LOS ANGELES, CA, June 04, 2010 -- The National Latina Business Women Association, Los Angeles Chapter (NLBWA-LA) hosted its 7th Annual “Honoring Latinas in Business Awards” attended by over 400 guests on Thursday, June 03, 2010 at the L.A. Design Center/Cisco Brothers Corp., 5959 S. Western Ave., Los Angeles CA 90047.  The 2010 winners were announced as well as the 2010 NLBWA-LA incoming president. The event included a VIP reception, silent auction, awards ceremony and a post-awards celebration and networking event with some of our community’s top leaders, entrepreneurs and corporate representatives.

Josefa Salinas, Morning Show News Anchor on Hot 92.3, hosted the Awards.  This year the NLBWA-LA honored: Corporate Leader of the Year--Veronica Gutierrez; Vice President of Corporate Communications, Southern California Edison; Business Woman of the Year--Thelma Garcia, President, Taco Nazo Corporation and Inspirational Woman of the Year-- Sonia Marie de Leon de Vega, Symphony Orchestra Conductor of the Santa Cecilia Orchestra.

The 2010 NLBWA-LA Honoring Latinas in Business Award winners are: Culinary Woman of the Year-- Chef Denise Portillo, Co-Owner, Bella Events and Bella Café; Marketing Woman of the Year--Rebecca Barrantes, President/CEO, The Sierra Group; Media Woman of the Year--Martha C. de la Torre, Publisher/CEO, El Clasificado; Professional Services Woman of the Year--Maria S. Salinas, President, Salinas Consulting LLC Public Relations Woman of the Year-- Patricia Gracia, Founder, Power Media Group, Inc.; Retail Services Woman of the Year—the sister duo team Monica Gonzales and Anne Marie Smith, Co-Owners, Aldabella Scarpa.  These women embody the sprit of the NLBWA  Awards in their accomplishments and commitment to the community.

This Awards concluded with the announcement of their 2010-2012 incoming president Ana Perez, with Image Entertainment.

“I am honored and excited to carry on the mission of NLBWA.  Our vision for the next two years is to focus on developing our signature programs offering opportunities to assist in the success of Latina professionals and business owners. Through strategic partnerships we hope to increase the visibility of NLBWA and continue to grow the Los Angeles Chapter.” said Ana Perez, Incoming NLBWA-LA President.

“As I look back on my Presidency it has been a wonderful journey for me to lead this organization for the past two years.  As an organization we have grown and accomplished many of our goals.  This past year alone we redesigned our website to offer better tools to our members and sponsors; we added our new signature program—NLBWA-LA’s Business Management Academy, designed to provide business owners and corporate professionals with executive level workshops and finally we continued to form alliances with other community based organizations with a common mission to serve our community.  I thank you for the opportunity to serve with such amazing women and invite you all to embrace this organization and our new president who has the vision and passion to continue NLBWA-LA’s mission,” said Claudia Bodan-Acuna, 2008-2010 NLBWA-LA outgoing President.

This year the NLBWA-LA Awards was supported by the generosity of several Sponsors including: Verizon, Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Southern California Edison, Cisco Home, Staples, Wells Fargo Bank, The Walt Disney Company, Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, AT&T, Memorial Health Care/Willow Urgent Care, Southern California Gas Company/Sempra Energy Utility, Charter and Hot 92.3 FM.

Statistics

Over 6 millions Latinas live and work in California today, representing 17 percent of California’s total population. (State of California, Department of Finance, July 2007.  Latinas have the largest number of businesses in the U.S., owning an estimated 747,108 firms and generating revenues of nearly $62 billion as of 2008, according to the Center for Business Women’s Research. More than one-third (34.9 percent) of all Hispanic businesses are owned by women, with Los Angeles leading the way.

About the Awards

NLBWA-LA Honoring Latinas in Business Awards is the organization’s primary annual signature event.  As the nation’s leading Latina Business Organization, the NLBWA-LA Awards are an opportunity to commend the successes and contributions of Latina entrepreneurs, executives and professionals in the Los Angeles Metropolitan area who have demonstrated financial success and a commitment to the advancement of the Latino community.   The nomination process is open to the public.  Final nominees who meet the criteria go through a selection process judged by a panel that review each applicant’s personal challenges and triumphs. The Board of Directors selects the Honorees.  Winners for each category submitted are announced at the Awards.


About NLBWA-LA

National Latina Business Women Association, Los Angeles Chapter (NLBWA-LA), a 501(c) 3 non-profit, non-partisan organization was established in July of 2003 to meet the needs of the growing ranks of Latina entrepreneurs, executives and professionals from the greater Los Angeles area.  The mission of NLBWA-LA is to encourage Latinas to develop their business and professional skills and to meet their career goals through education, business referrals and networking. Its vision is to create nationwide representation, visibility and business opportunities for Latinas in the business world and at the executive level.  For more information about NLBWA-LA visit www.nlbwa-la.org.