USHCC Recognizes Top 20 Hispanic Enterprises, Businessman and Businesswoman of the Year

- Entrepreneurs Commended for Leading Hispanic Business Growth in America -

MIAMI BEACH, Fla., Sept. 21, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) recognizes the Top 20 Largest Latino & Latina owned businesses and announces the Hispanic Businessman and Businesswoman of the Year.  The ceremony took place at the HBE Elite Luncheon at the USHCC 32nd Annual National Convention & Business Expo in Miami Beach, Florida on September 20, 2011.

"These entrepreneurs have acted as pioneers in their industries, stimulating local economies and spearheading community development initiatives," says Javier Palomarez, President & CEO of USHCC. "Their business achievements exemplify how Hispanic business owners drive economic growth by creating employment opportunities nationwide."

Veronica Edwards, President and CEO of InGenesis, Inc., was recognized as the 2011 Hispanic Businesswoman of the Year.  InGenesis is a diversified healthcare solutions firm based out of San Antonio, Texas, which specializes in sourcing, recruiting and managing healthcare providers. The company employs over 635 people and services 80 client facilities in 34 states. Edwards is the sole proprietor of InGenesis and under her leadership the company achieved significant growth during one of the worst economic downturns in U.S. history.  InGenesis increased revenues from $5 million in 2008 to over $51 million in 2010.

Marcelo Claure, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Brightstar Corp., was the recipient of the 2011 Hispanic Businessman of the Year Award.  Since its founding in 1997, Marcelo Claure has transformed Brightstar Corp., from a small start up into one of world's largest wireless distribution corporations and a leader in global services to the wireless industry. Brightstar which originally started in America, now has a local presence in 50 countries across six continents with over 43,000 customers, enabling more than 90,000 points of sale on a daily basis.  In a world where business transactions are increasingly more dependent on constant connectivity, these wireless services have become a crucial resource for businesses worldwide.

The Hispanic Businessman and Businesswoman of the Year were chosen from a list of exceptional applicants from across the country and selected by an independent judging panel.  

Also recognized at the ceremony were the USHCC's Top 20 Hispanic Business Enterprises. These companies represent the largest HBEs in America, as identified by Hispanic Business Magazine's Top 500 list.  The honorees included:

Latino-owned Businesses:

• Brightstar Corp., Marcelo Claure  
• MasTec Inc., Jose Mas      
• The Related Group of Florida, Jorge Perez
• International Bancshares Corp, Dennis Nixon
• Quirch Foods Co., Guillermo Quirch
• Greenway Ford Inc., Frank Rodriguez
• The Diez Group, Gerald Diez
• Ruiz Foods Inc., Bryce Ruiz
• Group O Inc., Gregg Ontiveros
• Gensis Networks Enterprises LLC, James Goodman

Latina-owned Businesses:

• SDI International Corp., Carmen Castillo
• Ole Mexican Foods Inc., Veronica Moreno
• Pinnacle Technical Resources, Nina Vaca-Humrichouse
• Elder Automotive Group, Irma Elder
• PS Energy Group, Livia Whisenhunt
• The Alamo Travel Group, Patricia Pliego Stout
• Argent Associates Inc., Beatrice Manetta
• Navarro Research & Engineering, Susana Navarro-Valenti
• Nexgen Information Service Inc., Maria del Carmen Jacob
• InGenesis Inc., Veronica Edwards

About the 32nd Annual National Convention & Business Expo
The 32nd Annual National Convention & Business Expo is the largest gathering of Hispanic business leaders in America. Join the USHCC, Fortune 500 companies, Hispanic Business Enterprises (HBEs) and local Chambers of Commerce in Miami to connect, strategize and grow. The National Convention takes place September 18th - 21st at the Fontainebleau Hotel in Miami Beach. The USHCC is proud to present Corporate Convention Chair, Chase Bank and HBE Convention Chair, United Data Technologies.  For more information about the Convention and a full schedule of events, please visit www.ushccconvention.com.

About the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of nearly 3 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States that combined to generate in excess of $400 billion annually. It also serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local Hispanic chambers in the United States and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.ushcc.com. 

SOURCE United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce