By: Ashmar Mandou
For Aurora native Marguerite Hillock, director of External Affairs and Partnerships at Oncourse Home Solutions, paying it forward is a life motto instilled in her from an early age. Hillock, whose father hailed from Mexico, witnessed the sacrifice her family made in an effort for her to reach new heights. “My dad came over in the 60s, so we did not come from an affluent background, necessarily,” said Hillock. “Education was promoted as freedom in my household. Education was at the core of everything we did. So, I always advocate for my nieces and nephews to value the importance of education and help to set them up. Unfortunately, my education was not linear, I experienced some challenges along the way. With the help of Oncourse Home Solutions, I was able to receive higher education as well as advance in my career.”
Fifteen years ago, Hillock joined Oncourse Home Solutions as a customer service agent and steadily climbed the corporate ladder, which she attributed to her champion of colleagues. “I always felt encouraged here at Oncourse. I was always encouraged to go back to school, encouraged to lend my voice, and I felt my work was recognized.” Oncourse Home Solutions is a home warranty organization that is designed to assist homeowners by offering a range of home protection plans, covering unexpected costs, and providing on-demand service for repairs, maintenance, and improvements. “I feel so honored to be able to work for an organization that really cares about people and ready to provide the upmost service for homeowners in need.” As we kick-off our Hispanic Heritage Month series, we place a spotlight on Hillock, who served as a Founding Board Member and IL Chair of HOLA, a Southern Company Gas ERG, and is a DEI Champion at Oncourse, with hope her story motivates you to make your mark in the corporate world and where education is the cornerstone.
Lawndale Bilingual News: What emphasis did education play in your upbringing?
Hillock: The best grades, the top grades were the most important because the reality was, it wasn’t just going to college but knowing that to get there we had to be the best at it. My dad when he got here, he faced a lot of challenges. In fact, he changed his last name after some time that he was here because he ran into issues advancing. He ran into issues getting jobs. So, education was a big deal. He, himself, never went to college. He had limited education. My dad saw education as freedom, as setting up the next generation. So it is innate in us that we just don’t do it for ourselves, but we set up the next generation. He sacrificed so that I can get to this level, and I must pay it forward.
Lawndale Bilingual News: As more Latinas are making their mark in the corporate world, what advice would give to them, in terms of moving up the corporate ladder?
Hillock: The reality is that we are facing much of what I faced when I was applying for college. I didn’t know what I didn’t know because I didn’t necessarily have a large network of people who have been there before or people, I could lean on guide me. Over time I have built that network, and I think that is critical for anyone, especially for Latinas, to seek out the people who will champion you. Who aligns with your mission. We need someone to advocate for us when we are not in the room. That’s the biggest thing. Advocate for me when I am in the room, advocate for me when I am not in the room. Finding those key people along the way who are going to help open the door and give that exposure. That’s where you can take all your amazing skills and get your skills out there for people to see.
Lawndale Bilingual News: How has working with Oncourse Home Solutions helped to evolve your professional life?
Hillock: I can without a shadow of a doubt, if you had asked me 15 years ago would I have thought that I would be in the position I am today, I would say “no.” I don’t know if I would have seen myself this advanced in my career, this advanced in this organization. And it’s not because the opportunity wasn’t there it’s because I had not gotten my degree. I had gone through some challenges. So, while “yes,” I had the drive to move forward, I couldn’t by no means say that I expected to be where I am at now. This organization taught me some of things I didn’t know that I didn’t know. You can learn business from a textbook, you need foundationally the understanding of business. The experience that I’ve gotten along the way, the intricacies of business, how handling and supporting partners, not just customers, how you must show up, learning those things and honestly, it’s the external opportunities, too.
Lawndale Bilingual News: What does Hispanic Heritage Month mean to you?
Hillock: I’m sure when you talk to anyone in the community, it’s a big deal. So not only is my dad from Mexico, but his father was from Peru. Hispanic Heritage month is important because it teaches us about all different kinds of Hispanic and Latinx heritages. It’s not only someone’s preconceived notion of what someone who is Hispanic looks like, talks like, acts like, etc., it’s about the collective and the diversity. The other side of celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month is really my dad. He couldn’t be proud. He was proud internally, but he couldn’t be as proud as he wanted to be because it meant not finding a job. It meant not advancing. Hispanic Heritage Month is probably an even bigger deal to me because we lost our family name. My father had to sacrifice for his family. He had to hide his background, who he was, where he came from and it’s not fair. But nothing in life is 100 percent fair. That means it’s even more important for me to stand, proud and loud and celebrate where we came from and who we are as a community.
Photo Caption: Director of External Affairs and Partnerships at Oncourse Home Solutions Marguerite Hillock.
