Latin Times Staff Goes one on one with Gill Hernandez of ValienteHernandez

LatinTimes : Where were you born and raised ? G . J . ( Gil ) Hernandez : I was born in Havana , Cuba . My first nine years were spent in Quivican , a town 20 miles south of Havana . My first education was at a public kindergarten about two blocks from our home . I was sent to a school that was directed by an old widow , Julia Espasande , who had a white hair bun and used to stick her pencils in it . Julia also had a turtle in a fountain in her inner courtyard . She also had a parrot that spoke pretty well . Grades one through three I attended at the town ’ s public school for boys .

At age 13 I started at the Escuela Profesional de Comercio de la Habana , the most prestigious of all commercial schools in the city , and therefore in the country . first granddaughter , Paulina . My second granddaughter , Regan , born just one month ago , is from my son Martin and his wife Heidi .

LatinTimes : I know from reading your resume , that you have a very impressive background in your career . Please tell us more about your background as a CPA . G . J . ( Gil ) Hernandez : I started working at Banco de los Colonos in Havana on March 27 , 1959 . During 1958 the high school I was attending had been closed due to student unrest protesting the Batista regime . After the government changed from the Batista to the Castro dictatorship on January 1 , 1959 , the high school I attended reopened but not until May , a few weeks after I had started my job as an office boy at the bank .

In 1962 I moved to New York seeking a better future . I obtained a position with The Chase Manhattan , N . A ., now called J P Morgan Chase , and attended the American Institute of Banking , followed by Pace University , both at night school . I received his degree from Pace University in accounting in 1968 . Upon graduation , I started working for Arthur Andersen & Co . I obtained my CPA designation in New York State in 1970 . The firm that I was working with at the time offered me the opportunity to relocate to Tampa in 1971 .

LatinTimes : What inspired you to pursue a career in accounting ? G . J . ( Gil ) Hernandez : I believe the Controller I worked for at Banco de los Colonos was a great inspiration but I also followed the steps of my family role models . But , after tasting accounting , I really clicked into it . Accounting , and auditing in particular , is logical . The theory follows a logical path . This is not a subject matter that you learn by memorizing formulas or poems . Later , my work in the internal auditing department at The Chase Manhattan Bank allowed me to be exposed to the big leagues auditing .

LatinTimes : What type of clients do you provide services to ? G . J . ( Gil ) Hernandez : We founded ValienteHernandez P . A . with the express desire to render attestation and consulting services to commercial , governmental , nonfor-profit and professional organizations .

Over the years , the Firm has devoted resources and gained substantial expertise in serving the audit needs of local and state governments . We have accumulated vast knowledge serving as auditors of state agencies , counties , cities , and independent authorities with assets ranging from less than $ 1 million to over $ 10 billion . Our current practice includes organizations in the areas of philanthropy , education , social services and para-governmental activities , as well as commercial enterprises , with an emphasis in the construction industry . Since the last three years we gave significantly grown the number of commercial clients . In many regards our practice is very unique .

LatinTimes : How involved are you with the Hispanic community ? G . J . ( Gil ) Hernandez : Throughout my professional and personal life I have been involved with various Hispanic professional and community organizations . I was appointed Treasurer of the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce for years and then President and Chairman in 1997 . I am very proud to have been one of those that helped guide that chamber to a sound financial position . I also am a long-time active member of the Tampa Hispanic Chamber of Commerce , and was a founding member of the Hispanic Business Institute of Florida , the Tampa Mayor ’ s Hispanic Advisory Council and the Ybor City Development Corporation , where I am a Director Emeritus . Most recently I have become active with the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting , Tampa Chapter .