The California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce (CHCC), the premier organization promoting the development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and emerging Latino businesses in California, announced today that it will hold its Annual State Convention in Oakland from Aug. 14 to 16 at the Oakland City Center Marriott.

The California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, the premier organization promoting the development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and emerging Latino businesses in California, will hold its 19th Annual Legislative Summit on May 21 in Sacramento.

The day will feature presentations by elected officials and policy leaders and an opportunity for Latino business leaders to talk directly with legislators and their staffs about policy issues that impact Latino businesses. The event begins at 10 a.m. at the Sheraton Grand Hotel in Sacramento.

“This is a great opportunity for business owners and local leaders to interact with legislators about issues that are critical to their businesses and their communities,” said Mark Martinez, President and CEO of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. “While our organization advocates for Latino businesses every day, it is important that legislators hear the personal stories of Latino business owners as they consider laws that will impact all of us.”

Among the Chamber’s top state legislative priorities this year:

Advocating for a comprehensive state economic development plan to promote an innovation economy, including encouraging research and development and eliminating the sales tax on new manufacturing equipment. (AB 653)

Preserving key aspects of the enterprise zone program to protect important jobs that have been created in economically distressed parts of the state.

Ensuring that the state implementation of health care reform doesn’t create overly burdensome requirements for businesses.

“California has a long history of leading innovation for our country and the world,” said James Duran, Chair of the Chamber’s Legislative Committee. “The CHCC is working to ensure that our state’s policies encourage innovation and job growth. We are very supportive of Assembly Bill 653 and believe it will provide critical assistance to our economy and maintain California’s leadership role in creating new innovative products.”

Duran added that the Chamber is actively working to ensure that the state maintains its commitment to enterprise zones, which were created to encourage investment in economically distressed parts of the state.

“While some adjustments may be needed, it’s imperative that we continue to encourage businesses to remain in these economically fragile areas,” Duran said. “Many businesses have made significant investments in enterprise zone. We need to maintain a structure that rewards those that have taken a chance on California’s most economically disadvantaged areas.”

The Chamber is also actively opposing a number of proposals, including one to create a new tax on sweetened beverages and one that would increase the cost of worker’s compensation. To follow legislation being tracked by the Chamber, please click on the following link:

2013 CHCC Legislation – Bill Tracking List: Click Here

The Legislative Summit will begin at 10 a.m. and end with a reception at 5:30 p.m. To register, please visit www.cahcc.com or call (916) 444-2221.

Cristy Rice Debuts New Swimwear Line Cuban Rice

Former “Real Housewives of Miami” star turned designer Cristy Rice debuted her new swimwear and accessory collection Cuban Rice at SET Nightclub in Miami Beach for Miami Metropolitan International Fashion Week. More than a year in the making, the sassy Latina and Miami native kicked off the swimwear line with the release of the Spring/Summer 2013 collection “Cubanita”. Models strutted 17 looks down the runway, including Cristy’s daughter Brianna Rice who donned pieces from the sprightly collection.

Cristy with daughter Brianna Rice

Inspired by Cristy’s Cuban heritage, the multicultural city of Miami and her worldly travels, Cuban Rice features vibrant colors, sexy styles and fun prints. The bold collection is designed to fit all body types from teen girls to women.  The contemporary line retails for $115 to $200 and is sold in the US and Caribbean markets.

About Cuban Rice
Created by sassy Latina and former “Real Housewives of Miami” star Cristy Rice, Cuban Rice is an  American-based swimwear and accessories brand designed for all body types from teen girls to women. Inspired by Cristy’s heritage, her life in the multicultural city of Miami and her worldly travels, the bold line captures the Cuban-American’s vivacious and free-spirited personality by featuring bright colors, sexy styles and fun prints. Handmade in Colombia, the debut collection “Cubanita” is a mix of the various styles, fabrics, embroideries and accessories that capture Cristy’s personality best. Standing by the notion that “la actitud is everything,” as Cristy firmly believes, which means “your attitude is everything”, Cuban Rice serves as a reminder to girls and women that beauty comes from within. For more information about Cuban Rice, please visit www.shopcubanrice.com.

Business Owner,  Community Volunteer, Olga Orosco Fernandez is one of Hispanic Lifestyle’s 2013 Latinas of Influence.

