"The First Latina Leadership Summit"

On September 17th the very first “Latina Leadership Summit” was hosted during the “United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s” 30th Annual National Convention. The convention took place at the Colorado Convention Center and this year's event also featured U.S. Treasurer Rosie Rios, U.S. Senator Michael Bennet (D-CO), Colorado Governor Bill Ritter, U.S. Representative John Salazar (D-CO), and Denver Mayor John Hickenlooper. The event drew more than 2,500 participants -- high-level representatives from Corporate America, including Fortune 500 companies, and Hispanic entrepreneurs and Chamber leaders from across the United States and beyond.

This is another great example of what President Obama and his administration are doing for Hispanics in America. There were four top-level Obama Administration representatives in attendance, Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood, Administrator of the Environmental Protection Agency Lisa P. Jackson and the White House Director of Urban Affairs Adolfo Carrion.

The Latina Summit was launched to provide current and aspiring Latina entrepreneurs with access to the tools, resources and information they need to establish new ventures and to continue growing and flourishing. A vital aspect of the Summit was the dynamic opportunity to meet one-on-one with procurement officers to secure contracts with Fortune 500, regional and national companies, and numerous federal agencies. Founder of the Latina Summit, Elizabeth Vasquez Gallagher, USHCC vice chair and chair of Latina Services, co-chaired the Latina Summit with Linda Alvarado, first lady of development in Colorado. Alvarado is also the first Hispanic woman to own a baseball team. From 2009 forward, every major USHCC event will feature a Latina component. This is another reason for us to stop and observe this historical moment and to finally realize that Latina’s are a key ingredient within this Nation.

Elizabeth Vasquez Gallagher (far right)

Linda Alvarado

I wanted to share a few facts so that you can see how much of an impact Latina Entrepreneurs have to this countries economy. 10.6 million Firms are at least 50% owned by a woman or women. --Center for Women's Business Research, 2005. Women-owned businesses will spend an estimated $546 billion annually on salaries and benefits ($492 billion on salaries and $54 billion for employee benefits--heath, retirement, and insurance). Health benefits comprise the largest share of benefit expenditures, with 2004 spending estimated at $38 billion. --Center for Women's Business Research, 2005