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General Motors is encouraging Hispanic students to pursue engineering careers as it welcomes the annual conference of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE) to Detroit starting today through November 9 at Cobo Center in downtown Detroit.

SHPE is a national organization whose purpose is to promote careers in Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) to Hispanics. “We are thrilled to welcome SHPE to Detroit as it celebrates 40 years serving as a vital resource for Latinos in STEM,” said GM President Dan Ammann. “GM wants to be the employer of choice for Hispanic engineers and this conference is a great opportunity to strengthen our relationship with this important community.” READ MORE AT GM AUTHORITY

The city of Jonesboro is becoming a hub of opportunity for Hispanic Americans. If you're driving in around town, it's very likely you'll see a Hispanic restaurant on every other block.

Felix Cruz is the latest Mexican immigrant to pursue an entrepreneurial spirit in Jonesboro. He calls his restaurant, Los Dos Vaqueros .

"I've been open for seven days already, and the first people came, and they keep coming, and coming, and coming," said Cruz.

Henry Torres, a business professor at Arkansas State University, believes even though unemployment levels are on the rise across the country, working conditions are just right in Region 8, especially for Hispanics. READ MORE AT AT ABC KAIT8

Businesses wanting to increase their mobile sales this holiday season should try targeting more Hispanic shoppers, new research finds.

Hispanic consumers in the United States are more likely than non-Hispanic shoppers to make purchases via a smartphone or tablet, according to a new report from eMarketer. The research from August revealed that 52 percent of Hispanic shoppers purchased clothes on a mobile a device in the past month, compared to just 38 percent of non-Hispanic consumers. Additional areas where Hispanics outpaced others in their mobile shopping this summer included electronics, music and movie tickets. READ MORE AT BUSINESS NEWS DAILY

Today’s networking world is challenging. Sometimes when we are looking for new business and looking to increase sales, we can forget that networking is available to us 24/7 and that it’s all around us. You may even forget that sometimes the lead you’re looking for may already be in your contacts, you just need to maintain your relationships and ask the right questions when the timing is optimal.

Here are some tips to keep your mindset fresh so that you can get the most leads possible throughout your day. All of these tips are resources you can use in your daily life to increase the amount of networking you do when you’re not at networking events. READ MORE AT THE AMERICAN GENIUS

Hispanics are the fastest growing minority consumer group in the U.S., so it makes sense that companies are scrambling to find ways to successfully target their marketing strategies towards them. The Hispanic population in the U.S. has doubled in the past ten years, yet the community remains grossly underrepresented in the media.

Many companies think that replaying a commercial in Spanish equals effective marketing, as if that’s the only difference between Latino and Anglo households.

Multi-cultural marketing strategies are turning up all across the board from commercials to billboards, all with somewhat mixed reactions. But there are groups out there doing it right – here are six of them. READ MORE AT BUSINESS2COMMUNITY

Mexico climbed from the 43rd to the 39th spot in “ease of doing business” ranking. In Mexico opening a business takes 6.3 days, six procedures and costs 18.6% of the per capita income. Mexico’s reforms helped the country climb four sports in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business ranking, from the 43rd to the 39th position.

According to the report, entitled “Doing Business 2015: Going Beyond Efficiency“, Mexico is one of the five easiest countries to open a business in Latin America, along with Colombia, Peru, Chile and Puerto Rico. READ MORE AT THE YUCATAN TIMES

If you avoid networking events and dread making small talk, you aren’t alone. Studies show that one third to one half of the U.S. population has introverted tendencies. If you ask around, you’ll probably find that most people aren’t that fond of starting conversations with strangers. All you have to do is tap into your introverted strengths: solid listening skills, research and analytical savvy and preference for building deep relationships. And you’ll also have to step outside of your comfort zone.

Building new relationships is a necessary evil. Whether you are actively job searching or employed, expanding your network is an important step toward your professional success. Just look at the people you respect or admire. What actions did they take that lead to a new opportunity or opened a door? It only takes knowing the right people at the right place and the right time.

Try the tips below if you dread networking:

1. Learn about group events and prepare for them. First things first: You have to learn about upcoming events, such as conferences, professional association meetings and meetups. Ask people you know in your field if there are events they would recommend. The more focused the networking group, the more likely you are to encounter people you have something in common with. READ MORE AT U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT

It is the most important rite of passage for teenage Latinas. When they reach the age of 15, their quinceañera is an over-the-top celebration of a girl’s transition into womanhood complete with elaborate dresses, lavish cakes and decorations, a huge party with food, drinks and music and loads of gifts that can put an Anglo's Sweet 16 party to shame.

The shaky economic situation that has affected many Hispanic families across the U.S. in recent years, however, has put an added financial strain on this already pricey affair.