Follow all of our 2013 Latinas of Influence on twitter with the tag #hltv2013

About our Latina of Influence – Olga Orosco Fernandez

Olga Fernandez is president and founder of Olga’s Underground Furniture, a 100% Latino-owned, family-run business specializing in discount caskets, accessories and funeral services. Founder and former partner of Caskets ‘N More, a 13-year old company, the industry veteran Ms Fernandez (also known as “The Discount Casket Lady”) formed her new company in 2011 and is involved in every aspect of the business, offering a wide range of services from casket and plot sales to floral and monument designs.  She set out to start a new business that not only offered home consultation, particularly for the Spanish-speaking community, but that was also online and social media connected in order to serve a wider market base.

Olga Orosco Fernandez

Ms Fernandez has extensive knowledge of the funeral industry, having initially served as vice president for Direct Casket Co. for three years before forming Caskets ‘N More.  She was an influential part of the team of casket retailers that formed the California Casket Retailers Association and helped in sponsoring a Senate bill (SB1555), personally lobbying legislators in Sacramento to help stop the bundling and packaging that funeral homes were offering consumers, disproportionately affecting lower income and minority communities.  The mission of Olga’s Underground Furniture is to provide quality merchandise at up to 50 – 70% less than mortuaries, while providing the personal service necessary at what is an extremely vulnerable time for the consumer.

As a Latina, Ms Fernandez is proud to provide a much-needed product at reduced prices particularly for her community, the largest minority in Southern California and, until recently, a virtually untapped market in this industry.  Her major challenge is the David & Goliath syndrome, having to compete with such large, established corporations as Stewart, SCI and Lowen Group.  This, however, has not deterred her from taking them on, which has led to her success and strong word-of-mouth business.

Olga’s extensive volunteerism in various community organizations provides her with great personal satisfaction as well as widening her knowledge of others in the business and non-profit world.  Her participation extends to such organizations as San Gabriel Valley Chapter of the American Cancer Society, Latin Business Association, YWCA of San Gabriel Valley and the Los Angeles Chapter of the National Latina Business Women Association, which awarded her a “Latinas in Business” award in 2007.   She was also among the recipients of the 2009 “Outstanding Women of the 57^th Assembly District” awards recognition. Among her many community roles, she is past Director of Fundraising for Covina American Little League, where she launched an ambitious campaign to raise over $25,000 to rebuild the league’s aging baseball field.  She is active in her children’s PTA at Glendora’s Washington Elementary, currently serving on the board as well as chairing the Reflections Program & Honorary Service Awards. Annual community events that Olga participates in include the “Remembering Our Veterans & Their Families” with Los Angeles County Supervisor Michael Antonovich, held each May in Arcadia, “A Shower of Roses” Luncheon for the Cloistered Carmelite Nuns Auxiliary of Alhambra, “Covina Kids Rock 4 Relay” event at Northview High School to benefit the American Cancer Society, as well as the Covina Chapter of Business Network International’s networking event.  And to expand her knowledge of her community even further, Olga completed a City of Covina Government 101 class to better understand how city government works.

Born in East Los Angeles and raised in Baldwin Park with four older brothers, Ms Fernandez is a divorced mother of three.  In 2005, she and her ex-husband became the proud adoptive parents of her four great-nieces and nephews, twins Marissa and Salvador, Jessica and Raymond, then ages nine, five and two, respectively.  Marissa, who was a gifted and extremely popular student at her school, suffered from the rare disorder Diamond Black-fan Anemia; sadly, she eventually succumbed to the disease in 2007. Olga helped with gathering support from Covina city leaders, neighbors and community organizers to place a new playground at Jalapa Park/Jobe Glen, dedicating a sign in Marissa’s memory as well as honoring her twin brother Salvador for his contributions of bone marrow in attempting to save her life.  Olga continues to support the blood and marrow donation efforts at Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles (CHLA), where Marissa received her care and charmed all who came in contact with her.

Nominated by Margie Hernandez

Educator, Mentor, and Community Advocate Angélica S. Gutiérrez, Ph.D. one of Hispanic Lifestyle’s 2013 Latinas of Influence.

Hispanic Lifestyle will be hosting a Latinas of Influence Reception on April 3, 2013 in Ontario, California. The public is invited to attend, but you need to make a reservation.

Follow all of our 2013 Latinas of Influence on twitter with the tag #hltv2013

About our Latina of Influence – Angélica S. Gutiérrez, Ph.D.  

