latino business awards 2014

January 27, 2014 • An Advertising Supplement to the Los Angeles Business Journal

This special advertising supplement did not involve the reporting or editing staff of the Los Angeles Business Journal.

City National Bank

Moss Adams LLP

COMMUNITY SPONSOR:PRESENTING SPONSORS: GOLD SPONSORS:

LATINOBUSINESS

AWARDS 201439 55_latinobusinessawards.qxp 1/23/2014 4:12 PM Page 39

40 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL JANUARY 27, 2014

LETTERFROM THE

PUBLISHERWELCOME to our fifth annual celebration

of one of the most important andexciting sectors of business within the

Los Angeles economic landscape today — theLatino business community!

Once again we have singled out some of theorganizations and leaders in the Latino businesscommunity who are setting the example for allof us doing business in the region. Our 2014Latino Business Awards event, as well as the spe-cial supplement you hold in your hands now, aredesigned to share our honorees’ and finalists’inspiring success stories and contributions to LosAngeles business as a whole.

Join us through this special section as weapplaud those very special honorees and finalistswe celebrated at our Awards luncheon onTuesday, January 21st at the MillenniumBiltmore Hotel downtown.

Six Latino Business of the Year honorees areannounced in this section as well as winners of twoadditional, very special awards. We congratulate

each of these remarkable honorees, as well as thewonderful collection of finalists, also listed anddescribed in these pages.

We hope you enjoy this special section, whichcontains some insights on the creative ways inwhich some of LA’s leading Latino businesseshave made prestigious names for themselves.

Special thanks go out this year to our pre-senting sponsors, California Bank & Trust andErnst & Young as well as our CommunitySponsor, the Latin Business Association. Andagain, congratulations to all the great Latinobusinesses in Los Angeles who play such anintegral role in our business community as awhole.

Best regards,

Matthew A. ToledoPublisher & CEO

LATINO BUSINESS AWARDS 2014

FELICITACIONES!We are extremely honored to congratulate our client,Azteca International Corporation, for being recognizedamong today’s finalists. We salute your outstandingcontributions within the Latino business communityin Los Angeles.

We are also pleased to congratulate all of today’s finalistsand honorees for their efforts in setting visible examplesof leadership.

K&L Gates LLP. Global legal counsel in 48 fully integrated officesacross five continents. To learn more about our firm and diversityinitiatives, visit klgates.com.

39 55_latinobusinessawards.qxp 1/23/2014 4:13 PM Page 40

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JANUARY 27, 2014 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 41

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Latino Business Awards

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2014 HonoreesLATINOBUSINESSAWARDS

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AGILE is recognized and respected by its customers as a leading partner ofchoice for providing effective, innovative and flexible supply chain solu-tions. Collective first-hand working knowledge of the industry providesthe Agile team with invaluable experience in the areas of material sourcing

and procurement, project management, construction services, warehousing, kit-ting, and job site delivery.

Agile supports gas and electric utilities and its prime suppliers and manufacturersthrough streamlined communications, contract and project management, and col-laborative cost savings. Agile’s top customers include some of the largest utilities inthe United States such as Southern California Gas Company, Pacific Gas & Electric(PG&E), San Diego Gas &Electric (SDG&E) and, Southern California Edison. Agileactively participates in both the gas and electric arenas providing distribution, sub-station, transmission, and generation materials, as well as calibrated equipment.

As a company, Agile takes pride in being hands on and collaborative when itcomes to finding healthy ways to drive out costs, improve quality, improve safetyand drive innovation. Its tremendous growth in 2013 with revenues over $150 mil-lion and nearly 150 employees is a testament to the quality of the work produced.

Recognizing the importance of giving back and contributing in many waysincluding mentorships, charitable donations, technical workshops and openhouse events, Maria Bastian Thompson, Agile’s founder, president and CEO,also provides her support to several minority and disabled veteran organiza-tions. In these relationships, Thompson offers guidance and feedback on waysto do business with large businesses such as PG&E and SoCal Gas. She has alsoconnected these businesses with Agile’s customers in an effort to help thediverse businesses land their own contracts.

It’s advice from a company that knows, as evidenced by the fact that Agilecontinues to grow, year after year, expanding its customer base as well as itsemployee talent.

Maria Bastian Thompson

BARRIO PLANNERS, INC�

FRANK Villalobos and his company, Barrio Planners are legendary in theSouthland. Starting the first ever Latino-owned Architectural firm inLos Angeles and growing it to a multi-million dollar company withtwenty-one employees and four offices, after all, is a historically signif-

icant story in itself.Coming of age in the 1960’s, Villalobos and four of his college classmates

and future partners, broke through many cultural barriers. They created theirown think-tank at Cal Poly Pomona and dreamed of making a difference notonly in their lives, but more importantly, for their entire community.

Villalobos and Barrio Planners’ first major concept, completed shortly aftergraduating, had a significant, long-term impact on their community. Theyobserved there were many schools built close to freeways that were notequipped with air-conditioning, forcing windows to remain open during theday. The resulting noise had a negative impact on the classroom environ-ment. In 1972, Barrio Planners invented sound barriers to line freeways. As aresult, teaching and student performance improved. This invention not onlyhelped East Los Angeles, but impacted neighborhoods across the country.Today, you can barely envision a freeway without these sound barriers.

Barrio Planners also conceived and designed the cultural plaza that hasrevitalized the Los Angeles community of Boyle Heights — the Mariachi Plaza,and accompanying Metro subway station, which brings a sense of safety andliterally altered the entire landscape of the area. The firm also designedMetro’s Eastside Gold Line Extension and the master plan for LAC+USCMedical with HOK/ LBL, as well as the master plan for White MemorialMedical Center and the East Los Angeles Clinic for Kaiser Permanente.

On top of all this, more than 20% of the work that Barrio Planners does ispro bono, always in the name of helping the community of East Los Angeles.

