Unlocking the Door to Success

Rosie Mares was born and raised in East Los Angeles as the second of six kids.  Her birthplace was near the junction of two freeways (the 10 and the 710). Rosie was raised in that part of East L.A. known as City Terrace.

Rosie attended Wilson High School in El Sereno where she was a member of the drill team.

Rosie entered East Los Angeles College having in mind a career in teaching history.  However, employment in Zody’s Department Store inspired her to change her major to accounting. She graduated from East Los Angeles College with an AA degree.

Desiring a change in scenery, Rosie uprooted herself from southern California and moved up north to San Jose.  There she was accepted as a student at San Jose State University.  In those days, one did not have to take out loans to attend college.  Rosie put herself through college at $500 a semester.  She graduated in 1981 with a BA in accounting.

After graduation  in 1981, Rosie joined a group of fifty women on a tour of Mainland China, a tour which had a lasting influence on her.  At the Shanghai market  place, Rosie marveled at vast differences in culture and economic development.  Bicycles were the primary means of transportation, even for moving goods from place to place. Cars were only occasionally seen.  The group toured factories, schools and hospitals.  The group also visited the Great Wall of China.

Rosie then went to work for the State of California in the Department of Corporations.  In the next six years she rose through the ranks, as a field examiner of escrow companies.  One day she noticed another employee many years her senior whose job consisted of stamping papers.  Rosie realized that she did not want to be “locked in” to this job for the next 25 years.

In 1987 and 1988 in City Terrace, Rosie started her own company:  “R. Mares and Associates, Tax Preparation and Book-keeping.” The ensuing 22 years were to be quite eventful.  In 1994, the first location was burnt down in a fire.  In 1998, the second location, also in City Terrace, was destroyed in the 1997-1998 El Nino floods.  The company then moved to its third location at 7805 Telegraph Rd; Ste D; Montebello; CA 90640-6529.  In the last six years, as a result of the current economic downturn, the company went from fourteen employees to two and a half.

Rosie has moved to Monrovia.  She enjoys photography and hiking in Monrovia Canyon.