Angélica S. Gutiérrez, Ph.D. was born and raised in the Los Angeles community of Lincoln Heights. She received her B.A. in Political Science and Sociology with honors from the University of California, Los Angeles and her M.P.P. in Public Policy from the Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, where she was elected as the school’s Executive Committee student representative and served as the student voice on all university matters.

Dr. Gutiérrez recently earned her Ph.D. at the UCLA Anderson School of Management.  Her research interests include diversity and inclusion in universities and in the workplace, and the effects of stereotypes on negotiations. She has presented her work at the Academy of Management and the Society for Personal and Social Psychology — the two leading conferences in the fields of Management and Psychology, respectively. Her research has been published in the Journal of Experimental and Social Psychology, a top journal in the field of Social Psychology. At UCLA Anderson, Dr. Gutiérrez taught the summer course in Organizational Behavior for entering international MBA students. She also assisted in teaching various courses including Leadership Foundations, Negotiations, and Organizational Behavior for the full-time, fully-employed, and Executive MBA programs at Anderson, including seminars in Shanghai, China.

After completing her Ph.D., Dr. Gutiérrez was awarded the University of Michigan’s National Center for Institutional Diversity postdoctoral fellowship, and is serving as a postdoctoral fellow and visiting scholar at the Stephen M. Ross School of Business. As a postdoc, Dr. Gutiérrez’s research focuses on diversity and inclusion in the work place, including the representation of underrepresented groups on executive boards. With her research she hopes to increase the representation of ethnic minorities in business school and diversify corporate America. After completing her postdoctoral fellowship Dr. Gutiérrez will continue her research and teaching pursuits as a tenure-tracked professor at the Loyola Marymount University College of Business beginning in August 2013. She will be one of a select few Latina business school professors teaching at a U.S. business school.

Prior to UCLA Anderson, Dr. Gutiérrez worked in the fields of education, transportation, housing and economic development, in the private, public, and non-profit sectors. She served as the transportation policy analyst for Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa during his tenure as Chair of the Metropolitan Transit Authority. Additionally, she was the policy analyst for the Executive Management team for the Los Angeles County Community Development Corporation.

Despite her rigorous work load, Dr. Gutiérrez has devoted her spare time to several organizations in hopes of giving back to her community. Dr. Gutiérrez has served as a mentor through the Hispanic Scholarship Fund, the TELACU Education Fund and UCLA Riordan Programs’ Saturday Business Academy. Moreover, she has conducted presentations on negotiations, networking, business etiquette, time management, and organizational diversity challenges for professionals in the non-profit and public sectors. She also enjoys volunteering for various philanthropic organizations, including Reading to Kids, Padres Contra el Cancer (Parents Against Cancer), and the California Latino Caucus Institute’s Madrinas Padrinas Leadership Program. Additionally, Dr. Gutiérrez devotes her time to inspiring young students to strive for their dreams through panel discussions and keynote addresses, including Overcoming the odds: the power of purpose, passion & perseverance, which she delivered as keynote for the annual Latino Leadership Conference at Purdue University, and presentations for the USC Latino Alumni Association, USC Upward Bound, Los Angeles Mission College and Whittier College.

As a result of her academic achievement, Dr. Gutiérrez has been a four-time awardee of the TELACU Education Foundation David C. Lizarraga Fellowship, a Gerald R. Ford Graduate Fellowship awardee, Ronald E. McNair research scholar and a Hispanic Scholarship Fund awardee. She also received the “Young Promising Rese arch Scholar” award by KPMG’s Ph.D. Project, an organization committed to increasing the representation of racial minorities in academia. Last year in recognition of her community leadership and contributions, Dr. Gutiérrez was selected as one of the first “Next Generation Latinas” by Latina Magazine, an award that honors Latinas who have made a significant impact in their respective communities as role models, mentors and leaders, and exhibit a strong commitment to the empowerment of other Latinas.  Additionally, Dr. Gutiérrez was recently recognized as one of the first “Latinas of Influence” by Hispanic Lifestyle for her accomplishments and community service.

Responsible for community and government relations at the municipal and county levels is vice president of Local Public Affairs for Southern California Edison Veronica Gutierrez one of Hispanic Lifestyle’s 2013 Latinas of Influence.

Hispanic Lifestyle will be hosting a Latinas of Influence Reception on April 3, 2013 in Ontario, California. The public is invited to attend, but you need to make a reservation.

