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Hispanics are more cautious about their holiday spending this year with 1 in 5 saying they will not be shopping at all, according to a national survey by the Florida Atlantic University Business and Economics Polling Initiative (FAU BEPI).

The number of respondents who said they would not shop in 2016 has increased by 10 points since the 2015 survey, from 11 percent to 21 percent. Others plan to delay holiday shopping. Earlier shopping has declined, with 18 percent of Hispanics saying they already started to shop, compared with 20 percent in 2015 and 24 percent in 2014.

"Hispanics became less optimistic about prospects for the economy compared to September," said Monica Escaleras, Ph.D., director of the BEPI. "This may simply be a temporary reaction due to the uncertainty caused by the presidential election or part of a continued downward trend in consumer confidence among Hispanics." READ MORE AT YAHOO NEWS

Noramay Cadena is a #bosslady in all aspects of her life. As the daughter of immigrants, she understood the intricacies of growing up in a Latino family, the responsibility that it entails and the opportunity that living in the United States affords her.

As a teen mom, she understood that the example she set for her daughter would have ramifications beyond the short-term, day-to-day.

In addition to the skills she learned in her roles as daughter and mother, her time spent working through degree after degree at MIT (she has three) helped set the foundation for the entrepreneurship path she is on now. READ MORE AT FORBES

The holiday season is coming up fast and this could be a great opportunity to make some career connections with family and friends. Networking during the holidays is mingling and making small talk; it's a more informal experience than a network meeting in someone's office.

When relatives and neighbors ask you about what you want to do after graduation, give them the names of a few organizations you may be interested in and a general idea about the role you want to play. Then ask them the big question: "Do you know someone who works in these fields who might be willing to speak with me about what they do?" You may be surprised at who they know. READ MORE AT SETON HALL UNIVERSITY

Read feature guest biographies of the 2016 Law and Government Networking Forum tomorrow at LondonHouse Hotel Chicago.

Moderator

Marlo Rodriguez, The Court Reporter Chronicles

Marlo Rodriguez, CSR, RPR has been a court reporter in Chicago for almost 20 years and is the Founder of The Court Reporter Chronicles, an international organization supporting independent court reporters. Marlo currently works at Certus Deposition Services serving as Executive Vice President specializing in complex litigation. She is licensed in Illinois as well as holds a national certification allowing her to court report in other states.

Marlo previously owned her own agency called Marlo Reporting & Video Services, which was WBE and MBE certified, and which was also chosen as HLAI's preferred court reporting agency.

Marlo is passionate about promoting court reporting, court reporting services and products, its advancement, and mentoring court reporting students. She is grateful for an amazing group of friends that continue to support her in her now and future endeavors.

Discussion Panelists

Martin Castro, Chair, US Civil Rights Commission,CEO - Castro Synergies, Interim CEO, Casa Central

Marty Castro is the President and CEO of Castro Synergies, LLC, which provides strategic consulting services to corporations, entrepreneurs and non-profit organizations that seek to collaborate with and have a positive social impact on diverse communities.

Mr. Castro was appointed by President Barack Obama to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in January of 2011. In March 2011, President Obama elevated Mr. Castro to the position of Chairperson of the USCCR, making him the agency's eighth Chair since the formation of the Commission, and the first Latino Chairperson in the over half-century history of the USCCR.

In December 2009, Mr. Castro was appointed by Illinois Governor Pat Quinn to Chair the Illinois Human Rights Commission. The Human Rights Commission is the State public body that arbitrates complaints of civil rights violations in housing, employment, public accommodations and financial credit.

Mr. Castro is on the board of directors of the National Museum of Mexican Art; the only accredited Latino Museum in the United States. He also serves on the board of the Chicago Community Trust. Mr. Castro is also chair and co-founder of New Futuro, LLC. Mr. Castro is a former national board member of the Mexican American Legal Defense and Educational Fund and former chair of the Hispanic National Bar Association's U.S. Supreme Court Committee. Mr. Castro is also the former chair of the Judicial Nominations Commission for the Northern District of Illinois, by appointment of U.S. Senator Richard Durbin.

