About the award
The award was established in memory of Flavio, a partner in the financial services assurance practice in the Chicago office, who passed away unexpectedly in March 2016. He was instrumental in creating a vision for ¡HOLA! and worked diligently to advance the ENG's mission. Known for his passion for achieving excellence, Flavio worked to empower Hispanic and Latino/Latina employees with skills, relationships and resources they need to grow their careers at RSM.
2022 winner: Crystal Sunbury
We recently honored Crystal Sunbury, assurance senior manager and real estate analyst, with the seventh annual Flavio Castillo Excellence Award.
"Crystal exemplifies the qualities of a strong leader not only within ¡HOLA!, but across the firm," said Carlos Hernandez, partner and ¡HOLA! ENG national leader. "She brings passion, dedication and determination to everything she is part of. She is a strong Latina, mother, wife and leader, who many people look up to, and she has made an impact on countless people across the firm."
"It's such an honor to receive this award," said Crystal. "While I did not have the privilege of meeting Flavio, I continue to be inspired by his legacy. Flavio and our ¡HOLA! senior leaders worked diligently to create a vision for the group, and over the past couple of years I had the honor of leading the ¡HOLA! steering committee and contributing to moving us closer toward that vision. I look forward to continuing to contribute to ¡HOLA! and to helping develop the next generation of Latino/Latina leaders at RSM."
In her nomination of Crystal, Alejandra (Ale) Alanis, one of our recently selected CEO Action for Racial Equity fellows, noted that Flavio was an inspiration and impacted many lives. When Ale reflects on what Flavio stood for and the legacy he left, Crystal Sunbury is the first person who comes to mind.
"Since joining RSM I have known about Crystal's critical role within ¡HOLA! and her amazing career journey," said Ale. "Crystal is someone I look up to and admire. She led the Association of Latino Professionals for America (ALPFA) Las Vegas chapter while fulfilling various other roles, including being part of the industry eminence program. She's inspiring, hardworking and, overall, a very caring individual. We are very lucky to have her."
Along with a $5,000 award to pursue her personal and professional excellence, Crystal designated Clark High School Academy of Finance as the charity to receive a donation of $2,500 on behalf of the RSM US Foundation. The school is an organization represented by the National Academy Foundation and dedicated to preparing their diverse student population for business-related careers.
"I, like many of our ¡HOLA! members, am a first-generation professional, and fundamentally believe that education is the most powerful tool to close racial wealth gaps," said Crystal. "This is why I designated the Clark High School Academy of Finance program to receive the donation."