THE UNITED STATES HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE CON

WASHINGTON, July 15, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) congratulates Mariano Legaz – a member of the USHCC Board of Directors – on his new role as President of Verizon's Florida Region. As one of Verizon's most populous regions and among its biggest Hispanic consumer markets, Florida boasts more than 2,500 employees, and houses over 80 company-owned retail stores, a customer service call center and numerous corporate offices.

USHCC President and CEO Javier Palomarez said: "The USHCC is proud of Mr. Legaz's latest accomplishment and commends Verizon on a sound choice to lead a key U.S. market. In his new capacity, Mr. Legaz will head one of Verizon's largest and most diverse consumer markets. Mariano is a seasoned executive and a savvy veteran of the critical telecommunications technology field, who truly understands the needs of Florida's diverse consumers. The USHCC looks forward to supporting him in this new endeavor and continuing to serve as a strong partner to our friends at Verizon."

Legaz formerly served as Verizon's senior vice president of supply chain, where he oversaw 1,700 employees and 500 contractors, while managing a procurement business of over $20 billion in products and services. Legaz is an experienced executive with over 18-years at Verizon, working in a variety of divisions within the company including network planning, capital strategy, operations management and network capital optimization.

"Mariano's role as head of supply chain diversity was instrumental in Verizon's outreach to small and minority-owned businesses nationwide. Under his skillful leadership, Verizon built strategic relationships with minority suppliers, as he oversaw successful initiatives that facilitated quality, productivity and compliance gains throughout the company's supply chain. I am confident that his new role as Florida Region President will only further strengthen the Verizon brand and secure its position among the top corporate advocates for America's small and minority-owned businesses as well as consumers," said Marc Rodriguez, USHCC Chairman.

About the USHCC

Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of over 3 million Hispanic owned businesses across the United States that contribute in excess of $465 billion to the American economy each year. It also serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local Hispanic chambers and business associations in the United States and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.USHCC.com

Valentina Pereda USHCC Director of Communications 202-489-2932