HORTENSIA NEELY ALBERTINI:
 
Hortensia Neely Albertini




 
 
 
 
 
Owner, President, and Chairman, Global LT in Troy. Albertini created her approach of providing various language and cultural services via a centralized model. Today, after more than 30 years of growth, Global LT serves clientele in more than 900 locations worldwide and offices in London, Hong Kong, and Frankfurt. After working with Berlitz as a teacher of language classes for Ford, Albertini struck out on her own and started Langua Tutor, later renamed Global LT. Global LT has worked with top businesses worldwide to promote stronger executives and an intercultural base. Albertini and Global LT recently received the Detroit Regional Chamber's Five on the Rise award for global expansion, and Global LT was recognized as a top U.S. American-Hispanic owned business. Also, Albertini received the 2011 Ernst & Young Entrepreneur Award for the Michigan and Northwest Ohio region in the services category. Under her leadership, Global LT has been named one of the Top 500 Women Owned Businesses in the U.S. and one of the Top 50 Women Owned Businesses in Michigan by DiversityBusiness.com. Global LT also was recognized as one of the 2010 Michigan 50 Companies to Watch by the Edward Lowe Foundation and Michigan Celebrates Small Business. A breast cancer survivor, Albertini and her employees developed a cookbook, A Culinary Journey with Global LT, and donate the net proceeds of its sale to the Breast Cancer Fund and Habitat for Humanity.


WHERE BORN: “Havana, Cuba.”

MOST INFLUENTIAL PERSONS: “It's someone I've never had the privilege of meeting - Bill Gates. I admire his entrepreneurial skills and his heart.”

LAST BOOK READ: “The one I'm reading now is by John Grisham: The Summons.”

WORDS THAT DESCRIBE ME: “Eternal optimist, friendly, determined.”

WHERE MY FIELD/INDUSTRY IS HEADED: “We keep growing and want to keep on growing, here and abroad. We want to be at $20 million by 2012. This year looks like $15 million. We're trying to provide the best service in the industry for our clients. We're growing because the need is there. The world becomes smaller, and we all need each other and need to learn from each other and other cultures.”

FAVORITE TECHNOLOGICAL GADGET: “I don't really have a favorite one but probably my phone.”

FAVORITE PLACE: “Italy.”

FAVORITE HOBBIES: “My dogs, I love pets; reading and cooking.”

FAVORITE FOOD: “I love everything, but if I had to pick it would be Asian food.”

MY HIDDEN TALENT: “I can be a clown. I love to laugh at myself and make people laugh.”

HOW I WANT TO BE REMEMBERED: “As someone who made a difference in people's lives.”


Grant Thornton Website At the annual awards reception in April 2014, one Leader & Innovator from the previous 12 months will be selected as the Grant Thornton Leader & Innovator of the Year.