Frank Villalobos

AGILE SOURCINGPARTNERS

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Today: Celebrate.Tomorrow: AccelerateEY is proud to sponsor the 2014 LatinoBusiness Awards and congratulate thisyear’s honorees for their achievements.These exceptional leaders possess thepassion and innovative spirit needed totransform the face of industry, createjobs and contribute to the growth andenrichment of our communities. Theirentrepreneurial drive is an inspiration toall of us.

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�

THE story of Hit Mobile begins with Mauro Martinez, who in 1999 was asalesman with Pacific Bell Wireless (now AT&T) just after finishing col-lege. Martinez knew he wanted to expand his career. Thanks to anactive relationship with the LBA, Martinez grew his position by leverag-

ing contacts and creating relationships. After rising through the ranks at AT&T,Martinez was named a Corporate Advisory Board Member Representing AT&Tin 2007.

In 2009, Martinez had an opportunity to pursue a limited contract with T-Mobile in building stores within the Latino community. He knew this was anideal opportunity based on his experience.

In May of 2010, Hit Mobile opened its first store catering to the Latino seg-ment in the City of Cudahy and held its grand opening. The company had thesupport of the office of Gil Cedillo present along with the LBA’s Ruben Guerrawho helped cut the ribbon that day. Since then, the company has grownsteadily, adding a Latin twist to its advertising with appearances by severalLatino stars such as Pavel Pardo and Luis Hernandez of the Mexican nationalsoccer team and pop singer Dulce Maria.

Less than four years after that grand opening, Hit Mobile now has 18 Storesthroughout greater Los Angeles and San Diego, with plans to open more thisyear. All of these stores cater to the Latino consumer and Hit Mobile nowemployees more than 100 Latino employees. The company generates morethan $10 million in revenue and continues to grow.

Martinez and Hit Mobile have pledged to continue helping and workingwith the communities they serve — whether it be via sponsoring local kids’ soc-cer and baseball teams, donating to White Memorial Hospital or participating inthe Toys for Tots program (which Hit Mobile has done for the past few years).

Mauro Martinez

HIT MOBILE



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JANUARY 27, 2014 AN ADVERTISING SUPPLEMENT TO THE LOS ANGELES BUSINESS JOURNAL 45©

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�

LA Amapola is a family-owned business in the truest sense of the word.The business was started in September of 1961 by Francisco Galvan, abracero (a guest worker) from Guadalajara, and his son (and current CEO)Carlos B. Galvan, who had just come out to Los Angeles from

Guadalajara with an accounting degree and the shirt on his back. The duo tooka chance and purchased a small storefront for $5,000. It took them a year to payoff the debt. The entire staff at first was made up of the two Galvans and oneother employee, and they purchased an old, hand-cranked tortilla oven to beginmaking tortillas. In two years, they made enough money to bring out the rest ofthe family. This was the beginning of what was known at the time the businesscalled Amapola Mexican Deli.

La Amapola’s core product was (and today remains) tortillas. The shiftingdemographics in Los Angeles helped fuel the rapid growth of the business. By1974, Amapola’s had grown in size to 20 employees. La Amapola incorporated ameat department, bakery and service deli to complement the tortilla manufac-turing and masa for tamales production. By 1999, Amapola was ready to openits second location in the city of Downey. By then Amapola had grown into afull-service grocery store. 2010 saw the opening of the third market in the cityof Paramount and this year will see a new market in the city of West Covina.

The secret to the success of La Amapola can be boiled down to two words:quality and consistency. La Amapola has never been the lowest priced grocer,nor produced the lowest priced tortillas and masa for tamales. But what LaAmapola has is consistently high quality products, made with top-level ingredi-ents, and produced in the same, consistent manner year after year.

Carlos Galvan

LA AMAPOLA, INC


http://cnb.com/thewayup



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ALVARO Villa, a native of Colombia, left Disney in 1978 to begin his ownmodest company, called AVG Productions, Inc., that designed and manu-factured audio-animatronic figures and dark rides for theme parks andentertainment complexes around the world.

Today Villa is co-founder and chairman of TIG/m Modern Street Railways, acompany that designs and manufactures pollution free, self-powered streetcars.These hybrid trolleys are the wave of the future for inner city transportation. Thisis the only company of its kind in the United States and is providing a viable, envi-ronment-friendly product creating green jobs while preserving natural resourcesand the planet.

Villa typifies the combination of rugged individualist and imaginative tinkerernow sparking the automated entertainment revolution. “Everything I got myhands on I would take apart. When I was seven years old, my grandmotherbrought me a Disney comic book from the United States. I was fascinated. I wouldspend hours dreaming about beautiful places and colorful animals and puttingtogether plays and scripts in my mind.”

Having decided to become a pilot, Villa came to the United States at the age oftwenty-one. Knowing no English, he went to work on the space program as anassembler and them as a technician in an electronics plant for Gulton EngineersMagnetics Division. He went to El Camino College.

After earning his engineering certificate, he went on to do postgraduate work atUCLA. Then he became one of the first imagineers at Disney before setting off onhis own with AVG Productions, which began in a tiny workshop and progressed toa sprawling, forty-four-thousand square-foot complex.As of now, his current passion, TIG/m Modern Street Railways, has been in busi-ness for eight years and has trolleys in design and production for projects inCalifornia, Texas, Puerto los Cabos in Mexico, Qatar and Aruba.Alvaro Villa

TIG/M MODERN STREET RAILWAYS

2013 HONOREES REGISTER TO ATTEND

The Los Angeles Business Journal is proud toannounce the 2014 Commercial Real Estate Awards.We invite you to join us as we recognize the biggest,best, and most notable commercial real estateprojects of 2013. We’ll be honoring the developer,architect and general contractor of each awardwinning project, as well as the most successfulbroker/broker teams in the market!

