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LATINA Style
Business Series in
Chicago, IL.
Current and aspiring
entrepreneurs
arrived early on a
cold Friday morning
at McDonald’s
Hamburger University
in Oak Brook, Il, a
suburb in Chicago,
on Friday, October
19, 2007 to learn
from successful
Latina professionals
from across the
country.
The LATINA Style
Business Series,
considered one of
the most successful
one-day conferences
for Hispanics in
business, brought
together Latina
professionals to
speak about their
experiences and keys
to success. This
year’s event, hosted
and sponsored by
McDonald’s
Corporation along
with other national
sponsors including
ExxonMobil and State
Farm Insurance,
featured a line-up
of speakers ranging
from Illinois Sen.
Iris Martinez to
McDonald’s
Corporation
president & COO,
Ralph Alvarez.
“As business women
committed to the
developing
entrepreneurial
ventures or
advancing your own
careers, your
attendance at
today’s forum is
significant,” said
Alvarez, keynote
speaker of the
Latina Entrepreneur
Award Luncheon. “It
is not only a great
opportunity to
network and share
best practices, it
sets a great example
for those around you
about the importance
of lifelong
learning.”
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Ralph
Alvarez,
president
& COO at
McDonalds’
Corporation,
addressing
audience
at the
Latina
Entrepreneur
Award
Luncheon |
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Attendees
were welcomed with a talk show
style set-up, which provided
interaction between the
panelists and audience. The day
kicked-off with a panel titled,
“Innovative Resources for Access
to Capital,” moderated by Diane
Riley, Business Banking Officer,
Small Business Banking at U.S.
Bank. Among panelist were
Priscilla Cordero, senior loan
officer at ACCION Chicago and
Valerie Ross, branch manager at
the U.S. Small Business
Administration. The panel
discussion advised attendees how
to find new avenues to raise
capital and grow their business.
“As a presenter, it is always a
pleasure to work with a
conference organizer that is
just that, organized,” said
Ross. During this panel,
attendees learned that
established and potential
entrepreneurs have several
financial resources available to
them. These secondary forms of
revenue, ranging from Microloan
programs and financial literacy
education, are accessible
through resource centers such as
the U.S. Small Business
Administration.
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Attendees
taking
in
the
lessons
during
workshop |
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(Top
row:
left
to
right)
–
Neli
Vasquez-Rowland,
Manny
Sanchez,
Roseanne
Tellez,
Pat
Harris,
Gloria
Santona,
(Bottom
row:
left
to
right)
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Adela
Cepeda,
Gloria
Castillo,
Patricia
Pulido-Sanchez,
Marcia
Vargas |
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Roseanne
Tellez, mistress of ceremony
during the luncheon and news
anchor of WGN-TV’s Morning News
at the local CBS station,
nourished attendees during the
luncheon. The recipient of the
Latina Entrepreneur of the Year
award was Adela Cepeda,
president and CEO of A.C.
Advisory, Inc., a company
specializing in providing
financing services. She was
acknowledged for her successes
as a business owner and for the
contributions she has made to
the community.
“What
energizes me most is the sheer
size and potential that exists
for the Hispanic community, in
particular Hispanic women.” said
Alvarez. “You have the ability
to harness the power of local
entrepreneurship and make an
economic and civic difference
for the communities in which you
do business. That is your
opportunity and responsibility.”
“The
Latina Entrepreneur Award
Luncheon was a phenomenal
event,” said Olga Camargo, head
of Hispanic research and
Strategy at Mesirow Financial.
“It was attended by high-level
Latina professionals who are
influencing and changing the
business landscape nationally.
It was truly amazing to see the
diversity of these women. Our
firm couldn’t have been prouder
to have sponsored this event.”
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The
Mesirow
Financial
Team:
(left
to
right)
Magnolia
Abarca,
benefits
analyst;
Juan
Gomez
de
la
Casa,
vice
president;
Olga
Camargo,
head
of
Hispanic
Research
&
Strategy;
Jessica
Herrera,
account
representative;
and
Adriana
Duenas,
managing
director |
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Illinois
State
Senator
Iris
Martinez,
Patricia
Pulido-Sanchez,
president.
Pulido
Sanchez
Communications;
Judie
Garcia,
Reporter,
WGN-TV |
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Another
workshop throughout the day
included: “Successful Marketing
Strategies for You and Your
Business,” moderated by Gloria
Castillo, president of Chicago
United. Panelists included
Patricia Pulido-Sanchez,
president of Pulido Sanchez
Communications, LLC; Cristina
Alfaro, US Communications
manager at McDonald’s
Corporation, to name a few.
The day
culminated with the panel
titled, “Latina Entrepreneurs:
Lessons Learned,” moderated by
Sandra Figueroa Bast, president
of Bast Services, Inc. This
presentation showcased stories
of successful Latinas who have
learned to balance their
everyday lives with the rigors
of entrepreneurship.
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United
HealthCare
Insurance
Company
and
AARP
Healthcare
Options
Team |
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AT&T
representatives:
(left
to
right)
Santiago
Rodriguez,
sales
person;
Kriss
Ann
Gamez,
Regional
Diversity
director,
Nancy
Rodriguez,
sales
and
Xochitl
Orozco,
Small
Business
advisor |
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“It was an
honor to address a roomful of
accomplished and potential
entrepreneurs by sharing my own
experiences as a business
owner,” said Bast, who has
learned to balance both her
family and business life. “It’s
not an easy task, but it is part
of my life.”
The
networking reception was the
final event of the day and
attendees were treated to a
raffle where two round-trip
airline tickets from American
Airlines and Macy’s gift cards
provided by United Healthcare
were given away.
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The
McDonalds’
Executive
Team |
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Thanks to
our Chicago
sponsors and
partners
National
Sponsors:
American
Airlines,
AARP Health
Care
Options,
AT&T,
Exxon-Mobil,
IBM
Corporation,
McDonald’s,
Office
Depot, State
Farm
Insurance,
Sam’s Club,
United
Healthcare,
and
Wal-Mart.
Local
Sponsors:
American
Family
Insurance,
Mesirow
Financial,
US Bank
Local
Partners:
Accion
Chicago, A.
Alva Rosales
&
Associates,
Aurora
Hispanic
Chamber of
Commerce,
Chicago
Latino
Network,
Chicago
United, El
Extra
Newspaper,
iHispano,
Illinois
Hispanic
Chamber of
Commerce, La
Raza
Newspaper,
Latino
Fashion Week
Chicago,
LULAC,
Women’s
Business
Development
Center,
Women’s
Network. |
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