For his leadership and accomplishments, Mr. Castro has received numerous awards and recognitions, including the National Medical Fellowships' Humanitarian Award; the Hispanic National Bar Association's Cesar Chavez Humanitarian Award; the Edwin A. Rothschild Civil Liberties Award from the American Civil Liberties Union of Illinois; and the Thurgood Marshall Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Corporate Counsel, Chicago Chapter.

Mr. Castro is the proud product of Head Start and affirmative action in higher education. He received his B.A. in political science in 1985 from DePaul University and his Juris Doctorate degree from the University of Michigan Law School in 1988. Mr. Castro was also awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Roosevelt University in December 2011 for his work in the area of social justice.

Currently Mr. Castro serves as Interim President and CEO of Casa Central, a Chicago non-profit serving the Hispanic community. Mr. Castro provides executive leadership and assists Casa Central in strengthening its relationships with partners, donors, and advocates.

Homero Tristan, Partner, Tristan & Cervantes

Homero Tristan is the Founding Partner of Tristan & Cervantes. His practice includes counseling companies in Labor & Employment Law, as well as Corporate Transactions. Formerly, Mr. Tristan was an attorney with the National Labor Relations Board for the Chicago Region, where he investigated hundreds of unfair labor practice charges and prosecuted numerous trials. Later, he entered private practice at Jackson Lewis LLP, one of the largest national firms dedicated to representing management in the area of Labor & Employment Law.

Mr. Tristan is active in the local political landscape, and routinely advises clients regarding Government Relations. He is one of the founders of the Chicago Latino Public Affairs Committee, a political action committee that is engaged in state and local races. In 2008, former Mayor Richard M. Daley appointed Mr. Tristan to serve as Commissioner of Human Resources for the City of Chicago.

Mr. Tristan is a graduate of Loyola University, DePaul University College of Law and has a Masters of Science in International Relations from Loyola University Chicago School of Business. 

Karina Ayala-Bermejo, General Counsel & Executive Vice President, Metropolitan Family Services

Karina Ayala-Bermejo is currently the General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Metropolitan Family Services. As General Counsel she is responsible for all legal matters for Metropolitan. As of April 1, 2015, she also serves as the Executive Director of the Legal Aid Society of Metropolitan Family Services.

Prior to Metropolitan, she worked for the City of Chicago in Mayor Daley’s administration as Acting Commissioner, First Deputy Commissioner and Managing Deputy Commissioner for the Department of Human Resources. Prior to working for the City of Chicago, she spent seven years as the Director of Community Services for the Chicago Bar Association where she encouraged attorneys to take on pro bono work and collaborated with the bar and various divisions of the CircuitCourtofCookCounty on initiatives to improve the justice system.She also served as the first Executive Director of the Sun Times Judge Marovitz Lawyers Lend-A-Hand to Youth Program, a foundation that mobilizes the legal profession around mentoring youth. She was instrumental in securing a $2 million dollar cy pres award, the largest in CookCounty’s history for Lawyers Lend-A-Hand. Ms. Ayala-Bermejo legal career began as an attorney in the Litigation Division of the Chicago Board of Education handling labor and employment matters.

Ms. Ayala-Bermejo has been a leader in the legal community and the community at large for over 20 years. She was appointed as Commissioner for the Cook County Human Rights Commission where she serves as its Vice-Chair. She was also recently appointed as a Commissioner for the Commission of the Status of Latinas in the Legal Profession. She also serves on the Board of Trustees for the Hispanic Lawyers Scholarship Fund; Dean’s Advisory Council for the DePaul University College of Law; Board of the Public Interest Law Initiative; Board of the Center for Conflict Resolution; Board of Managers for the Chicago Bar Association; and Executive Board for Illinois Partners for Human Service.

She is the former President of the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois where she founded their mentoring program, JD Mentors now in its 12th year. She served in numerous positions for the Hispanic National Bar Association (HNBA) including General Counsel; National Vice President of Programs; National Vice President of Regions; and Regional President (WI, IL, MI, IN). She was also appointed as a Commissioner for the American Bar Association Commission on Racial and Ethnic Diversity in the Profession.

Ms. Ayala-Bermejo was born in Jalisco, Mexico. She resides in Chicago with her husband Frank, and three children (Liam 12, Elijah 10 and Abbey Rose 8). She is a graduate of Loyola University-Chicago and her JD is from DePaul University College of Law.