COMMERCIALREAL ESTATE

AWARDS

Awards Reception: Tuesday, February 18, 20146:00pm to 8:30pm Hyatt Regency Century Plaza

2025 Avenue of the StarsLos Angeles, CA 90067

Individual Tickets: $75

Issue Date: February 24, 2014

To register, please visit www.labusinessjournal.com/bizevents

For more information, please contact Breanne Kamai at 323.549.5225 ext. 203or email [email protected]

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TRAFFIC Management, Inc. is a privately owned business based in Los Angeles.Co-owned by brothers Chris and Jonathan Spano, TMI is a company whosework is integral to the daily flow of the lives of the region’s commuters. Itsengineers design the traffic plans that result in lane closures due to road

repairs, large events and big infrastructure projects.With many large events, such as the Rose Parade, the now famous final journey

of the Space Shuttle Endeavour and the transport of six 500,000-pound coke drumsfrom Anaheim to Chevron’s El Segundo fuel refinery, TMI has become one of thelargest traffic control companies in the industry. Aside from the glamour of high-profile projects, TMI’s expertise in the day-to-day projects of public utilities, such asPG&E and SCE, is the core of its business.

The company has largely been run by CEO Chris Spano since its 1995 launch,while Jon pursued his dream of becoming a photographer and filmmaker. It wasn’tuntil the recent economic downturn hit that Jon decided to join forces with hisbrother to bring a steady hand to the business.

Until the recession, Traffic Management, Inc. had received watershed contractsto help provide traffic control services to Qwest Communications throughout theUnited States as it installed fiber-optic cable, and later to AT&T as it rolled up oldcopper lines that the communications giant saw a valuable commodity to selloverseas.

Today, the company employs 350 people in eight offices, including 130 at itsSignal Hill corporate headquarters. Traffic Management’s Sales in 2012 totaled $27million, and the company has exceeded its $35 million forecast for 2013 and hastripled since 2010 and the company is ranked among the Los Angeles BusinessJournal’s 100 fastest growing private companies of last year.

Chris Spano

�TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT, INC


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Latino Advocate Award

THIS year’s Latino Advocate Award goes to the Mexican AmericanOpportunity Foundation (MAOF). The mission of the MAOF is to providefor the socioeconomic betterment of the greater Latino community ofCalifornia, while preserving the pride, values and heritage of the Mexican

American culture. This is accomplished through programs in early childhood edu-cation and family services, job training, and senior lifestyle development through-out the multi-cultural communities served by MAOF.

2013 marked the 50th anniversary of the MAOF. From its humble origins as a grass-roots organization led by the visionary Dionicio Morales to its current standing as oneof the premier providers of comprehensive human services in the nation, MAOF, underthe stewardship of current President and CEO Martin Castro, continues to motivateindividuals and families to reach their full potential and achieve the American Dreamthrough a wide array of generation and age appropriate programming.

Among the many programs the MAOF provides to the community are earlyeducation initiatives. MAOF provides low-income children access to high qualitypreschool services, serving approximately 3,000 children in its 38 licensed childcare, preschool, and Head Start centers as well as its Head Start Home-Based pro-gram; the largest in the United States.

Other program categories include Youth Education, Adult Education, SeniorServices and Community Services. For fifty years, MAOF has served as a point ofaccess for families in need. MAOF’s Resource & Referral office also helps clientsobtain services within and beyond MAOF’s scope of programming.

Since its inception, MAOF has provided services to the largest and fastest grow-ing segment of the population and has advocated for the advancement of theLatino community in California. While MAOF’s services are open to all eligibleindividuals, changing demographics place our organization in a unique position towork with government entities and corporate America to respond to the specificservice needs and challenges of the Latino community.

Martin Castro

THE MERUELO GROUP�

Latino Icon Award

AS Chairman and CEO of The Meruelo Group, Alex Meruelo, the son of Cubanimmigrants, has expanded and coordinated the company’s presence within anarray of industries establishing the blueprint for The Meruelo Group’s growth anddiverse portfolio today.

It all started with Meruelo's entrepreneurial spirit coming to fruition in 1986, with thecreation of La Pizza Loca, a fast food pizza restaurant. By focusing on the needs of theHispanic community, Meruelo grew the business into a mature company with over 50franchises and company owned outlets serving Latino communities throughout SouthernCalifornia.

Meruelo began to invest extensively in residential and commercial real estate through-out Southern California, again primarily in Hispanic neighborhoods. Since 1987, Meruelohas acquired and managed over 1,000 residential units and over 20 retail units, and hasoverseen over 15 developments.

In 1999, Meruelo entered the construction industry through Meruelo Enterprises, Inc.,the parent company of established Southern California utility construction contractorsHerman Weissker, Inc., Doty Bros. Equipment Company, Tidwell Excavation, and electri-cal contractors Neal Electric Corp., and Select Electric, Inc.

Reverting back to the roots of his company, Meruelo expanded his interest in the foodand service industry in 2009, acquiring Fuji Food Products, Inc., one of the nation's largestmanufacturers and distributors of fresh sushi.

In 2011, Meruelo diversified into the gaming and hospitality industry with the acquisi-tion of the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino. In that same year, he also diversified intobroadcast media through the acquisition of KWHY-TV (22), a Spanish-language televisionstation in Los Angeles. In 2012, KWHY-TV became the flagship affiliate of MundoFOX.

Meruelo Media recently added classic R&B and hip-hop radio station KDAY-FM (93.5)radio to its broadcast family in December 2013. Most recently, Meruelo Media launchedits new Meruelo Media Broadcast & Studio Center, where KWHY-TV will air its nightlySpanish news broadcast.

Alex Meruelo

�MEXICAN AMERICANOPPORTUNITY FOUNDATION



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Congratulations to each of the followinginspiring finalist organizations listed below,alphabetically by company name.

AURA TONER SUPPLIES, INC

If you or your businessneeds a printer cartridge,inkjet cartridge, toner car-tridge, or any other print-ing supply, Aura TonerSupplies can help. Thecompany, led by itsPresident Brenda Duarte,carries a large inventory

so that its customers can rely on the ship-ment of toner cartridges, ink cartridges,printer cartridges, and any other supplies,in a timely and efficient manner. AuraToner Supplies works to keep its productsavailable to its customers at extremelycompetitive prices so that it can be a one-stop toner supply provider. A family oper-ated business with over ten years of expe-rience, Aura Toner Supplies strives to pro-vide quality service and build lastingbusiness relationships. The company’smotto is, “we are building our business...by helping build yours.”

