By the end of February, 46 ProMéxico offices around the world must cease all operations. Since 2007, this government agency was responsible for promoting trade, exports and internationalization of Mexican companies, a work that stood out by promoting the presence of dozens of Mexican companies in the most important food and beverage shows in the United States.

This decision to close ProMéxico was taken by the president of México Andrés Manuel López Obrador, who said that the embassies will now be in charge of promoting the country’s economy. READ MORE AT ABASTO NEWS

You've been there before. It's at the end of a conference. It's the morning before the keynote speech. It's during the lunch break. When it comes to networking, there's an unwritten code about what not to say. The next time you're at a networking event - whatever you do - make sure you don't get caught doing these 5 things:

1. Give a hard copy of your resume to everyone you meet. READ MORE AT FORBES

Organic product sales in the U.S. jumped almost 9% to more than $21 billion during the 52-week period ending Nov. 24, according to Nielsen data.

The top buying groups were millennials, who spent 14% more on organic foods and beverages compared to last year, and Hispanics, who spent in excess of 13% more on organics in 2018, the data noted. Other demographic groups were also buying more organics, but not at those levels. READ MORE AT FOOD DIVE

New federal numbers show the lowest unemployment rate on record for Hispanics and Latinos.

Nationwide, December’s rate dropped to 4.3 percent, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

“That’s a third of what it was in 2010, and its 0.6 percent lower than it was in December of 2017,” Phoenix economist Elliott Pollack said.

He credits a robust economy for lifting prospects for all ethnic groups and plenty of jobs regardless of education levels. READ MORE AT KTAR NEWS

When Avocados from Mexico wanted to drive awareness and sales with Hispanic consumers in the United States, the Texas-based marketing association teamed up with digital marketing firm Undertone to identify "Nuevas Latinas" and target them with interactive digital ads with a varied approach to language.

The audience comprised 25- to 44-year-old Hispanic consumers who speak both Spanish and English and are interested in the health benefits of food, as well as a tasty and convenient way to eat healthily. READ MORE AT MARKETING DIVE

There are enough challenges being a road warrior, so adding networking to your flight plan may seem like one activity too many while getting from A to B. As you prepare for takeoff, you wonder, should you say something to the person sharing the armrest?

The answer is yes, for a couple of reasons. First, acknowledging the person next to you is simply a polite thing to do. Second, an amazing connection can happen. For example... READ MORE AT BCBUSINESS

Carlos Garcia was three years into his first job in technology at Merrill Lynch when he first learned what a 401K retirement savings account was. He was floored when he learned that a colleague had already saved $30,000 in three years, and the company had matched it.

The concept of making money off money was foreign to Garcia, an MIT graduate who was born in Texas to immigrants from Mexico. His story is not uncommon among U.S. Hispanics, who lag behind other demographic groups when it comes to saving for retirement. READ MORE AT FINANCE & COMMERCE

Every January 1st we're all setting goals and intentions for the 12 months ahead and somehow every February most of us have already fallen off the wagon.

14 trailblazing Latinas — from founders to NASA engineers — share advice that have carried them through their careers and allowed them to push forward even when roadblocks hit. The goal with every new year isn't just to set goals, but to create habits that stick.

Here are 14 pieces of advice that will motivate you in 2019. READ MORE AT FORBES

ViViPAY has developed a complete ecosystem of financial solutions for the unbanked and underbanked populations. According to a 2015 FDIC study, over 40% of the U.S. Latino community are unbanked or underbanked without access to basic financial services that everyone deserves. Members also receive access to Claro mobile services integrated directly into their digital wallet.

The ViVi financial ecosystem is a simple solution to manage money and maintain financial control as it offers convenience, security and ease of use. To utilize the product, the user simply downloads the free digital wallet app and deposits funds to their digital wallet according to their budget. READ MORE AT FINEXTRA

Though they face constraints, immigrant Latino entrepreneurs make important contributions to the economy, generating $36.5 billion annually in business income.