Ennedy Rivera, General Counsel. Office of the Lieutenant Governor. Evelyn Sanguinetti, State of Illinois

Ennedy D. Rivera is General Counsel to the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Evelyn Sanguinetti, and legal liaison to the Department of Human Rights, Human Rights Commission, Torture Inquiry & Relief Commission, Guardianship & Advocacy Commission, Department of Labor, Illinois Power Agency, Illinois Pollution Control Board, Illinois Commerce Commission, and the Illinois Department of Transportation. In addition, Ms. Rivera assists in overseeing the clemency review process for the Office of the Governor. Before joining the Office of the Lieutenant Governor, Ms. Rivera was a Senior Associate at the Law Office of Wysocki & Smith, where she focused on civil litigation, municipal law, general practice and criminal/immigration defense. Ms. Rivera is a proud graduate of the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign and DePaul University School of Law.

Claudia E. Castro, Associate Attorney, Odelson & Sterk, Ltd., President - Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois

Claudia Castro, a graduate of Proviso Township High School District 209, received her Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice from Loyola University Chicago and her Juris Doctor from the Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan. She began her legal career as an Assistant State’s Attorney with the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office in Chicago where she prosecuted hundreds of bench and jury trials. Claudia served as Chief Legal Counsel for the Illinois Concealed Carry Licensing Review Board, and prior to joining the State, she was General Counsel for the Illinois Coalition against Sexual Assault in Springfield.

Throughout her career, Claudia has worked closely with the Latino communities providing assistance and education in criminal justice issues. Her litigation experience and fluency in Spanish earned her a position as an instructor with the Conference of Western Attorneys General (CWAG) Alliance Partnership Program, where she participated in training programs in trial advocacy for prosecutors throughout Mexico.

Currently, Claudia serves as President-Elect of the Hispanic Lawyers Association of Illinois. She was the former Young Lawyers Division National President of the Hispanic National Bar Association. Claudia also served on the Board of Directors and as President-Elect of the National Hispanic Prosecutor’s Association. In 2012, Claudia was named as one of Chicago Daily Law Bulletin’s 40 Illinois Attorneys under Forty to Watch List.

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In advance of the holiday shopping season, BODEN, a cross-cultural communications agency, and QuestMindshare unveiled The Latina SmartPurse™. The Latina SmartPurse is an innovative research initiative focused on the Hispanic female in the U.S. This progressive research takes a deep dive into the modern Latina consumer, her influence, and what she expects from brands when making purchasing decisions.

"We are seeing a continental shift in Latina females and their role in our society and economy; they are playing many roles as business owners, mothers, cultural evangelists, and societal influencers," Natalie Boden, president, BODEN, says. "The Latina SmartPurse study shows us that there is no better time than now for brands to invest in Latinas as a key consumer segment within the U.S. landscape." READ MORE AT PRNEWSWIRE

Most of the choices we make every day are simple and straight-forward: what to wear to work, what to eat for lunch, whether to go to sleep at a reasonable hour or stay up watching Netflix. They don’t cause much stress or inner conflict.

Career transition points, on the other hand, can leave you feeling significantly more stuck—especially when you’re facing a big, life-changing decisions.

Should you take that promotion? Move to a different city? Transition to a new industry? Launch a business or take your side hustle full-time? READ MORE AT FORBES

Wage theft is epidemic and it hits Latino workers the hardest. A recent study by the Economic Policy Institute found that wage theft across America is costing workers $50 billion per year. Compare that to the robberies, burglaries, larcenies, and motor vehicle thefts in the FBI’s uniform crime report, which cost victims an estimated $14 billion over the same period, and you can see that calling wage theft an epidemic is no exaggeration.

Paying workers below the legal minimum wage, not paying for overtime hours worked, forcing workers to work off-the-clock or, for workers on federal contracts, not paying the proper wage rate for their occupation, are just some of the sleights-of -hand that employers engage in to cheat workers. Although all of these maneuvers are illegal, they are rarely punished. READ MORE AT THE HILL

Soft skills are essential in any job. But these are not always being focused on when it comes to technical jobs. But the truth is, when it comes to jobs in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, soft skills are much more important.

