The Latino Coalition's 2011 Southern California Economic Summit Forges Strong Partnerships, Links Communities, and Offers Resources for Small Businesses

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• Latin America - español

Summit provides business leaders invaluable access to information & connections to grow and sustain their companies and retain employees

LOS ANGELES, Oct. 12, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Latino Coalition (TLC) concluded the 2011 Southern California Economic Summit in downtown Los Angeles, Calif., which ran October 5-6, 2011 and provided small business with the tools and services necessary to survive during these challenging economic times.  

"Often times when the economy weakens, small and medium sized businesses are hit the hardest," said Hector V. Barreto, TLC's Chairman and former Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration (2001-2006).  "It is critical at times such as these that businesses have all the resources and information they need to pull through down times without losing employees or closing their doors.  The Latino Coalition has been at the forefront of providing such resources and has made it a priority in all planning and initiatives.  Last week's Summit was a wonderful success and a great aid Southern California communities and individual business leaders in the area."

During the Summit, TLC facilitated and signed a historic strategic partnership with the National Society of Hispanic MBAS (NSHMBA), the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and the San Diego County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to build align and structure a cohesive movement to better assist businesses and foster greater communication among the different groups.

The Latino Coalition was proud to team up and bring together a diverse and representative group of co-hosts and communities for the summit.  Co-hosts included: the Riverside County Black Chamber of Commerce, the Inland Empire Asian Business Association, the National Latina Business Women Association (NLBWA), and the National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO).

Many attendees benefitted from The Latino Coalition B2B National Procurement Matchmaking program, which provided businesses the opportunity to meet one-on-one with potential buyers.

"We have found that many small business owners desperately need introductions to buyers for potential contracts," Barreto continued.  "The Latino Coalition was pleased to see the matchmaking program underway this week in Southern California, because we know well and believe that small business is the engine of the American economy. Initiatives such as this week's Southern California Economic Summit empower business by offering greater access to resources, best practices and other opportunities to promote prosperity even in a weakened economy."

The Latino Coalition offers a special note of gratitude to all corporate sponsors for the Summit, including American Airlines, AT&T, D&B, Fed Ex, Honda, MasterCard, The Travelers Institute, and Wal-Mart.

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 relevant to Latinos.  TLC is a non-profit nationwide organization with offices in Southern California, Washington D.C., and Guadalajara, Mexico. TLC was established to address policy issues that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States. TLC's agenda is to develop initiatives and partnerships that will foster economic equivalency and enhance overall business, economic and social development of Latinos. Visit: www.thelatinocoalition.com.

SOURCE The Latino Coalition