Follow all of our 2013 Latinas of Influence on twitter with the tag #hltv2013

About our Latina of Influence – Veronica Gutierrez 

Veronica Gutierrez is vice president of Local Public Affairs for Southern California Edison (SCE), responsible for community and government relations at the municipal and county levels, and also for licensing for SCE’s major transmission projects.

Veronica Gutierrez
Vice President, Local Public Affairs
Southern California Edison

Prior to her current role, Gutierrez was vice president of Corporate Communications responsible for all SCE communications and the community involvement functions in the department. She was director of Public Affairs for Edison International (EIX), responsible for advancing initiatives and outreach efforts on the company’s behalf and focused on company efforts to positively influence global warming issues and advance new infrastructure development.

Gutierrez also served as director of Regulatory Compliance for SCE where her responsibilities included company efforts to comply with regulatory decisions, as well as compliance with affiliate transaction rules. She worked as a manager and lobbyist for SCE in San Francisco focusing on issues related to low-income customers, safety, customer service, and the environment, and in Washington, D.C. on matters related to California’s electricity crisis and EIX low-income housing and infrastructure investments.

Before joining SCE, Gutierrez worked on the staffs of Los Angeles City Councilmember Jackie Goldberg and Los Angeles County Supervisor Gloria Molina. She practiced law as a civil rights attorney with Litt and Associates, where she focused on cases involving police abuse, housing discrimination, and employment discrimination.

Gutierrez earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Princeton University and a law degree from University of California at Berkeley Boalt Hall School of Law.

Social Entrepreneur, Education Tech Developer. CEO of Premier Transmedia, Founder of #LATISM, Proud Latina, Mother and Wife Ana Roca-Castro is one of Hispanic Lifestyle’s 2013 Latinas of Influence.

Hispanic Lifestyle will be hosting a Latinas of Influence Reception on April 3, 2013 in Ontario, California. The public is invited to attend, but you need to make a reservation.

Follow all of our 2013 Latinas of Influence on twitter with the tag #hltv2013

About our Latina of Influence – Ana Roca-Castro 

Ana Roca-Castro, CEO of Premier Transmedia, started her career at Columbia University where she managed technical projects for the School of Public Health. She then led the implementation of Oracle systems for the United Nations. In 2007, Ana started Premier Transmedia to help businesses and organizations achieve their objectives via state-of-the-art transmedia development. She has a particular passion for education and engagement through transmedia.

Ana is a social entrepreneur and the founder of Latinos in Social Media #Latism, the largest organization of Latino professionals engaged in social media. She is also a serial entrepreneur, currently cooking Gigcoin, KidsFunPlaza, and iGiftThanks with amazing women who moved from partners to sisters. Her most important role is that of mom to three energetic and creative boys and a 2-year-old geek princess. Married to the best man on earth! Ana’s priority will always be to raise happy kids who see the beauty in diversity and understand the need to change the world – one cause per time.

Ana Roca-Castro was nominated by Edgar Mejia @EdConexion

Financial Education Advocate, Entrepreneur, and Financial Planner, Denise M. Zapata is one of Hispanic Lifestyle’s 2013 Latinas of Influence.

Hispanic Lifestyle will be hosting a Latinas of Influence Reception on April 3, 2013 in Ontario, California. The public is invited to attend, but you need to make a reservation.

Follow all of our 2013 Latinas of Influence on twitter with the tag #hltv2013

About our Latina of Influence – Denise M. Zapata 

Denise M. Zapata has been doing Financial Planning for over 11 years.  She has received her Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of California at Riverside in 2001.

Her career began with an internship at American Express Financial Services.  She committed her life to helping others and decided to receive her own licenses in order to become a Financial Planner.  Hard work and a commitment to helping every client to reach their goals and dreams have helped her establish her reputation in the Financial Services sector.  She is the Owner and President of Zapata Private Wealth Management and Sparta Financial Solutions.  Zapata Private Wealth Management allows Denise to continue helping her private clients reach financial freedom.  Due to her experience and success, she established Sparta Financial Solutions to help other individuals like herself, as well as other financial institutions (credit unions and banks) brand their financial services department or start one from the ground up with her guidance.