Soft skills are important when you want to get hired and when you want to stay longer on the job. Employers do not only base their requirements on the technical skills you bring to the table. They also want to hire someone who have the necessary soft skills that can fit in their environment. READ MORE AT UNIVERSITY HERALD

José R. Sánchez, CEO of Norwegian American Hospital who was recognized by Nueva Latina Leaders group posed with all the professional ladies in attendance 

CHICAGO, —Nueva Latina Leaders (NLL), a group of successful women in the fields of business, community service, education, health and technology, hosted a recognition event for José R. Sánchez, President and CEO of Norwegian American Hospital. This special occasion was held on Wednesday, October 26, 2016 to honor the achievements and empowerment of Mr. Sánchez, who has been a fundamental mentor and motivator to many Latinas.

The event was hosted by Lourdes Duarte, WGN News Anchor. Jose Sanchez who is an art collector was given a post-modern acrylic art piece, painted by Catalina Sanchez Vargas, called Triune, which means a trinity in unity.

“Tonight is all about LEADERSHIP, particularly, the Leadership of the NLL who are making an impact in the businesses and society in general, but especially today, we get together to recognize Jose Sanchez, this Latino Leader who has been a mentor of many young Latinas in his community”, expressed Milena Tous, President of Multi Latino Marketing, Inc. and Founder of the Nueva Latina Leaders group.

Jose Sanchez expressed his gratitude and commitment to continue inspiring and guiding Latinas to help them to move forward and their career, especially in the Health field and through his job as a CEO at the Norwegian American Hospital.

Jose Sanchez is the only Latino CEO of a hospital in Chicago and has been recognized for his accomplishments in the area of Finance, Information Technology, Innovation and Quality Improvement.

Thank you to our sponsors Sodexo, USI, JGMA and Multi Latino Marketing Agency, Inc.

José R. Sánchez, CEO of Norwegian American Hospital, Lourdes Duarte, WGN TV News Anchor and Milena Tous, president of Multi Latino Marketing, Inc and Founder of Nueva Latina Leaders. 

José R. Sánchez, (in the middle) alongside Illinois Senator Omar Aquino and Pedro Cevallos

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There is no faster-growing group of entrepreneurs in the United States than Hispanic business owners.

Over the last decade, Hispanic-owned companies have grown at a rate 15 times higher than that of all other firms, according to the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

In the mid-Atlantic region — consisting of New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania — there has been a 20% increase in Hispanic-owned companies in the years between 2012 and 2015.

Last year, Hispanic entrepreneurs — represented by more than 4 million companies nationwide — contributed more than $600 billion in revenue to the national economy. READ MORE AT DAILY NEWS

Networking is a wonderful thing. The connections you make and friendships you establish in your professional life will power you through your career.

It’s not just that the people you know will help you spot opportunities and get great jobs or clients, although that could easily happen.

Your network is good for much more than leads and advice during your job search or your business development projects. Your network of friends and associates is also your brain trust. READ MORE AT FORBES

So much of the focus in bank technology is on making life easier for everyday customers, but a handful of banks and fintechs are trying to simplify banking for everyone.

Recently some banks have introduced products or mobile features intended to help customers who are otherwise being passed over by technology because of disabilities, language barriers or other factors.

USAA has introduced a remote-deposit function that is guided by voice. Bank of America has committed to making sure the Spanish-language settings on its app are on par with the English version's. READ MORE AT AMERICAN BANKER

Recently, I called a pharmacy to refill a prescription. Before reaching any human being, I had to wait for the telephone prompt to tell me, “Para continuar en español sigue dos,” which means to continue in Spanish, press two. This is only an example of the many instances where I have encountered this situation. READ MORE AT THE DAILY NEWS

Hispanic-owned businesses are on a roll, reveals a new study. According to the Biz2Credit Hispanic Small Business Credit Study, Hispanic-owned companies had average annual revenues of $202,327 in 2016, up from $68,540 the previous year.

The number of loan applications by Latino entrepreneurs made through Biz2Credit.com grew by 68.7 percent in the past 12 months.