According to the U.S. Small Business Administration Office of Advocacy, roughly 1.2 million of the 12.2 million business owners in the United States are immigrant Latinos. In fact, the Harvard Business Review reported that immigrants from all over the world constitute 15 percent of the general U.S. workforce, but they account for around a quarter of U.S. entrepreneurs. Almost half of Hispanic-owned companies are owned by women, according to census data. READ MORE AT BANKRATE

The Chicago Yacht Club announced today that its membership has elected the club’s officers and Board of Directors. The 2019 club officers are Lou Sandoval, Commodore; Nicholas Berberian, Vice Commodore; Dwain Lutzow, Rear Commodore; Louis Rosenthal, Treasurer; and Rick Lillie, Secretary. All five officers began their tenure on January 1, 2019.

As Commodore, business leader Lou Sandoval takes the chief leadership role of the club, overseeing the Executive Committee (known as the “Flag Officers”) and Board of Directors. Sandoval succeeds Leif Sigmond, an accomplished sailor who, most recently, won the Corinthian class in the Farr 40 World Championships this past October.

Sandoval commented, “It is a privilege and honor to serve the Chicago Yacht Club community. Our impact on the City of Chicago and the international boating community is broad and multi-faceted, from leadership in major sailing events, power boating events, and the development of tomorrow’s sailors. I am humbled by the opportunity to contribute to the history of our club and to work alongside talented fellow members.”

“We are grateful to Leif Sigmond for his strong leadership of our Club during the past two years.” said Greg Miarecki, Past Commodore and chair of the Nominating Committee. “And we are looking forward to building upon our success under the leadership of our new Flag. Lou and his fellow Flag officers are accomplished businessmen and boaters, with a deep passion for the Club and our sport.”

Sandoval’s team unveiled its vision for the coming year, having recently undergone a strategic planning session. The new team board plans to enhance adult and youth “learn to sail” programming and deepen boating education for experienced and novice boaters. One of the top five yacht clubs in the United States, as recognized by Platinum Clubs of America, Chicago Yacht Club focuses heavily on introducing new people to boating. Alongside the Chicago Yacht Club Foundation, the Club runs many philanthropic events and programs, including the Chicago Regatta, its Sea Scout program, and Sight Impaired Cruises run in connection with Chicago Lighthouse for the Blind.

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ABOUT CHICAGO YACHT CLUB: Founded in 1875, the Chicago Yacht Club is one of the oldest and most respected yacht clubs in the world. Its mission is to encourage, promote, and develop knowledge, participation, and enjoyment of all aspects of yachting. To that end, the Club hosts many world class competitions and Predicted-Log events, including its signature Chicago Yacht Club Race to Mackinac and numerous North American and World Championships. The Club is also recognized as a leader in sailing education, with one of the largest junior sailing programs in the United States. The Club is home to nearly 1500 members, including winning America’s Cup skippers, Olympic medalists and hopefuls, and outstanding boaters of all types, from ages 4 to 104. The Club offers an array of spectacular off-the-water amenities, including fine dining, full-service catering and year-round activities for its diverse membership at two locations on the city’s shoreline, at Monroe and Belmont Harbors. Learn more at chicagoyachtclub.org.

For African-Americans and Latinos, the path to upward mobility in the oil and gas industry remains filled with both hurdles and hope.

A 2017 U.S. Labor Department analysis revealed that African-American workers held just 9 percent of the jobs in oil and gas extraction and, despite the boom in the industry over the past decade, Black Americans never comprised more than one-tenth of the nation’s oil and gas workforce.

The report also noted similar statistics for Latinos. READ MORE AT THE CHRONICLE

Now that the holidays have wrapped up, a growing number of companies will no doubt begin focusing their efforts on hiring. And that's good news if you're looking to get yourself a new job in the coming year. That said, looking for work can be a full-time job by itself, so it pays to approach the process strategically. Here are five ways to maximize your time and efforts.

1. Have different versions of your resume ready to go.  READ MORE

What New Year’s resolutions are on your list this year?

Today marks the 10th day of the New Year. Have you stuck to your New Year’s Resolutions for your business? Or are you still working on what you’d like to do for the year?

Planning and executing a strategy at the start of the New Year is a great way to ensure you accomplish your business goals in 2019. READ MORE AT ARLNOW

More Latino students than ever are moving through high school to the doorstep of college, challenging higher education to adapt to a new demographic reality.

