Professional of the Year is advocate

Who:

Alfredo Calderon, 46, executive director/CEO of Aspira Inc. of Pennsylvania, a Latino-advocacy organization that offers education and leadership-skills training.

Award: Professional of the Year, which recognizes a Latino who has made significant accomplishments over the last year.

Accomplishments: Calderon was able to secure $10 million last month to purchase a 64,000-square-foot building at Hunting Park Avenue and American Street, which Aspira officials hope to turn into a charter school named after Antonia Pantoja, the founder of the first Aspira in New York. Calderon says the agency will hold a groundbreaking ceremony sometime this month.

Calderon and Aspira also were instrumental in securing funding from the Philadelphia School District for another 200 kids to attend an Aspira bilingual pre-kindergarten program.

Job strategy: A former military man who served in the Army for 16 years, Calderon knows what will work in North Philly:

"Build economic wealth through education and leaders," he said.

Benefits of the job: "It's a great job. I love it. It takes a lot of time from me, but it's worth it when I see the kids graduating from high school and college. It's worth the time you put in."

Non-job fun: Calderon has been a scuba diver for more than five years and often visits Florida and Puerto Rico to pursue his hobby. He enjoys the peace that comes with being underwater.

"It's quiet and so serene, so relaxing seeing the fish and the colors of the coral," he said.