Our Team

Dr. Nelson Soler – Ph.D./MBA/MS/EDFP/Enrolled Agent/Quickbooks Pro Advisor

President and CEO

elson 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 expertise in entrepreneurship, accounting, nonprofit management, and marketing. 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 by the Greater Milwaukee Committee. In 2012, the Hispanic Professionals of Greater Milwaukee named Soler the Entrepreneur of the Year, Additionally, Soler has been named the Inspirational Entrepreneur of 2017 by Bizstars and received the Community Business Development Award in 2018 by Wisconsin Economic Development Corporation. In 2020, Nelson Soler was named one of the 39th Most Influential Latinos in Wisconsin by the Madison 365. Recently, Soler was received a 2023 Latino Community Leadership Award by El Conquistador Newspaper.

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 Future Milwaukee Community Leadership Program (03) and the Associates in Commercial Real Estate Program (08) from Marquette University. 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

Letter’s of Recommendation from Soler’s Professors at Cardinal Stritch University

Alfredo Diaz
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 helping them achieve 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 the Latino Tax Pro Training.

Elizabeth Cruz
Elizabeth Cruz, ASFP

Bookkeeping & Sales Tax Coordinator

Elizabeth is an entrepreneur with experience in retail and social media. She currently manages retail account sales taxes, payroll, and bookkeeping. Elizabeth is credentialed in Payroll. Elizabeth is very involved in the community and has served as the secretary of the Latino Entrepreneurial Network. She also assists small business owners with social media tools. Elizabeth is a native of Texas.

Ashley Ruiz, Client Services Coordinator

Ashley finished her high school training, and she is currently pursuing a technical degree at Gateway College. Recently, Ashley completed a 12-week training in Entrepreneurship and dreams to start her own nail tech business soon. Now, she serves as a bookkeeper assistant and receptionist at the Institute.