Cutting the rib- U.S. Hispanic Chamber of bon at the Busi- st Commerce 21 Annual National ness Expo are (center, left to Convention and Business Expo right) Ray Arvizu, board member; he annual convention and business exposition of Mark Hogan, the Hispanic Chamber of Com- president, e-GM; T USHCC Chair merce (USHCC), entitled “Hispanic Commerce in the Elisabeth Lisboa- New Economy” was held recently in Washington, D.C. Farrow; and The event provided over 9,000 business owners, gov- George Herrera, president and ernment leaders and corporate executives a CEO, USHCC. forum for the exchange of business and career op- borough president, Bronx, ; Stacey H. Davis, portunities, as well as the president and CEO, Fannie Mae Foundation; and Andy opportunity to attend a Unanue, CEO, Goya Foods. series of comprehensive At the 4-day convention, Elizabeth Lisboa-Farrow, business sessions focused president and CEO of LISBOA, Inc., was elected chair on fostering growth and of the Board of Directors of the USHCC. development of the His- National awards were presented during the Gala panic entrepreneur in the Awards Banquet at the Na- new economy. tional Building Museum by The Business Expo George Herrera, president and featured over 200 exhibi- CEO, USHCC, and Ray tors ranging from His- Arvizu, chairman of the board, Manny Chavez, and Mistress of ceremonies Lynda Baquero. panic and international USHCC. The recipients were enterprises to Fortune 500 Bank One Corporation, Cor- companies and government agencies. In addition, Pro- poration of the Year award; curement, Franchise, and Workforce Diversity pavilions James Richardson Gonzales, were created so that vendors could meet one-on-one Verizon Communications, with procurement representatives. Corporate Hispanic Business Ivan Seidenberg, president and co-chief executive Advocate of the Year; WNBC- officer, Verizon Communications and honorary conven- TV, New York, the Chairman’s Martha C. de La Torre tion chairman, served as the keynote speaker at the open- award; Xavier Romeu, secretary, ing breakfast and announced Verizon’s $10 million Department of Economic Development investment in the recently formed Private Equity Fund, and Commerce, Government Hispanic Business L.P. sponsored by the USHCC. The national capital Advocate of the Year; Martha C. de La Torre, El Classi- venture fund is intended to provide much needed capi- ficado, Hispanic Businesswoman of the Year; Manny tal for the growth and expansion of small and medium Chavez, Harvard Manufacturing, Inc., Hispanic Busi- size Hispanic businesses in the U.S. The fund’s goal is nessman of the Year; and Denver Hispanic Chamber to raise between $50-$75 million from institutional and of Commerce, Large Hispanic Chamber of Commerce individual investors. The fund will focus on established of the Year. The Sanchez to Sanchez to Smith Award manufacturing, service and distribution companies with was presented to Union Trading Company, LLC. This revenues in excess of $15 million, a strong track record, award is given to companies whose involvement in in- and a recent history of positive cash flows. ternational trade benefits both Hispanic businesses in Other guest speakers included Senator John S. the United States and the international business com- McCain (R-AZ); Antonia Novello, M.D., commis- munity. sioner, New York State Department of Health; George The USHCC represents the interests of more than Munoz, president and CEO, Overseas Private Invest- 1.4 million Hispanic owned businesses in the United ment Corporation; and Roy Barnes, the Governor of States and Puerto Rico. It serves as the umbrella orga- . nization for the 250 local Hispanic chambers nation- A Town Hall Meeting entitled “Strategic Alliances wide and actively promotes the economic growth and for the New Economy,” was held and featured such development of Hispanic entrepreneurs. notable panelists as Earl G. Graves, Sr., chairman and The 2001 conference and business expo will be held publisher, Black Enterprise magazine; Fernando Ferrer, September 18-22 in , Georgia.

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