WASHINGTON, June 21, 2014 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) held its 2014 National Convention Kickoff Reception on Thursday, June 19, at the Grand America Hotel in downtown Salt Lake City, Utah. The reception was in anticipation of the association's 2014 National Convention – the largest gathering of Hispanic business leaders in America – which will take place in September. To register for the event, visit www.ushccconvention.com .
The kickoff was attended by more than 300 guests including executives from Wells Fargo, Zions Bank, Cosmo Latina, PepsiCo and many others. USHCC President and CEO Javier Palomarez addressed the attendees and discussed the opportunities that the upcoming convention will provide for Utah businesses.
"The USHCC is proud to bring its 2014 National Convention to Salt Lake City," Palomarez said. "Utah is at the fortunate confluence of commerce and culture, arts and athletics, faith and fun. And, come September, Salt Lake City will open its doors to the largest gathering of Hispanic business leaders in America. We look forward to working with Utah's leaders in both the private and public sectors to make this year's convention the most productive and well attended in our association's history."
Greg Winegardner, regional president of Wells Fargo and member of the USHCC board of directors, said the national convention's path to Salt Lake began two and a half years ago when he met with Mr. Palomarez and made the case for bringing the USHCC's National Convention to the Beehive state. Utah Governor Gary R. Herbert, along with Zions Bank executives, Utah Hispanic business leaders and Mr. Winegardner highlighted the state's economic prowess, rapid Hispanic population growth and embrace of diversity during their meeting with Palomarez.
"In Utah, we appreciate all those who are an economic force for good in this nation," said Gov. Herbert. "Whether you are visiting Utah for the first time or call our state home, I would encourage each of you to make the most of all our business-friendly state has to offer."
Don Salazar, national convention board chair and founder & CEO of CTI Construction based in Ogden, Utah, noted that Utah's strong economic record, together with its natural beauty and powerful, cohesive Hispanic business community, make Salt Lake City the ideal destination for the 2014 USHCC National Convention.
"Utah is home to more than 10,000 Hispanic-owned businesses, that together contribute billions to the state's economy every year," Salazar said. "The Salt Lake City business community is thrilled to welcome the USHCC to the state's capital, and celebrate the unprecedented accomplishments of local Hispanic entrepreneurs."
Utah is ranked as the number one pro-business state by the Wall Street Journal, was named the 'Best State for Business and Careers' by Forbes for three consecutive years, and its Hispanic population has grown by more than 80 percent in the past decade. Utah is also a growing international business center with one-third of its population being bilingual.
"On behalf of the USHCC board of directors, we are very excited to bring our national convention to Salt Lake City," said Marc Rodriguez, USHCC board chairman. "We look forward to a full house at the convention in September. We are thrilled to work with the wide variety of leaders from Utah's vibrant public and private sectors to make the convention a success."
The 2014 National Convention – sponsored by Wells Fargo and Zions Bank – is the largest gathering of Hispanic business leaders in America. The event will be held Sept. 21 – 23 at the Grand America Hotel, with an estimated 6,000 people attending.
About the USHCC
Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of our nation's entrepreneurs. The USHCC advocates on behalf of nearly 3.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses, that together contribute in excess of $468 billion to the American economy, each year. As the leading organization of its kind, the USHCC serves as an umbrella to more than 200 local chambers and business associations across the nation, and partners with more than 220 major corporations.
For more information, visit www.ushcc.com .
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Ammar Campa-Najjar Associate Director of Communications 619-721-5148