Average net income for Hispanic businesses grew substantially, jumping from an average of $50,205 in 2015 to $132,693 in 2016. In comparison, non-Hispanic business owners’ average annual net incomes were approximately 8 percent lower in 2016. READ MORE AT SMALL BUSINESS TRENDS

The pass-out graduates from various universities can find a fine track by associating with a worthy recruitment agency that is skilled in graduate recruitments. In simple words, we can say that recruitment consultancy is a great tool for graduates to find a suitable job in their specialized field. As the job marketing is ever changing, it is certainly difficult to find a suitable job opportunity in a company of your choice. It is because, some companies prefer to post job in their internal sources and some post over common job boards and some assign their requirements to recruitment agencies. So, every company follows different ways to spot the best brains to add in their team. This approach grows a complexity in job market and hence, makes things harder for newly pass-outs to find the best jobs in the best companies quickly.

William Almonte is well-aware of the complexities associated with job search for graduates and it is a reason he always recommends the graduates to take assistance of recruitment agencies to lessen their burden of a good job search.

Recruitment Agencies Are More Reliable These Days-

The growing awareness of the advantages of associating with recruitment agencies to graduates is popularizing their services among young generation. Today, a majority of youngsters are loving the idea to associate with a reliable recruitment agency to give a kick-start to their career. Gone are those days when recruitment agencies had not been relied on due to illegitimate fee and charges, but the transparency in their services have made them reliable for job seekers.

At this time, they are referred as the most legitimate resource to job seekers. These agencies hire expert recruiters who own years of practical recruitment experience. With their skills and years of contact, they make it easier for graduates to get jobs in the shorter duration. They are capable of making the entire recruitment process smoother for employers as well as job seekers. It is a reason, they are being trusted by employees as well as employers equally.

How Graduates Can Find A Job Faster By Adopting Recruitment Agency Services-

When we suggest the graduates to associate with recruitment agency to find job for themselves, we are not asking them to be limited to only one agency. But, they are open to associate with more than one agencies at a time. By doing so, the chances get broader to find job faster. When you have taken your job requirement to multiple agencies, your requirement reaches to different resources. Thus, multiple resources start adding their effort to search a good job for you at the best possible way and this is how the effort multiplies to bring in desired outcomes in less time.

So, the idea of locating new resources for your job hunt is always good if you are a new graduate and completely fresher in your professional front. This approach is truly a counterproductive and hence, is certainly fruitful for job seekers.  For More Information :

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Are you aiming to move your career forward? Are you in the running for a new job? Know that it will take more than smarts to get ahead. Anyone can do a job. At the end of the day, what it really comes down to is how you do your job.

Employers are looking for employees who do more than just clock in and out each day. It’s important to perform your job with the goal of not only doing your best work but also being the best employee. Who you are matters just as much as what you do. READ MORE AT CHEATSHEET

The impact of Hispanic-owned businesses in our country is clear: more than four million businesses total, $661 billion in revenue, and 2.3 million employed.

Hispanic-owned companies play an important role in our national economy and this trend is only expected to continue. Data shows Hispanic-owned businesses are growing at a faster rate than any other demographic in the United States, by as much as three times the national average.

Despite this, there are still issues impeding further progress that need to be addressed in order to strengthen... READ MORE AT THE HILL

They did it.

In the end the Chicago Cubs pulled off a thrilling 8-7 victory in 10 innings, to finally end 108 years of frustration. Their victory over the Cleveland Indians may go down as the greatest World Series of all-time, especially when you consider that the Cubs trailed the series 3-1 and found a way to come back and win it all.

As with any championship victory, it takes a team effort to accomplish such a feat. The Latino players on their roster played a major role in claiming the Commissioners Trophy this year, and here is how they contributed to the Cubs success. READ MORE AT NBC NEWS

The transition from graduating college to working full-time is not an easy one. Your time is no longer your own to manage. You have to get used to going to bed early and waking up early. You have to learn a lot about business and working with people of all different ages. Welcome to adulthood! READ MORE AT BUSINESS2COMMUNITY

A new generation of global Hispanic professionals is rising, ready to navigate the world and steer their futures, armed with the advantage of innovative and transformative higher education experiences.

As the leading universities around the world respond to the challenge of globalization in the age of technology, more Hispanic students can gain state-of-the-art knowledge, cultural intelligence and international capabilities by researching the options within their reach and identifying higher learning institutions that are effectively preparing students for global competitiveness, particularly in engineering, business and entrepreneurship.READ MORE AT DIVERSE ISSUES IN HIGHER EDUCATION