AZTECA INTERNATIONALCORPORATION

Azteca America, Inc. is awholly owned subsidiaryof TV Azteca SA de CV,founded in 2001 andmaintaining its corporateheadquarters in Glendale.Azteca is the fastest grow-ing Spanish-language tele-vision network in the

United States, having reached 53% of USHispanics within the first year and nowbroadcasting in 75 markets nationwide.In addition, Azteca America continues todevelop and provide programming oncable, satellite and mobile platforms. Thegrowth and success of Azteca America isfounded it its core values, including itscommitment to its customers and contin-ued researching efforts to learn about andsatisfy the needs of the communities itserves. Azteca America also recognizes theimportance of the community and thenecessity to improve the quality of itshealth, education and ecology.

BOEMBA

Dr. Margarita Clement,founder of Boemba, fig-ured out that there mustbe a better way to dealwith pressure ulcers andbed sores besides the sta-tus quo. Conservativeestimates are that 2.5 mil-lion people suffer from

pressure ulcers or bed sores in the UnitedStates and over $55 billion is spent indealing with these infections. Dr.Clement invented a device called “TheBuddy Guard” that assists patients andcaregivers at the same time. Dr.Margarita’s device minimizes the risk tocare givers of developing these injuriesand at the same time helping the patientof developing pressure ulcers/ bed sores

The device is also used for movingpatients and allows patient to havemobility especially in the recoveryprocess, many doctors and PT loves thisdevice as it makes their job much easierand patients love the device as wellbecause of the frictionless applicationand sore-free results.

CALIFORNIA LATINOLEGISLATIVE CAUCUS INSTITUTEFOR PUBLIC POLICY

Retired Senator RichardPolanco is perhaps bestknown for his work withthe California LatinoLegislative Caucus, whichhe chaired from 1990until 2002. During thistime, he led efforts toincrease the statewide

number of Latino Democratic Legislatorsfrom seven members to 24. This con-tributed greatly to the first LatinoSpeaker of the Assembly, CruzBustamante, in 1996. Since 2002,Senator Polanco helped establish and hasguided the California Latino LegislativeCaucus Institute for Public Policy, knownas the California Latino Caucus Institute(CLCI). CLCI is a non-partisan broad-based public policy, educational andleadership development 501 c (3) non-profit organization. With a current annu-al operating budget of $250,000, CLCIhas developed a reputation for present-ing quality educational, leadership devel-opment and training programs.

CUMMINS REAL ESTATESERVICES

Mary Rivera Cumminscomes from a long lineof Latino women in realestate. Her grandmotherwas born in Mexico andwas a real estate and loanbroker for over 50 years.Cummins herself wasborn in Los Angeles,

attended Beverly Hills El RodeoElementary School, Beverly Hills HighSchool and the University of SouthernCalifornia. She has been a real estatebroker, appraiser and expert witness for30 years in Los Angeles. Herself bilin-gual, Cummins works to service theneeds of Spanish speaking homeownersfor her clients. Cummins also does probono real estate expert witness testimo-ny and real estate appraisals for peoplewho cannot afford her services. Sheteaches classes in appraisal theory andpractice. As if that wasn’t enough,Cummins Real Estate Services is also atotally green business.

ECORICO ENTERTAINMENT, LLC

Giselle Achecar is the vibrant creator ofEcoRico, an eco-lifestyle food network consabor, featuring a “salsa-rific” cookingshow, organic Latin food, recipes & tips.Cooking and sharing a meal is a ritualAchecar believes brings people togetherin love, understanding and gratitude. Herpassion for cooking began early in her

mother’s and grandmother’s kitchens.Her EcoRico cookingshow is now seen onhundreds of online out-lets. Achecar’s videos,recipes and blog haveappeared on the frontpage of Latino Voices onthe Huffington Post, aswell as in the Huffington

Post’s Kitchen Daily, Green and HealthyLiving sections.The past year has seenrapid expansion of the EcoRico Network.The EcoRico show currently receives over500,000 views per month through itscontent license partners.

EDDIE’S TICKET SERVICE

Eddie’s Ticket Service is aone-stop source for ticketsto the hottest eventsnationwide. Founded byits President, EddieEspinosa, who turned alife-long love of concert-going to a business startedwith him selling tickets

out of his home, Eddie’s offers premiumseating and sold out tickets to all majorevents nationwide. As a privately ownedticket agency and broker for all sportsand entertainment events Eddie’s buysand sells tickets on the secondary marketabove face value. Servicing clients’ ticket-ing needs has been Eddie’s Tickets’ num-ber one priority since the organizationstarted in 2002. Now Espinosa has ledEddie’s Tickets to sales in excess of $16million thanks, in large part to Espinosa’spassion for customer service. He expectshimself and his employees to provideclients with superb service every step ofthe way.

EMBRACING LATINALEADERSHIP ALLIANCES

In 2003, Pilar Pinel found-ed Embracing LatinaLeadership Alliances(ELLAS), a non-profit501(c)(3) mentor/leader-ship program, serving theGreater Long Beach andLos Angeles Area with herown financing and

unconditional financial and volunteersupport of her son Christopher Pinel.ELLAS’ vision is to inspire and empowerLatinas to broaden the perception of whatthey can pursue and achieve educational-ly and professionally. ELLAS’ goal is toencourage and promote the advancementof high school Latinas into higher educa-tion through the development of self-con-fidence, professional exposure, leadershipdevelopment and academic excellence.Pinel has patterned the organization basedon her favorite John F. Kennedy quote,“All of us do not have equal talent, but allof us should have an equal opportunity todevelop our talents.”

GISELLE FERNANDEZ

Journalist, Latina activist and entrepre-neur, Giselle Fernandez is a five-timeEmmy award winning reporter whose

much sought after motivational speakingon issues of Latinaempowerment and entre-preneurship havebecome one of her pri-mary occupations. She is,however, best knownover the past decade forher coverage of interna-tional news stories and

major events for the CBS and NBC net-works. Fernandez is a member of theboard of trustees of City Year LosAngeles, Excelencia in Education, theLos Angeles Philharmonic, TheGrammy Museum and was most recent-ly appointed to the board of governorsof the esteemed Jefferson Awards forPublic Service. She is also a foundingmember of President Barack Obama’sFuturo Fund and was honored byPresident Obama when he appointedFernandez to the board of Trustees ofthe John F. Kennedy Center for thePerforming Arts.

