enabler, Not End Goal
Ricardo, Krishany, and Amanda used technological tools (Power BI, AI, ATS, HubSpot, WhatsApp) not because technology was the objective, but because it enabled them to generate real value for clients.
3. Measurable Results with Economic Impact
- Ricardo: 24/7 visibility for operations in 17 countries
- Krishany: new projects for Puerto Rico thanks to performance
- Amanda: 21% of participants voluntarily active, 1,900 people/month
These aren’t vague indicators. They’re concrete metrics of value created.
4. Differentiated Strategic Positioning
These projects position BMA exactly where we want to be:
- Regional commercial projects with applied intelligence
- Complex mass recruitments with optimized technology
- Data and business intelligence solutions
- Innovative service models with social impact
The True Meaning of the Symbol Employee Award
The AIPR Symbol Employee program has existed for 44 years to recognize those who drive Puerto Rico’s economic progress through their dedication, values, and ability to inspire.
For us at BMA Group, this recognition takes on a special dimension. We don’t see it just as an award. We take it as inspiration to identify and develop concrete projects that embody the spirit of a “Symbol Employee”: people who not only live the company’s values but generate real value for our clients and for Puerto Rico.
What’s Next: More Talent Transforming Services
Ricardo, Krishany, and Amanda represent a new generation of leaders at BMA. Their approach isn’t “do the work.” Their approach is “how can I add more value?”
That mindset is what allows us to evolve from service provider to strategic partner.
Because at the end of the day, our most valuable asset isn’t the technology we implement or the processes we optimize. It’s the people who decide to use their talent to generate impact.
And when that talent aligns with purpose, the result isn’t just an award. It’s real, measurable, and sustainable transformation.
Congratulations to Ricardo Vilanova, Krishany San Jorge, and Amanda Vargas Rivera. Thank you for raising the bar and for reminding us that true leadership is demonstrated through action.
Is your organization ready to implement projects that generate this type of value? At BMA Group, we continue building the standard of excellence we want to see in the world.