Striving to climb the social ladder, these young Americans are rapidly reshaping the marketplace for college recruiting. They are less affluent than others and less likely to have parents with college degrees.

And they are finding the gates to college open unevenly. READ MORE AT THE WASHINGTON POST

The top staff of House members is overwhelmingly white, with 313 representatives — about three-quarters — having no racial minorities in their offices’ top three positions, according to a new report.

Just 13.7 percent of staffers, or 152 of 1,110, who work as chiefs of staff, legislative directors or communications directors are people of color, according to the report released Tuesday by the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, a public policy think tank in Washington.

The representation worsens in the top ranks of staff of U.S. House committees and House leadership offices. READ MORE AT NBC NEWS

If you are starting to think about looking for a new job, there are new protocols and "rules" to learn before dropping your resume on every online job board. Although the job market is in your favor, employers still dictate the process.

Here's what you need to know to land a new job in the new year. READ MORE AT U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

It’s been said that it’s not what you know but who you know. And there is a long history of men getting to positions of power by leveraging their connections.

The difference in the way men and women approach networking can have a big impact on career opportunities. Here are six ways women can leverage their connections for the same kind of boost men enjoy. READ MORE AT FAST COMPANY

Average annual revenue of Latino-owned business increased from $258,702 in 2016-17 to $327,189 in 2017-18, an increase of 26.5%, according to a new study of more than 28,000 businesses conducted by Biz2Credit.

Much of the growth can be attributed to the overall strength of the U.S. economy. Success breeds confidence, and applications for small business loans from Latino-owned companies jumped 22% during the past 12 months. READ MORE AT FORBES

Chicago, IL. - January 2, 2019
The Board of Directors of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC) has appointed Jaime di Paulo as the new President and CEO. Mr. di Paulo, formerly the Executive Director of the Little Village Chamber of Commerce (LVCC) for the last five years, was selected by the IHCC Board, following a rigorous and competitive search led by Noetic Search.

Over his tenure at LVCC, the budget, membership and volunteer base all grew significantly.

He also was able to build support and participation from elected officials and corporate leaders contributing to heightened visibility for LVCC and increased opportunities for business growth for members and non-members alike. These accomplishments were recognized in 2018, with LVCC being awarded Chamber of the Year by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

“As the next CEO of IHCC, I have a moral obligation to be personally involved, not only to support business growth and develop our organization, but also to help our Hispanic communities prosper by using our influence proactively with the business community to make a sustainable difference,” said Jaime di Paulo. “In collaboration with the IHCC Board of Directors and staff, my job as leader is to start the fire that fuels the virtuous cycle of success here in Illinois and turn our work into a beacon of hope, creating and shaping the future. One of my key deliverables as I take office next January 22nd, is to ‘imagine’ the IHCC future. With that in mind, we should then concentrate on validating our strategic choices to make them a reality. I am thrilled, excited, grateful and humbled all at the same time. Dreams do come true in Illinois!”

“ I personally could not be more proud of the hard work my fellow board members displayed during this process,” said Board Chair, Juan Gaytan. “We selected Jaime for many reasons but, the key areas, were his understanding of the role of a statewide chamber of commerce, and his demonstrated success bringing government and private sector projects to the Latino business community. The IHCC board and staff is committed to strengthening our member and client businesses and help create a better world through entrepreneurship. With our new leadership we are excited about the future of IHCC.”

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Kelley Francis to Assume Key Role as IHCC's Chief Operating Officer

IHCC is also pleased to announce that Kelley Francis will assume the role of IHCC's Chief Operating Officer (COO). Over the last four months, Kelley has served as the Interim President and CEO, and prior to that as IHCC’s Vice President of Corporate Relations for six years.

Kelley brings a wealth of institutional knowledge and business experience to the position. Kelley has extensive experience in small business consulting, designing and implementing new programs, and sales.
She is passionate about growing businesses, serving diverse small businesses and managing teams. We are very excited to welcome Kelley to this new role.

Connect with the IHCC team today!

IHCC’s mission is to cultivate knowledge, connections and collaboration to effect transformational social change and achieve sustainable economic impact through entrepreneurship.