GOLDEN FINANCIAL INSURANCESERVICES, INC

Led by GustavoContreras, a man whohad immigrated toCalifornia in 1988 at theage of 17 fromGuadalajara, GoldenFinancial InsurancesServices Inc. is in growthmode, about five years

after Contreras bought out the lead part-ner in the business. Harnessing knowl-edge he had obtained working his wayup through the industry and the organi-zation from the ground level and com-bining that with his University educa-tion, Contreras has successfully been ableto take what was once a struggling insur-ance company and turn it into an organi-zation that has not just survived thefinancial crisis, it has taken care of all itsdebts and liabilities and is now a prof-itable business with steadily increasingsales, products and staff.

THE GRANDE LAW FIRM

The Grande Law Firmstrives to be the premierlaw firm committed toproviding advocacy, free-dom, and powerful resultsto each of its clients.Since its inception in2012, the law firm haszealously represented

individuals and businesses to address andfind solutions in the areas of bankruptcyand immigration law. Clients enjoy thelaw firm’s personalized, straightforward,and effective approach to resolving theirlegal concerns. The Grande Law Firmserves the areas of Los Angeles, Riverside,San Bernardino and Orange countiesfrom all walks of life. Cynthia Grande isthe owner of the Grande Law Firm andwas born and raised in Los Angeles. Asthe daughter of immigrant parents fromEl Salvador, she is especially passionateabout working with members of theLatino/Hispanic community.

Cynthia

Grande

Gustavo

Contreras

Giselle

Fernandez

Pilar

Pinel

Eduardo

Espinosa

Giselle

Achecar

Mary Rivera

Cummins

Richard

Polanco

Margarita

Clement

Martin

Breidsprecher

Brenda

Duarte

2014 FinalistsLATINOBUSINESSAWARDS



HSG PROFESSIONAL WINDOWCLEANERS

Hector Garcia purchased asmall window cleaningcompany that was a one-man operation in 1980.After the first year, herenamed the companyHSG Professional WindowCleaners. Through hardwork and basic marketing

practices he doubled the store-front win-dow cleaning business in the first 9months. Capitalizing on his new-foundniche, HSG continued to double the busi-ness each year for the next three years byexpanding into the high-rise buildingmarket. As he worked side-by-side withhis employees cleaning ground floor win-dows and high-rise buildings in themornings, then in the afternoons hewould dress up in a coat and tie and godoor to door selling his services by callingon new property managers for more busi-ness. Today, HSG Professional WindowCleaners currently has 105 field techni-cians and 15 office personnel and is thelargest window cleaning company on theWest Coast.

KADIMA SECURITY SERVICES,INC.

Louis Perry was born andraised in Brooklyn by hisDominican single mother,and spent his childhooddreaming of being anactor. With that goal inmind, at the age of 18 hetook his life’s savings of$200 and moved to Los

Angeles. While pursuing his dream ofbeing actor, he also pursued a career insecurity to help make ends meet andfound his true passion. At the start of hiscareer in the security industry, Perrydeveloped relationships with many of theexecutives at several companies. Throughthose relationships he began providingsecurity at prestigious private parties andit was then that he decided to launch hisown company, Kadima Security Services.Through hard work and determination,Perry is now also the security expert forCBS 2, KCAL 9, KZLA and many otherprestige clients.

LATIN INSPIRED DESIGNS

Latin Inspired Designs is afamily business specializ-ing in the only authentical-ly designed Latin-styleNutcracker doll collection.These collectible nutcrack-er-style dolls are made indesigns that honor andcelebrate the traditions

and beauty of Mexican culture and artforms. Susana Hernandez and her motherOlivia are co-founders of Latin InspiredDesigns and are the designers and creatorsof these beautifully handcrafted and handpainted nutcrackers, all made in the U.S.The company was birthed out of the sim-ple desire to have an authenticallydesigned Mariachi Nutcracker for the hol-

idays. More than making and selling dolls,the business is all about making some-thing that honors, represents, and cele-brates cultural heritage through a mediumthat is not traditionally associated withthe Latino culture. Everything about thedolls is purposely made. The designs,materials, embellishments, accessories,facial features, even their open hearts.Everything has special meaning.

LAW OFFICES OF JUAN J.DOMINGUEZ

Juan J. Dominguez immi-grated to the US fromCuba with his family in1967. After earning hisBachelor’s degree,Dominguez graduatedfrom UC Hastings Schoolof Law. While in lawschool, Dominguez

worked as an intern for both theCalifornia Attorney General in theConsumer Affairs Division and for theSan Francisco Superior Court. Prior toentering law school, Dominguez had alsoworked for several years at two traumacenter hospital emergency rooms, wherehe gained insight and compassion for theseriously injured. He has dedicated hiscareer to helping those in their time ofneed. In 1987, he opened his own lawpractice. For more than two decades now,the firm has successfully resolved thou-sands of personal injury cases, includingthousands of workers compensation casesfor those injured on the job.

LIVE, INSPIRE, TRAIN

Julia Chaidez is thefounder and lead trainerat “Live, Inspire, Train”Boot Camp in Sylmar. Inthe summer of 2004,Chaidez’s passion forhealth and fitness and thedesire to reach out to oth-ers inspired her to open a

fitness boot camp. Since the beginning,she’s been passionate about inspiringwomen to discover the true beauty ofexercising and living a positive healthylifestyle. She is certified through theAmerican College of Sports Medicine(ACSM) and gained some of her initialexperience and discipline during her 6-year enlistment in the United StatesMarine Corps. Besides being a tough,innovative trainer, one of Chaidez’sbiggest strengths and purpose is havingthe ability to transmit her passion forhealth and exercise to clients and eventheir families, inspiring them to live amore exciting and well-balanced life.

