Dr. Nelson Soler – Ph.D./MBA/MS/EDFP/Enrolled Agent/Quickbooks Pro Advisor
President and CEO
Nelson Soler is an innovative entrepreneur who has founded three for-profit and three non-profit organizations. Soler has utilized his educational and advocacy capacities to facilitate the formation of more than six thousand two hundred enterprises in the greater Milwaukee area. He is an active adjunct faculty at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee.
Thousands of individuals have benefited from Soler’s entrepreneurship, accounting, nonprofit management, and marketing expertise. Soler’s accomplishments received recognition by the national and local media. As a result of that recognition, Soler received the United States Small Business Administration Award from the State of Wisconsin in 2007. 2009 Nelson Soler was named the Chamber Executive of the Year for Region 4(IA, IN, IL, KY, OH, MN, MI, and WI) by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Soler was also named the 2011 UMOS Hispanic Man of the Year for his contributions to the advancement of the Latino and received an Individual Inner-City Award from the Greater Milwaukee Committee. In 2012, the Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee named Soler the Entrepreneur of the Year.
Soler has diverse professional experience in banking, international business, mining equipment manufacturing, academia, real estate, non-profit management, grant writing, fund development and government, and the electric utility industry. He has led teams in business development, global sales and documentation, ERP systems upgrades, supplier diversity, corporate communications, lending, policy making, and human development.
His education includes a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering (01) and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics (01) from the State University of New York of Buffalo, a Masters in Business Administration (93), and a Masters in International Business and Marketing (99) from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Ph.D. in Leadership for the Advancement of Learning and Service from Cardinal Stritch University. Soler graduated from Marquette University with a Future Milwaukee Community Leadership Program (03) and an Associates in Commercial Real Estate Program (08). Additionally, he holds a Wisconsin Real Estate Broker’s License, a Next Level Entrepreneurial Instructor Certification, an Economic Development Financial Professional designation, an Enrolled Agent Designation by the US Department of Treasury, and a QuickBooks ProAdvisor Certification.
Soler’s Dissertation topic was: Individual and Contextual Factors Affecting Latino and Hispanic Entrepreneurial Success in Wisconsin. The dissertation was published in 2023, and it is available in ProQuest.
Soler’s community involvements include being Chair in the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission, President and CEO of the Latino Chamber of Commerce of SE Wisconsin, Executive Founding Director of the Latino Entrepreneurial Network of Southeastern Wisconsin, Founder of the LEN LULAC Chapter, and Advisory Council Member for Wisconsin Bank and Trust; Member; Hmong Wisconsin Chamber of Commerce; Member, African American Chamber; and Greater Milwaukee Association of Realtors.
Latest mention of Nelson Soler and the Institute on Milwaukee’s Shepherd Express
Letters of Recommendation from Soler’s Professors at Cardinal Stritch University
Alfredo Diaz, ASFP, Computer Technology Certificate
Taxation Manager
Alfredo manages taxation services for personal and the self-employed. He has served in different roles at the organization, including tax intaker, payroll coordinator, and bookkeeper. Alfredo has volunteered for several nonprofit organizations, including the Latino Chamber of Commerce and the Latino Entrepreneurial Network, handling events and treasurer functions. Mr. Diaz graduated from a technical college in Mexico with a degree in Computer and Business. He also served as a rural elementary school teacher for a year before migrating the US. Alfredo currently holds the ASFP tax credential and a payroll certification.
Cindy Carmona, Bachelor of Fine Arts
Marketing Director
Cindy graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee with a Bachelor’s Degree in Graphic Design in December 2021. As our creative director, she assists clients in achieving their entrepreneurial dreams with branding, creative services, and website development. She also oversees all the marketing and promotional services for 3419 MEI, MEI Bookkeeping, and MEI Training services. Cindy holds her 2022 Express Tax Course Certification from Latino Tax Pro Training.
Axsel Ramirez
Training and Program Coordinator
Axsel graduated from St. Anthony High School in the spring of 2024, and completed and graduated from MEI’s Bilingual Youth Entrepreneurial Fall Program in November 2023. He will be starting his first year at Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), pursuing his degree of Mechanical Engineering. Axsel oversees the programs, classes, and social media at MEI.
Cesar Garcia
Accounting and Client Services Coordinator
Cesar has completed the four-month Entrepreneurial Training Program at the Multicultural Entrepreneurial Institute. Concurrently, he attended high school and graduated with honors. He will pursue a Computer Engineering degree at the University of Wisconsin Milwaukee. Prior to joining, MEI Cesar served as the Marketing and Client Services Coordinator for the Latino Entrepreneurial Network, where he had the opportunity to coordinate events, connect with business owners, and manage the organization’s social media brand.
Erik Juarez-Lucas
Client Services Coordinator
Erik is attending his second year at MATC, where he is pursuing a Business Administration Degree. He is also a student of the Bilingual Entrepreneurial Youth Program—Spring Cohort ’24. Erik is our new addition to the team, where he will oversee office administration and payroll.