|
LATINA Style
Business Series
Fort Worth,
Texas
Over 300
professional
Latinas, from
aspiring young
Latinas to
successful
entrepreneurs,
gathered to
participate in
the exciting and
informative one-day
business program
held at the Fort
Worth Convention
Center on
Wednesday,
October 23,
2008. The event
was held as part
of the LATINA
Style
Business Series
anniversary
tour,
celebrating 10
Years of
Empowering
Entrepreneurs
Nationwide.
According to the
U.S. Census
Bureau, in 2006,
Hispanic
entrepreneurs
made a
tremendous
impact on the
Texas economy,
with over
300,000 Hispanic-owned
businesses in
the state
generating over
42 Billion
dollars in sales
annually. In
Fort Worth,
Texas, the
Hispanic
population
exceeds 200,000,
representing
almost 30
percent of the
686,000 total
population.
Fort Worth’s
strong economy,
its ongoing
development and
its unique mix
of attractions,
are just a few
of the reasons
Latinas seek
opportunities in
this city. “I am
so proud of Fort
Worth, all it
has to offer and
most of all, its
thriving,
growing business
environment
which is greatly
enhanced by our
Latina community,”
said Keynote
speaker,
Congresswoman
Kay Granger,
during her
opening remarks.
“Coming to this
event today is
an investment...
an investment in
yourself,” she
added. |
|
 |
 |
|
(L-R) Yolanda
Cuevas,
president & CEO,
Cuevas
Distribution,
Inc.; Wilka
Toppins,
Operational vice
president,
Diversity
Strategies,
Macy’s, Inc.; Ms.
Barbara Ragland,
Congresswoman
Granger office;
Rosa Navejar,
president, FWHCC
and
Congresswoman
Kay Granger from
12th District of
Texas |
|
The conference started
with the “Access to
Capital” panel composed
of Billy Medina, program
manager of the Small
Business Administration
and Judge Pete Perez,
Score representative.
These knowledgeable
panelists discussed best
practices and available
sources to build
capacity.
This next workshop,
titled “Protecting Your
Business,” was moderated
by Marianne Leal, CASL
of State Farm Insurance,
and integrated by Evelyn
Dyson Lee, Senior
Stakeholder Liaison of
the IRS; Marilou
Martinez Stevens, CPA of
President CPA, &
Associates, P. C; and
Gail Townsend, vice
president of Frost
Insurance representing
Aetna. The panel focused
on discussing the proper
foundation and structure
of a business, ways to
protect small businesses
as well as the array of
insurances available.
The “Successful
Marketing Strategies to
Sell You and Your
Business” panel was
moderated by Maria
Mendez, director,
Emerging Markets SW
Region of Aetna and
composed of panelists:
Wilka Toppins,
Operational Vice
President Diversity
Strategies of Macy’s,
Inc.; Cindy Velasquez,
director of Account Mgmt
of the North Texas Small
Business of United
Healthcare; and Tony
Davila, Regional Sales
Coordinator for Texas
Central, Aflac.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Fort
Worth
Business
Series
Co-chairs
(L-R)
Rosa
Navejar,
president,
FWHCC;
Lupita
Colmenero,
president
& CEO,
El
Hispano
News and
Arcilia
Acosta,
president,
Carcon
Industries
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
(L-R)
Deborah
Ferguson,
Anchor,
NBC News;
Arcilia
Acosta,
president,
Carcon
Industries,
Texas
Secretary
of State,
Hope
Andrade;
Rosa
Navejar,
president,
FWHCC;
Lupita
Colmenero,
president
& CEO,
El
Hispano
News and
Yolanda
Cuevas,
president
& CEO,
Cuevas
Distribution,
Inc. |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Sam’s
Club
Team |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
United
Healthcare
Booth |
|
Well established Latina
entrepreneurs and
professionals discussed
lessons learned
throughout their careers,
during the final panel
“Latina Entrepreneur
Spotlight: Lessons
Learned.” The panel was
composed by: Carol
Martinez, agent at State
Farm Insurance; Arcilia
Acosta, president of
Carcon Industries; Julie
Wilson, vice president
of Corporate Development;
Chesapeake Energy
Corporation; Sandra
McGlothlin, president of
Empire Roofing; and the
Latina Style
Entrepreneur of the year,
Ms. Yolanda Cuevas,
president & CEO of
Cuevas Distribution,
Inc., of Fort Worth,
Texas.
“As Latinas, we bring
unique qualities to
leadership positions,”
said Hope Andrade, Texas
Secretary of State,
during her Keynote
address at the LATINA
entrepreneur award
luncheon. “Our life
experiences provide us a
great appreciation for
the importance of
perseverance, dedication,
and commitment in
achieving success. It is
important that we
support and empower
other Latinas at every
opportunity, and events
like today’s do exactly
that,” said Secretary
Andrade.
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Aetna
Team |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Aflac
representative |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
State
Farm
Team |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
Macy’s
Inc |
|
Our appreciation goes
out to the Fort Worth
Business Series event co-chairs,
who are outstanding
Latina Leaders in the
metropolis: Lupita
Colmenero, president &
CEO, el Hispano News;
Rosa Navejar, president,
Ft. Worth Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce; and
Arcilia Acosta,
president & CEO of
CARCON Industries and
Construction.
|
Many Thanks to
Macy’s Inc, our
2008 LSBS title
sponsor as well
as to our
national
sponsors
including: State
Farm Insurance,
Wal-Mart Stores,
Inc. Sam’s Club,
Aflac, Aetna,
UnitedHealthcare,
AARP and
Principal
Financial Group.
Thank you also
to our City
Sponsors
including:
Comerica Bank
and Fort Worth
Convention &
Visitors Bureau,
our beverage
sponsor is
PepsiCo and its
brands Aquafina
and Propel and
to the official
Business Series
Airline,
American
Airlines. Last
but not least
thank you to our
Leadership
Dinner Sponsors:
Northwestern
Mutual Finance
and Medica
Health
Management, Inc |
By Tania G.
Davila
Photos by Jose de la
Rosa
|