LOS ALTOS FOOD PRODUCTS INC.

Raul Andrade, his wifeand her two daughterscame from Mexico in1980. With hope andvision, together theystarted a new businessmaking and sellingMexican style cheeses inCalifornia. In 1981, they

started importing and selling cheese fromMexico under the name of Cotija. Eightyears later, they founded Los Altos FoodProducts, which marked the beginning ofa successful family business story that isstill being written today. Los Altos pro-duces Mexican style cheeses that possessan authentic flavor and texture; the com-pany’s goal is not limited to manufacturean authentic flavorful cheese, but also, toprovide a vehicle that brings familiestogether. Such mission is expressed intheir slogan: Los Altos Sabor que une. LosAltos Food Products Inc. recently cele-brated its 25th anniversary, but the com-mitment to make the best authenticcheese is the same.

MADALYNS CUPCAKES

Known as a purveyor of“some of the best cup-cakes in the world…at anaffordable price,”Madalyns Cupcakes is abusiness that Kris Larastarted on his own, and ithas grown over the pasttwo years due to his hard

work, uniquely delicious cupcakes, andhelp from the Latin Business Association(LBA), which has taken the time to guidehim along the way. Growing up, Lara wasconstantly around the aroma of bakedgoods due to his mother’s love of baking.Lara’s inherited love of baking and hisdesire to start to start his own businessled to the creation of his business. Larachose to offer not just a basic cupcake,but cupcakes that would have uniquemousse-based frosting, rich ingredients,and moist, delicious cupcakes at the“gourmet” level.

MEXICAN AMERICAN BARFOUNDATION

The mission of theMexican American BarFoundation is to enhancethe diversity of the legalprofession through educa-tion. It does this by sup-porting the dreams ofyoung women and menof Latino heritage who

are pursuing careers in the law. TheMABF is dedicated to assisting studentsattending ABA-accredited law schools inLos Angeles County, including Loyola,Pepperdine, Southwestern, UCLA, andUSC. Most of these scholars are thedaughters and sons of low-income immi-grants. They have overcome tremendousobstacles to pursue their educations.Typically, they are the first members oftheir families to attend college, and ofcourse, professional school. Workingwithout high-priced staff or significantoverhead, the Foundation has awardednearly $1.5 million to support the dreamsof young women and men of Latino her-itage. This sum includes 323 scholarshipsto 274 individual law students.

MIXED UP CLOTHING, INC

Sonia Kang was born in Puerto Rico to aLatina mom and African-American father.

She was raised in Hawaii before comingto California. Growing upmixed Latina/African-American, she was con-stantly asked “what areyou?” and found herselfteaching at a very youngage what it means to be aLatina and African-American. Her maiden

name was Smith (pero ella hablaespañol). People were fascinated andwould ask her several questions about hercultures. When she married her Koreanhusband and had children, the questionsabout culture continued. This excitingblend of cultural influences is also reflectedin Kang’s company, Mixed Up Clothing,Inc.. To celebrate the Latino culture, forexample, Kang uses an iconic symbol -the piñata. People learn all about the cul-tures by reading the special tags on theclothes designed to build “friendshipsthrough fabrics.”

ONESOURCE SUPPLY SOLUTIONS

In 2010, Bob Zamarripafounded OneSourceSupply Solutions, LLC., acompany focused on theelectrical, industrialautomation, lighting,switchgear, pole linehardware, transmission &distribution, industrial

supply, tooling, tool repair, safety, manu-facturing and subassembly arenas. Thecompany’s unique capabilities includeparticularly strong information systemscapabilities, alliances with manufacturesand industry specific strategic partnersand innovative Supply Chain Solutions,among other strengths. Everything thatOneSource strives to do has its customers’needs as the primary focus. The compa-ny’s goal is to work closely with cus-tomers to reduce costs and provide themwith highly motivated, skilled associatesdedicated to service. Further, OneSourcewas named “Green Supplier of the Year”by PG&E in 2012. Over the past fewyears, OneSource has implemented manygreen initiatives and has continued todemonstrate strong environmental per-formance and implementation of a busi-ness model that provides for best prac-tices in product distribution.

POWER WOMAN BUSINESSCENTER

A 501c3 nonprofit organi-zation, Power WomanBusiness Center wasfounded in 2009 byPatricia Gracia, with themission to create jobs inorder to stimulate ourrecovering economy. Theorganization serves as an

incubator for entrepreneurs who lack thenecessary resources to successfully createa business. Established in the SantaClarita Valley Enterprise Zone, the PWBCfacility provides office equipment such ascubicles, computers, fax machines, tele-phones, Internet, along with a confer-ence room and even a fully stocked

Patricia

Gracia

Robert

Zamarripa

Sonia

Kang

Fernando

Aenlle-Rocha

Kris

Lara

Raul

Andrade

Julia

Chaidez

Juan J.

Dominguez

Susana

Hernandez

Louis

Perry

Hector

Garcia

Continued on page 52



kitchen. An entrepreneur’s ideal launchpad, PWBC donates countless hours tooverseeing the development and successof each business that comes through theorganization. The organization providestraining and leadership seminars, busi-ness planning and networking strategiesto any of its members. It is this kind ofdedication, along with community andboard member support, that allows theprogram to exist.

PROMOSHOP INC.

Guillermo “Memo” Kahancreated PromoShop afterfalling in love with thehigh energy and businessand creative savvy neededto succeed in promotionalpremiums sales. Helearned the manufactur-ing and supply side from

Western Badge & Trophy, where heworked in 1992 after graduating from UCBerkeley, where he was a soccer player. Helearned about the client and supplier rela-tions side. In March of 1998, he openedPromoShop, creating a boutique style firmoffering a full array of marketing servicesas well as top tier creative, sourcing, com-pliance and shipping capabilities. Fifteenplus years after its inception, the compa-ny has grown to ten physical offices aswell as sales representation throughoutthe United States and into Canada toservice the complex needs of its 2500active clients.