Denise M. Zapata

Aside from her business endeavors, she is a board member and treasurer for Latino Network in Riverside. She has been recently accepted to the HOPE Leadership Institute. She is also the founder of Pregunta/Ask, an organization that promotes financial literacy to universities, schools and other community centers.  She has been a guest speaker at UC Riverside, RCC, among other schools and community centers.  She was recently the recipient of “Celebracion de La Mujers”, a distinguished award for “demonstrating leadership and commitment to the community”.  She has also begun her doctorate in Educational Leadership and Change through Fielding Graduate University. Although she has a passion for community involvement, her priority is her family.  She has been married to her high school sweetheart for 9 years and has 4 beautiful children:  Victoria 8, Jessica 5, Sergio 3 and Daniel 1.

Entertainment Publicist Marcella Cuonzo, VP of Allied Integrated Marketing’s Hispanic Division, was the guest speaker at the Entertainment Publicists Professional Society (EPPS)‘s renowned monthly panel series, “Meet the Mentor,” held yesterday at the offices of the International Cinematographers Guild in Hollywood. Ms Cuonzo, a veteran publicist of over 17 years specializing in the burgeoning Hispanic market, was the first top senior PR executive to discuss the ins-and- outs of Hispanic Entertainment Marketing for the organization, formed in 1991.

Among the many topics she discussed were the challenges of overseeing the Top 10 Hispanic markets, how to be creative with often limited budgets, the importance of partnerships with tastemakers/non-profits and the common misconceptions that arise when targeting the Hispanic community.  For more information on EPPS, go to eppsonline.org; for more information on Allied Integrated Marketing, go to alliedim.com.

PICTURED:  Marcella Cuonzo, VP of Allied Integrated Marketing’s Hispanic Division, pictured with Phil Zimmerman, Director of Publicity for Discovery Channel and Committee Chair for EPPS’ “Meet the Mentor” series.

Community Advocate, Business Leader, Susan Sifuentes Trigueros is one of Hispanic Lifestyle’s 2013 Latinas of Influence.

Hispanic Lifestyle will be hosting a Latinas of Influence Reception on April 3, 2013 in Ontario, California. The public is invited to attend, but you need to make a reservation.

Follow all of our 2013 Latinas of Influence on twitter with the tag #hltv2013

About our Latina of Influence – Susan Sifuentes Trigueros

Susan Sifuentes Trigueros is a regional corporate leader with a long history of advocating for Latinas and the Latino community. She is a highly respected Government & Public Relations professional with over twenty years of experience in corporate, governmental, community and media relations. Susan joined Southern California Gas Company (SoCalGas) in 1982 and eventually became one of the first Latinas in the External Government Affairs department.

Susan Sifuentes Trigueros
Regional Public Affairs Mgr.
Southern California Gas Co.

Susan is currently the Regional Public Affairs Manager managing 9 staff members responsible for government relations, charitable community giving and media strategies for the SoCalGas region of Los Angeles County. Southern California Gas Co. has been delivering natural gas to its customers for more than 140 years. It is the nation’s largest natural gas distribution utility, providing service to over 20 million consumers in more than 500 communities encompassing approximately 20,000 square miles throughout central and Southern California, from Visalia to the Mexican border.

Some of Susan’s professional and personal highlights supporting the Latino community are a result of her service to numerous significant organizations as a hands on leader which include the National Association of Latino Elected Officials (NALEO); MALDEF the nation’s leading Latino legal civil rights organization. MALDEF is often described as the “law firm of the Latino community”; TELACU a pioneering institution committed to service, empowerment, advancement and the creation of economic self-sufficiency within the Latino & other minority communities; the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation (MAOF) which provides socio-economic betterment opportunities & preserves the values and heritage of the Mexican American culture; the Southwest Voters Registration Project; her alumni the University of Southern California (USC) Latino Alumni Association and HOPE (Hispanas Organized for Political Equality)

During Susan’s tenure as President of HOPE the organization hired its first full-time executive director and launched the HOPE Leadership Institute which to date has graduated over 400 Latina civic leaders and the founded the “Youth Leadership through Literacy Program”.

Susan spearheaded HOPE’s “Corporate Track” a work that brought a brightly lit focus to the status & successes of Latinas in Corporate America.

Susan served as Chair of the USC Latino Alumni Association and was instrumental in raising approximately 2 million dollars of the goal to establish a permanent 5 million dollar endowment.

Susan is proud of receiving the Corporate Award for her support of the mentoring program “Girls Today, Women Tomorrow” which empowers girls to create their own opportunities for life success through actively contributing to their community.

Susan and her husband Mario are the proud parents of seven children and three grandchildren.