WASHINGTON, Oct. 14, 2015 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ — Celebrating 20 years of building communities and partnerships as one of the largest membership and advocacy organizations for Latino-owned small businesses, The Latino Coalition (TLC) in conjunction with the Los Angeles Latino Chamber of Commerce (LALCC) held the Engine of America 2015 Small Business Summit on October 8th at the City Club Los Angeles.
Attracting over 200 dynamic leaders, prominent executives and high-profile speakers, the groundbreaking breakout sessions focused on the areas of healthcare, technology, telecom, immigration, regulations and legal reform. The day also encompassed informative and energizing panels showcasing the importance of small business to the overall economy and how to leverage entrepreneurial diversity for optimal opportunities. Lastly, the event emphasized the Hispanic community’s influence in small business and provided attendees with a Business Matchmaking session to help grow businesses, access capital and seek new opportunities.
“It is imperative for the small business community to thrive,” said The Latino Coalition Chairman and former U.S. Small Business Administrator Hector Barreto. “As the backbone of our economy, small businesses need a bold commitment to capital, capacity and contracts. And the Engine of America 2015 Small Business Summit served as the opportunity for entrepreneurs to gain access to these necessities, as well as arm themselves with invaluable insight and resources to get ahead.”
Headlining the event was Dominic Ng, Chairman and CEO of East West Bank. Ng not only shared insight on the significance of engaging the ever-growing Latino business community, he discussed the importance of bridging the financing gap between Asia and U.S. business owners in order to promote long-term success.
The summit attracted representatives from various West Coast entities including: the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; the National Latinas Business Women Association; HOPE; the Southern California Minority Supplier Development Council; the Riverside Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; and SCORE.
Moreover, the Engine of America 2015 Small Business Summit shared research and innovative strategies to fuel a growing sector of our economy— Latinas in business. During the conference, TLC’s longstanding partner AltaMed announced the “Why Latinas Matter” study, emphasizing the importance of Latina health and well being as critical to the overall entrepreneurial success of this nation.
One of the event’s most important highlights honored the Founder of The Latino Coalition, Dr. Tirso del Junco with the organizations Leadership Award. Dr. del Junco is living evidence of the power of hard work and the American Dream and his bold commitment to small business is the foundation of TLC.
“Dr. del Junco’s vision of championing small business is the essence of our organization. His leadership and commitment to creating opportunities for entrepreneurs to thrive is inspirational. And his enthusiasm for economic opportunity is a beacon for the Latino community and our country,” added Barreto.
Another significant deliverable during the summit was Chairman Barreto’s announcement of a new partnership through a Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) with the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce. Digital solutions are essential in staying competitive in the ever-changing business environment of today. This MOU welcomes the Hispanic Chamber of E-Commerce into TLC’s national network of 80+ organizations working to enhance the overall business, economic and social development of small businesses.
“With such a successful summit last week, I am looking forward to TLC’s robust schedule of events for 2016,” Barreto said. “Washington’s Small Business Summit, the GOP Convention, the DNC Convention and the West Coast Summit will be great opportunities for the Hispanic business community to gather, network and advocate for Latino entrepreneurs to prosper and grow the U.S. economy.”
A special thank you to The Latino Coalition Title Sponsors: Wal-Mart and Google. In addition, TLC acknowledges: Herbalife, CENTENE Corporation, Sands Las Vegas Sands Corp., MasterCard, U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, PG&E, MyWireless.org, American Express Open, Honda, Altamed Health Services, Intuit, Master Your Card, East West Bank, Southern California Edison, American Beverage Association, American Airlines, Verizon, The Coca-Cola Company, Southern California Gas, Tributo Tequila, Conexion, 305 Communications, CapitalWirePR and Impacto News.
ABOUT THE LATINO COALITION- The Latino Coalition (TLC) was founded in 1995 by a group of Hispanic business owners from across the country to research and develop policies solutions relevant to Latinos. TLC is a non-profit nationwide organization with offices in California, Washington, DC and Guadalajara, Mexico. Established to address and engage on key issues that that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States, TLC’s agenda is to create and promote initiatives and partnerships that will foster economic equivalency and enhance and empower overall business, economic and social development for Latinos. Visit www.thelatinocoalition.com.