QUAINTISE

Raquel Baldelomar isfounder and managingdirector of Quaintise, oneof the few Los Angeles-based marketing firmsfocusing on the healthcareindustry. While attendingthe University of Texas,Baldelomar, a native of

Bolivia who emigrated to the United Stateswith her mother at the age of ten, fre-quently noticed the lack of organizationand inconsistent branding and messagingof large medical organizations. Shebelieved that eventually the emphasis inhealthcare marketing would shift from thephysician to the consumer and there wereopportunities for her to facilitate thischange. After quitting a high paying job asa Financial Analyst for JP Morgan PrivateBank, she started Quaintise with her ownsavings. She grew Quaintise from a one-woman show with a single client to a 15-employee company fueled by high-levelcorporate clients ranging from Cedars Sinaiphysicians to local medical device manu-factures and several large hospital groups.

R2F INVESTMENT BANKERS, LLC

R2F Investment Bankers,LLC (R2F) is a 100%Latino-owned investmentbanking firm based inManhattan Beach. R2F iscommitted to servingentrepreneurs of lowermiddle market companies.The services provided

include merger and acquisition advisory,private placements of debt and equity, andstrategic financial advisory. In every trans-action, R2F works closely with clients toanalyze and determine the optimalapproach that best meets its clients’ objec-tives. R2F’s primary objective is to maxi-mize shareholder value while deliveringdependable and unbiased solutions. R2Fwas founded in 2012 by industry veteranLeonardo Fernandez. After spending manyyears with larger banking institutions,Fernandez identified the opportunity toestablish a Latino-owned middle marketfocused investment bank that offered aunique perspective and tailored corporatefinance solutions to lower middle marketbusinesses. R2F’s principals have experi-ence in a wide variety of industries.

REGIONAL HISPANIC CHAMBEROF COMMERCE

Fourteen years ago, SandyCajas was among a smallgroup of dedicatedHispanic business leaderswho understood the enor-mous potential of theHispanic business com-munity in SouthernCalifornia and recognized

the need for a regional organization torepresent its interests in the public andprivate sectors. Soon thereafter, theRegional Hispanic Chamber of Commerce(RHCC) was incorporated in the state ofCalifornia, as the first step towards creat-ing a structured organization aimed atdeveloping a business network that wouldbuild a vibrant and prosperous Hispanicbusiness community by representing theirinterests while embracing economic andprofessional development. The RHCC is amembership driven non-profit 501c6organization comprised of small businessowners, corporate representatives, com-munity leaders, and association membersrepresenting various professions. Withover 300 members and a database of over17,000 subscribers, the RHCC is amongthe state’s fastest growing minority cham-bers.

REVO PAYMENTS

Revo Payments was estab-lished in 2003 to providecredit card processingservices to retail mer-chants and restaurants.During its early years,Revo provided credit cardprocessing services tohundreds of merchants in

Los Angeles, and thousands of merchantsnationwide. Over the years, the companyhas continued to provide low credit cardrates to retail customers, together withfanatical focus on customer service. In2008, the company undertook a majorshift in its strategy and focus. At thattime, Revo decided to focus on buildingsoftware for non-retail industries thatwere undergoing rapid change frompaper payments (checks) to online pay-ments. With that mission in mind, dur-ing the last four years, Revo has built aunique payment platform that enables e-payments for a number of industries,

including: property management,schools, non-profits, municipalities/utili-ties, and business-to-business invoicing.

REYES WINERY

Because of a passion forart, wine and winemak-ing, Robert Reyes, aDominican born immi-grant and entrepreneur,always dreamed of hav-ing a small vineyard toproduce small amountsof ultra premium wines

for family and friends. In 2002 he pur-chased the land where the ReyesVineyard and Winery are located today,and the vision changed from a personalhobby to a commercial winery. The 16-acre vineyard was personally planted byReyes and his family in April of 2004.Reyes had learned winemaking in themid 1970s and subsequently attendedwine and vineyard management classesat UC Davis. Reyes Winery today is asuccessful enterprise producing Ultra-Premium wines. As of last year, Reyeswinery has won 29 medals and awardsfrom various major competitions such asThe Los Angeles International Wine andSpirits Competition, the Long BeachGrand Cru, San Francisco ChronicleWine Competition, and the OrangeCounty Fair Wine Competition.

RUIZ STRATEGIES

Ruiz Strategies is a digitalstrategies and contentmarketing firm thatdevelops and executestransformational contentmessaging strategies forworld class companies,professional services firmsand government entities

leveraging the power of social media,new media, traditional media and virtualtechnologies. Led by Michele Ruiz, a for-mer award-winning news anchor, thecompany is headquartered in LosAngeles with an office in Washington,D.C. and has emerged as a strong con-tender for Fortune 500 prime Tier 1 con-tracts, having secured three in less thantwo years. As a result, revenues haveincreased by more than 4,100%!Recently, a global oil and gas companyand an international telecommunica-tions corporation among others were fac-ing communication challenges andengaged Ruiz Strategies to develop andexecute comprehensive communicationplans and grow their following. There aresure to be many more success stories inthis company’s future!

SAZON LATIN FUSION

Claudia Quihuis, founderof Sazon Latin Fusion,learned to cook in hermother’s kitchen and hasbeen in the restaurantindustry for over 20years. Since the passingof her mother, Quihuishas picked up different

Latin dishes by traveling and eating out

in many Latin restaurants, trying differ-ent Latin cuisines – and giving them ahealthier twist. As she tells her cus-tomers, “expect the unexpected!” SazonLatin Fusion offers healthy Latin food tothe community, and has been doing sofor five years Not only is the food deli-cious, it is also healthy. Sazon has cus-tomers that have lost weight and haveimproved their health thanks to thehealthy options provided. And for thosewith a sweet tooth, Sazon has an awardwinning flan – said to be among thebest in Los Angeles!

SENSIS

With offices in both LosAngeles and WashingtonD.C., along with a newbranch in Mexico City,Mexico, Sensis is a full-service advertising agencythat also happens to be apioneer in cross-culturalmarketing. Services

include full spectrum marketing cam-paigns, digital advertising, mobile, socialmedia, brand development, websitedesign and application development.Sensis’ prestigious client list includes theFood and Drug Administration, the USArmy, US Citizenship and ImmigrationServices, the US Coast Guard Academy,Sempra Energy and Metrolink, amongmany others. Despite a fluctuating econ-omy, Sensis has come out on top, in largepart because of the hard work, dedicationand unique work ethic that CEO JoseVilla possesses and instills in his team.

