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Mayor Rahm Emanuel today appointed Olga Camargo, a respected financial executive, to The Metropolitan Pier and Exposition Authority Board – which oversees McCormick Place and Navy Pier. Camargo, who currently serves on the Chicago Plan Commission, replaces Frank M. Clark who is stepping down from the Board to become the new President of the Chicago Board of Education. The Mayor also appointed Juan Linares, the Executive Director of the Latino United Community Housing Association (LUCHA), to repl

I’ll admit it. I’m an introvert. Networking—especially at happy hours and conferences—is probably the most painful experience I have to regularly subject myself to. Get me into a conversation and I’m fine, but ask me to introduce myself to a stranger or ‘work a room’ and I become an awkward preteen at a junior high dance. Yes, I become a wallflower.

Over the years, I have learned to overcome many of my fears, but more importantly, I have learned to network in a manner that is more conducive to m

The Hispanic population is growing — and so is its use of foodservice.

Hispanic consumers increasingly are visiting restaurants, with 41 percent now using food service at least twice weekly, up from 36 percent in 2013, according to industry tracker Technomic, Inc., Chicago. Moreover, they are expected to represent nearly 30 percent of the total US population by 2060.

To appeal to this growing demographic, restaurant operators and suppliers should emphasize healthy eating, authenticity, and conne

Latinos are a growing force of influence in America - with good reason. The Latino population is anticipated to double, to approximately 106 million people, by the year 2050. The success of the U.S. economy is very much tied to the success of the Latino workforce. Since small businesses are a critical sector of our economy, ensuring Latinos reach their full entrepreneurial potential is especially important for expanding economic opportunities.

As a Latina business executive, I'm proud to say Lat

Young women preparing to enter the workforce may discover a job market that's difficult to crack.

Getting a foot in the door in your desired field is not always easy, but young women looking to land that first job out of college can consider the following tips to help them take that all-important first step toward a rewarding career.

Decide on a path. Blindly searching for work or any old job is a recipe for an aimless search that likely won't land you a job you enjoy. Choose what it is that you

With brands executing more and more Hispanic content marketing campaigns, it is imperative to get qualified eyeballs on that branded content. Savvy content marketers employ a variety of digital tactics to promote their content including organic search, paid search, social media, influencer marketing and more recently native advertising. For the sake of this post, native advertising refers to paid distribution of content via native advertising networks such as Outbrain, Taboola, Nativo and Yahoo!

Gift of Hope Organ and Tissue Donor Network united the Hispanic community in Chicago by hosting its third annual A Summer Filled with Hope fashion show, in support of higher education for Latino students. The event was held on Saturday, July 11 in order to raise funds in benefit of Scholarships for Hope. The initiative was founded by Gift of Hope in 2013; which is aimed at providing financial support to students seeking a better future. 

Evelyn Amador, Eva by Evelyn Swimwear Founder and Yenia He

It's harder than ever to land a good job. So if you're unemployed and searching for one, you're probably frustrated. While employers cite many reasons why finding the right talent is nearly impossible, you can only control what you are doing (and not doing) to get on an their radar.

Here are a few things you should do differently to get more interviews.

1. Cut the time you spend on job boards. If you're like most job seekers, you rely heavily on job boards and LinkedIn job postings as your prima

Everyone has heard about the power of connections and how important they are to your career. The more connections you have the more likely you are to land a great job. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 percent of all jobs are found through networking, yet the majority of people tend to spend their time searching in areas that only yield a fraction of return (5-10 percent) on their efforts.

Learning how to build connections and expand your networking activities throughout your

Hispanics will account for more than half of the U.S. population growth by 2020 and 85 percent by 2050, comprising a market you no longer can neglect or ignore if you want to sustain growth in your company.

So says the Nielsen report, “The Multicultural Edge: Rising Super Consumers.”

Further, digital plays an important role in engaging with this audience, offering you the chance to reach them effectively and efficiently. It also gives you the opportunity to be geo-targeted on your marketing effo

In 2012, 1 out of every 6 Americans was Hispanic, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By 2060, the organization predicts, that number will be 1 in 3.

Hispanic-owned U.S. businesses now stand at 3.1 million—boasting a 40 percent growth rate. And with the growth of the Hispanic community, the number of Hispanic entrepreneurs is increasing as well—especially Hispanics who immigrate to the U.S. A recent Kauffman study found that immigrants are almost twice as likely to be entrepreneurs versus nativ

The thought of networking at conferences and industry events makes some entrepreneurs nauseous. If you go into it feeling uncomfortable, your results will be disastrous. Networking is a major part of being a successful entrepreneur, so it’s in your best interest to get good at it -- really, really good at it.

Here is a simple plan to make connections and unlock new opportunities by transforming into a networking beast.

1. Identify your goals before you even arrive at the event.
You should have a

As an entrepreneur in the tech industry, I don’t want your charity. I want your investment.

To be clear, I have nothing against non-profits. I have been the President of Latino Startup Alliance and on the board of several other great cultural institutions and some of my best friends run great non-profits. But that is not the opportunity I am offering you. I am giving you the chance to make money.

I am asking for investment, which is defined by the all-knowing Google, as the action or process of

It’s a myth that people don’t get hired over the summer. Yes, people are on vacation, so hiring typically slows down as interviews are harder to schedule, but people do get hired. As a job seeker, this means that the summer is a great time to rev up your search – your competition may take time off, assuming a hiring slowdown.

Your hard-to-reach networking contacts may have a lighter, summer schedule and actually be reachable. Depending on your search goals, you might even have new opportunities

“Latinos are actually changing the fabric of our society and the growth of our country,” said Abigail Golden-Vazquez, executive director for the Latinos and Society Program at the Aspen Institute.

Fifty-five million Hispanics live in the United States today, a number that is expected to double by 2050. It was a statistic revealed Saturday during an Aspen Ideas Festival discussion about the Hispanic demographic explosion in the U.S. READ MORE AT ASPEN DAILY NEWS

Hispanics reached a historic milestone in California last week: they are now the Golden State's largest single ethnic group, according to new U.S. Census estimates. The new data confirms projections made last year by California's Department of Finance. But while Hispanics make up 39 percent of the state's population, they still lag when it comes to voter turnout and political clout. READ MORE AT KQED

Everyone wants to reach new heights in their business, and networking is the answer to that. Networking is vital to building your business, and here are some easy tips to take your networking to the next level:

1. Make a good first impression
As most of us already know, the first impression is generally the last impression. So, it is essential you create a positive impression on the person. A handshake says a lot about a person. A firm handshake indicates a strong and confident personality. Also

With the United States encompassing the second-largest Hispanic population in the world accounting for 18 percent of the population — trailing only that of Mexico — it makes good business sense for every company's radar to be focused on the growing Hispanic marketplace.

Propelled by a U.S. Hispanic community that has grown 592 percent since 1970 and is expected to comprise nearly a third of the general populace by 2050, restaurant operations from coast to coast are targeting this exploding marke

Hispanic shoppers like Maria Creamer are a retailer's dream. She goes to the mall at least once a week to either window shop or buy clothes. "We like to shop a lot, and always look good," said the 51-year -old Puerto Rican with a laugh as she winds her way through a department store in downtown Stamford, Connecticut.

Latina women are fast becoming the new majority consumer, and the purchasing power they wield is making retail companies sit up and take notice.

"I don't care if it is from Walmart