President Donald J. Trump Delivers First Address to Hispanic Business Group at The Latino Coalition Legislative Summit

WASHINGTON, March 12, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- On March 7, The Latino Coalition (TLC), the nation's leading non-partisan advocacy organization representing Hispanic businesses and consumers, hosted President Donald J. Trump, Labor Secretary Alex Acosta and Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao during its Legislative Summit at the J.W. Marriott Hotel in Washington, D.C.

"We appreciate this historic moment of recognition and engagement from the President and his team," said Hector Barreto, TLC's Chairman and former U.S. Small Business Administrator.  "Hispanic business owners are a dynamic, powerful force in our growing economy, and the actions of our government have a tremendous impact on whether they are able to continue to thrive and create jobs.  As a business owner himself, President Donald Trump understands the unique challenges that business owners – large, medium and small – face every day.

"We look forward to ongoing engagement with the President, Secretary Acosta, Secretary Chao and other Trump administration officials on the issues that matter to the entrepreneurial Hispanic community," Barreto went on. "Regulatory reform, infrastructure investment and health-care costs will be priority issues for us in the coming months and years of the Trump administration."

During the first address to a Hispanic business group, President Trump pointed out how Latino-owned enterprises make up more than 10 percent of all businesses in the United States and provide jobs for more than 2 million American workers.

"Latino business leaders are living proof that the American Dream is back and stronger than ever. The Latino community embodies the pioneering spirit of America…[you're] helping lead the way. You're paving the path," President Trump said.

He went on to emphasize his commitment to "unleashing the full potential of the Latino community by removing government burdens, restoring safety and security to our neighborhoods, and by defending America's interests so that all of our citizens can prosper."

The day-long summit boasted a premier lineup of executives, business experts and elected officials including: U.S. Labor Secretary R. Alexander Acosta; U.S. Transportation Secretary Elaine L. Chao; Dan Bryant, Senior VP of Walmart's Global Public Government Affairs; U.S. Rep. Lou Correa (CA-46); Senator Orrin Hatch (R-UT); U.S. Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27); Alia Moses, United States District Judge for the Western District of Texas; Mary Ann Gomez Orta, President and CEO of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute; C.E. Tee Rowe, President and CEO of America's Small Business Development Centers and many more.

Echoing the President's message, U.S. Transportation Secretary, Elaine L. Chao said, "Hispanic-Americans have many reasons to be proud. The vibrant Hispanic community continues to play a significant role in shaping our country's economy, culture and future. As Hispanic-American leaders, your perspectives and expertise are valuable as we move forward to help ensure our critical infrastructure meets the needs of every community." 

During the Legislative Summit, The Latino Coalition Leadership Award was given to Sen. Orrin Hatch for his unwavering commitment to the Hispanic community throughout his time in public office. Sen. Hatch joins key figures such as founding TLC Member Dr. Tirso del Junco, Puebla Mexico's Secretary of State Luis Maldonado-Venegas, the President of the Cultural Foundation Isidro Fabela Arturo Peña del Mazo, Actor and Education Advocate Tony Plana, the President of Litografía Magnograf Armando Prida-Huerta, and Mexican actor, Eduardo Verástegui, as a TLC Leadership Award recipient.

The Latino Coalition also presented the prestigious "Ganas Award" to Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (FL-27) for her leadership and patronage to the Latino community. Previous TLC "Ganas Award" winners include: Director of Supplier Diversity for Southern California Edison Joe Alderete, U.S. Congressman Xavier Becerra, AltaMed President and CEO Cástulo de la Rocha, U.S. Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales, Jennifer S. Korn, Special Assistant to the President and Deputy Director for the Office of Public Liaison White House, and U.S. Senator Marco Rubio.

Moreover, Chairman Barreto announced new partnerships formalized by Memorandums of Understanding (MOU) with the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC) and America's Small Business Development Centers. These organizations join TLC's network of 100+ partners working to enhance the overall business, economic and social objectives of the Hispanic community.

"The Hispanic community is not monolithic – we don't agree about every policy issue – but as the gathering place of choice for state and local Hispanic chambers of commerce, The Latino Coalition will continue to speak with one voice on the economic issues that matter most to our community," Barreto said.

"TLC is off to a fantastic start this year! Seeking to exponentially grow our national footprint, we look forward to continuing to foster relationships with entrepreneurs, business executives, and an Administration that understands the power small business provides the U.S. economy. We anticipate and look ahead to another successful event championing entrepreneurial dynamism with our June 13 West Coast Summit in Irvine, CA," Barreto concluded. 

The Latino Coalition would like to thank the following Title Sponsor: Wal-Mart. TLC also acknowledges and is grateful for all its partners: AltaMed Health Services Corporation, Altria Client Services, Alvarado Smith, American Beverage Association, American Facility Service Group Inc., Association for Affordable Medicines, AT&T, Atticus Group Inc., Bank of America, California Resource Corporation, Comcast/ Universal, , Direct Selling Association, Dun & Bradstreet, East West Bank, Ecco Select, Edison Electric Institute, Herbalife, Hispanic Business Roundtable Institute, H&R Block, International Franchise Association, Intuit, JP Morgan, Koch Industries, Master Your Card, MasterCard, McDonald's, National Association of Broadcasters, National Cable & Telecommunications Association, NewTek, NV Energy, PG&E, PhRMA, Southern California Edison, The Latino Coalition Foundation, The Libre Initiative, T-Mobile, Tributo Tequila, U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, Univision, Verizon. Media Partners: Conexión, Finding Productions, Tico Sports Productions, LLC.

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 and 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 or follow us at #TLCsummit.

SOURCE The Latino Coalition

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