SOTOMAYOR & ASSOCIATES, LLP

Sotomayor & Associates,LLP was founded in 1991by Managing Partner IvanSotomayor. The familyowned business has grownover time to be a wellknown international CPAfirm with offices inPasadena and Santo

Domingo, Dominican Republic. In 1999,Sotomayor’s wife, Eugenia Sotomayorjoined as a partner and throughSotomayor LLP established a related com-pany Medical Business Concepts (MBC), amedical billing and practice managementcompany. In 1999 Ivan’s sister, CarmenSotomayor combined her accountingpractice with Sotomayor & Associates andjoined as the third partner. This full-serv-ice professional CPA firm provides a com-prehensive range of accounting and con-sulting services. Truly international inscope, the firm has completed work fororganizations in Mexico, Colombia, ElSalvador, Philippines, Cambodia,Thailand, Sierra Leone, and Uruguay overthe past six years. Sotomayor was alsoappointed Technical Advisor to the USTrade Representative for the USDepartment of Commerce.

SOUTHEAST WOMEN’SORGANIZATION

Founded by Marisol Camelo, an entrepre-neur who also founded Camelo Jello, amanufacturer of fine gelatin confections,

Ivan

Sotomayor

Jose

Villa

Claudia

Quihuis

Michele

Ruiz

Robert

Reyes

Mike

Corbera

Sandy

Cajas

Leonardo

Fernandez

Raquel

Baldelomar

Guillermo

Kahan


Continued from page 51



the South East Women’s Organization is aunique non-profit organi-zation dedicated to help-ing women who sufferfrom domestic violenceand abuse. The organiza-tion encourages andempowers women to takecontrol of their lives andbecome tomorrow’s entre-

preneurs and leaders. It also promotes theeducation of our community’s youth andwomen by hosting fund-raising events,which support scholarships and a widearray of mentoring programs. TheOrganization also awards scholarships todeserving students and hosts a number ofcharitable annual. The bottom-line visionof the Organization is for Latinas to man-ifest their full potential, talents anddreams in a supportive community andfor this transformation to create a thriv-ing Latino family and community.

TRANSIT SYSTEMS UNLIMITED, INC

Transit Systems Unlimited, led by itsPresident Maurice Vanegas, is a charterbus company serving California for over

15 years and is located in Sun Valley, justoutside of Downtown L.A.Founded by Vanegas inan attempt to start a busi-ness venture providingprivate transportation forgroups and privateschools, today TransitSystems has become thelargest bus charter opera-

tor in the entire state of California. Thecompany services charters, school trips,and special events. Large events in thepast have included transporting groups toRose Bowl Games, the Rose Parade,Pasadena Showcase Houses, B.E.T. &Peoples Choice awards, the HollywoodBowl and the Griffith Observatory,among many others. In addition,Vanegas has always made it a priority tocater to the Latino community by provid-ing bus services for free to families requir-ing local transportation.

UNITED STATES-MEXICOCHAMBER OF COMMERCE

The United States-Mexico Chamber ofCommerce (USMCOC), incorporated in

1973 as a non-profit corporation, is achartered bi-nationalorganization that promotestrade and investmentamong the two Americannations. The Chamber rep-resents more than 1,000businesses in the UnitedStates and Mexico, andmaintains offices in

Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, San Diego,Oakland, Dallas, New York, Denver,Chicago, Seattle, Detroit, Cleveland, Miami,Monterrey, Mexico City, Guadalajara andAguascalientes. The California RegionalChapter, with headquarters in Los Angeles,sponsors a busy agenda of seminars, con-ferences and presentations by distin-guished leaders in business, governmentand industry. Presentation topics rangefrom import and export tactics, industrialchallenges in Mexico, advances in technol-ogy affecting trade, economic updates,banking and taxes, sales techniques, andmore. All of the chapter’s activities aredesigned to improve communication,cooperation, and understanding amongthe businesses and governments in theUnited States and Mexico.

VACO LOS ANGELES

Vaco Los Angeles, LLC is a consultingand executive search firm co-founded

six years ago by FrancesMoreno for the place-ment of CPAs, MBAsand IT professionals inthe Greater Los Angelesmarketplace. Vaco,under Moreno's stew-ardship not only putsthousands of people to

work, the company also provides ashining model for how to attract andretain excellent employees, regularlybeing honored as Los Angeles' BestCompany to Work For. Moreno grewVaco from zero to $20 million in rev-enues since its inception in 2006.Since contingent and contractemployment are among the first togrow out of the recession, Vaco ishelping to restore the SouthernCalifornia economy in a very directway by helping to lower unemploy-ment, and placing good people affect-ed by the downturn back to workwith their client companies.

Frances

Moreno

Marlen

Marroquin

Maurice

Vanegas

Marisol

Camelo


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At the Event

HONOREES ACCEPT THEIR AWARDS: Left to Right: Gabriel Marquez of Ernst and Young, Andrew Martinez accepting on behalf of Mauro Martinez Jr. of Hit Mobile, Jonathan Spano &

Christopher Spano of Traffic Management, Inc., William Villalobos & Frank Villalobos of Barrio Planners, Inc., George Perez, Senior Vice President of ProAmerica Bank accepting on behalf of

La Amapola, Inc., Xavier Gutierrez of Meruelo Capital Partners accepting on behalf of Alex Meruelo, Alvaro Villa of TIG/m, LLC Modern Street Railways, Maria Bastian Thompson of Agile

Sourcing Partners, Martin Castro of the Mexican American Opportunity Foundation, Dr. Betty Uribe of California Bank & Trust and Matthew Toledo of the Los Angeles Business Journal.

Over 320 attendees enjoyed the Latino Business Awards, held at the Millennium Biltmore in downtown Los Angeles.


latino business awards 2014

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