May 1

JUAN GONZÁLEZ MORENO AND CARLOS HANK GONZÁLEZ INAUGURATE SISTINE CHAPEL REPLICA (Imagen Noticias with Francisco Zea) (Morning Headlines)

SISTINE CHAPEL REPLICA INAUGURATED IN MONTERREY (Milenio News, 2-3 P.M.) (Excélsior News, 11 A.M.)

JUAN GONZÁLEZ MORENO INAUGURATES AUTHORIZED REPLICA OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL (Imagen Informativa, Evening Radio Program)

SISTINE CHAPEL REPLICA COMES TO NUEVO LEON (El Financiero Online) Monterrey residents can now visit an identical replica of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel, the world’s only replica authorized by the Vatican. It was inaugurated by Juan González Moreno, president and CEO of Grupo Maseca; Carlos Hank González, president of Grupo Financiero Banorte; and Nuevo Leon governor Jaime Rodríguez Calderón.

May 2

SISTINE CHAPEL REPLICA INAUGURATED IN MONTERREY (El Heraldo de México pg. 37) The Sistine Chapel replica in Monterrey officially opened its doors this Monday, although it has already received 300,000 visitors. “It has been enjoyed by more three million people in nine cities throughout Mexico, and for this reason, we have brought the best of the world to our home,” says Juan González Moreno, CEO and president of Gruma, one of the organizing companies of the exposition. The event was attended by Governor Jaime Rodríguez and Carlos Hank González, president of Banorte.

May 4

REPLICA OF THE SISTINE CHAPEL Televisa Monterrey Thanks to the support and initiative from two Monterrey companies, Grupo Financiero Banorte, and Grupo Maseca, the famous work by the artist Michelangelo, which has toured the world, is now in Monterrey for all Nuevo Leon residents to see.

TWO HEADS BETTER THAN ONE. (Expansión pgs. 12-13) What do the Google search engine, the telecommunications company América Móvil, and the airline Aeroméxico all have in common? The three corporations have separate people in the positions of CEO and chairman of the board. They do this to maintain a healthy balance between the interests of shareholders and a well-running company. A study from San Diego University showed that 35% of companies in the S&P 500 had separated those positions in 2007. By 2017, that figure had grown to 51%. Mexico seems to be following that trend. A review of 34 companies on the IPC index of the Mexican Stock Exchange shows that only Alsea, GRUMA, Grupo Bimbo, Grupo México, and Pinfra have a unified leadership structure, a model that also has its advantages. An analysis of the U.S.-based Institute of Internal Auditors shows that when the responsibilities of the CEO and board chairman fall on the same person, there is a clear chain of command, continuity in leadership, and decisions are made faster by the board.

May 13

AMONG BOSSES (El Financiero pg. 21) Gruma puts more coal on the fire. In 1Q19, Gruma invested USD 30 million, approximately 25% of the USD 120 million it plans to invest the entire year. The Mexican tortilla company allocated the capital for expanding production lines and capacity in plants in Dallas and Florida in the United States and Puebla in Mexico. The investment also went towards maintenance in the other 71 plants operated worldwide by the company led by Juan Antonio González Moreno. Last year, Gruma expanded its production and storage plants in Russia, Georgia, and England. During the first quarter, the company increased sales by 6%, from MXN 17.532 billion to MXN 18.579 billion.

May 14

CHALLENGES AWAIT GRUMA FOR REST OF YEAR (El Financiero online) An unfavorable economic climate in Mexico and the United States, sudden increases in the price of corn, added to the complicated issues of transfer pricing, pressure on operating margins, and a decreasing effect from exchange rates on results, are the main risks the company will confront the rest of the year, according to analysis by Grupo Financiero Monex. In the first quarter of the year, Gruma posted a 1% increase in sales volume, standing at 985,000 tons, while sales went up 6%, from MXN 17.532 billion to MXN 18.579 billion. According to the report, the company could post increases of 4% in revenue and 6.5% in EBITDA, reflecting accounting practices. “We will be paying attention to the strategies implemented by Gruma towards greater volume, the operational aspect considering new strategies and measures focused on a mix of sales of diverse products,” the report states.

May 15

JUMEX RANKS IN THE TOP FOR REPUTATION AMONG MEXICANS (El Financiero pgs. 18-20) (Excélsior pg. 2) (Dinero, Negocios y Finanzas, Online) (Forbes México, Online) (Al Sonar La Campana) Among the 50 companies with the best reputation in Mexico, only 11 are Mexican, according to the report RepTrak 2019 by the Reputation Institute. Jumex is the first Mexican company to make the top 10 when it ranked 26^th last year, and there were no Mexican companies in the top spots. Last year the highest rated Mexican company was Lala, in number 22. Joining Jumex in the ranking were Aeroméxico, Alpura, Cinépolis, Grupo Bimbo, Herdez, José Cuervo, La Costeña, Lala, Liverpool, and Maseca (46^th).

May 16

MASECA AMONG THE 50 COMPANIES WITH THE BEST REPUTATION(El Financiero Online) (Dinero En Imagen Online) (Tribuna Online - Sonora) (La Verdad Online - Quintana Roo/Yucatan) (Merca2.0 Online) (El CEO Online) Out of the 50 companies with the best reputation in Mexico, only 11 are Mexican, according to the , 2019 report by the Reputation Institute. The companies were Aeroméxico, Alpura, Cinépolis, Grupo Bimbo, Herdez, José Cuervo, Jumex, La Costeña, Lala, Liverpool, and Maseca. The study used 26,987 opinions on companies given by 6,935 Mexicans, in which they also graded products offered, integrity and innovation, finance, citizenship, leadership, and jobs. Fernando Prado, president of the Reputation Institute for Mexico and Latin America, says these companies are most admired because they also receive support from people by word-of-mouth recommendations, intention to purchase their products, investing in them, seeking job opportunities, or giving these companies the benefit of the doubt in the event of a crisis. “Just because brands are well-recognized, doesn’t mean they have a good reputation,” said Prado. “Companies need to work on that.”

May 21

GRUPO MASECA FULFILLS ON PROMISES WITH PRODUCERS FROM SINALOA, SAYS CAADES (El Financiero Online) (SDP Noticias Online) In previous articles we have touched upon the importance of including the tortilla into our diet. Today we will talk about how it is important for farmers to receive a fair price for their products, providing them financial certainty. In this regard, we see that industrial companies that use white corn signed purchasing agreements with producers that they now refuse to fulfill, with the intention of forcing the government and farmers to lower the price of farm goods. Gustavo Rojo, president of CAADES, which stands for the Confederation of Agricultural Associations of Sinaloa, assured that Grupo Maseca had kept its promises with the state’s farmers by paying a fair price to producers and giving them financial security. “We will seek a strategy to apply pressure on industrial companies that expressed their intent to make purchases at the time, and still have not come forward to purchase the remaining two million tons,” said Rojo. “This did not occur with large companies such as Grupo Maseca, who complied with contracts in a timely and due fashion.”