"Even to do something simple, you have to spend about $5,000," Aylin Santiago, whose niece Jeilany was preparing for her quinceañera told the Fayetteville (N.C.) Observer. "Money-wise, it's hard on everybody. That's why people aren't doing it up like they used to." READ MORE AT FOX NEWS LATINO

There are benefits to being a Latina. Chief among them, according to a recent study led by researchers at the University of California, San Francisco, would appear to be a genetic variant that is found in one of every five women of Latin American descent in the U.S.

The genes involved in the variant appear on both chromosome strands, so can appear once, twice or not at all.

One of the authors of the study, Dr. Elad Ziv, told a reporter for the UCSF website, “The effect is quite significant. If you have one copy of this variant, which is the case for approximately 20 percent of U.S. Latinas, you are about 40 percent less likely to have breast cancer.” READ MORE AT FOX NEWS LATINO

Late-life depression exerts significant physical and emotional burden on older adults, their families and health care systems.

Studies indicate that older adults face unique challenges in battling depression. Unlike younger individuals with depression, older adults have a decreased likelihood of remission than younger populations, are more prone to suffer from functional disability and are less likely to receive quality mental health care.

For older, Spanish-speaking Latinos, the clinical picture is more complicated. They experience much higher rates of severe depression and disability, and are seven times less likely to receive psychotherapy from a clinical professional. READ MORE AT HEALTH CANAL

San Diego-based Project Concern International announced Tuesday that it was awarded a total of $11 million in federal grants to improve health for Latina mothers and children along the U.S.-Mexico border.

A $9.5 million, five-year grant from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration will fund PCI’s Healthy Start program, which will provide care for 500 pregnant women annually, plus their children until they are 2 years old.

Also, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention awarded PCI a grant of $1.5 million to increase chronic disease prevention, reduce risk and manage care for low-income, Latina women in four zip codes of San Diego county – – 92102, 92105, 92113, and 91950. Those areas include National City and the San Diego neighborhoods of Chollas View, City Heights, Shelltown and Southcrest. READ MORE AT FOX 5

Ready for your big Silicon Valley break? Cosmo for Latinas asked three Latinas who've soared to the top what it really takes to channel your inner Mark Zuckerberg. Below, they share their best tips and tricks for making it big in engineering, tech, and more.

Julissa Ramirez, 28
Job: Industrial engineer at Intel Corporation
Credentials: Studied manufacturing mechanical systems at Rochester Institute of Technology; three college internships
Her story: In high school, this Dominicana wanted to be an illustrator but encouragement from a physics teacher led her to a NASA summer robotics program, and from then, on she was all about engineering.
 READ MORE AT COSMOPOLITAN FOR LATINAS

U.S. minority groups’ buying power has reached new levels heights and continues to outpace cumulative inflation, according to the latest Multicultural Economy Report from the Selig Center for Economic Growth at The University of Georgia Terry College of Business.

The study, defines “buying power” as the total personal income of residents available after taxes. It does not include dollars that are borrowed or were previously saved.
Highlights

Hispanics are an economic powerhouse. The $1.3 trillion 2014 Hispanic market shows a gain of 155 percent since 2000, which is far greater gain than the 71 percent increase in non-Hispanic buying power and the 76 percent increase in overall buying power since that time. READ MORE AT ATLANTA BUSINESS JOURNAL

America is stuck in neutral, with stagnant unemployment, slow economic growth, and out of control government spending. But as Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, it is important to note that Hispanic-owned businesses are poised to lead America’s long awaited economic recovery.

Gallup Organization data proves first-generation migrants are more likely to start a business, take business-related risks, feel optimistic even when things go wrong, and exhibit more of a “never give up” attitude. Hispanics most of all - they start businesses at twice the rate of the average American. READ MORE AT ATLANTA BUSINESS JOURNAL

As the worst of the Great Recession wanes, the big banks have begun opening the money spigot for small-business lending, but cash-strapped Latino entrepreneurs are still feeling the pinch.

The irony is that this sector is launching start-ups at the fastest rate among all small businesses, which has helped buoy the economy's unemployment picture since 2008. During this time, the number of Hispanic entrepreneurs grew by 71.5 percent, according to a report by the Partnership for a New American Economy. Currently, there are more than 3 million Latino-owned businesses in the U.S., and that figure is expected to double in five years. They generate an estimated $500 billion in annual sales.

National Hispanic Month recognizes the growing importance of the Latino population in America today. An estimated 54 million Latinos live in the U.S. They comprise 17 percent of the country's population and are the fastest-growing ethnic group. Nielsen research shows Hispanic purchasing power is approaching a staggering $1.5 trillion. READ MORE ON CNBC

Hilo, Hawaii is nearly 2,500 miles from the mainland of the United States and even further from Mexico, Central America and South America. But for Hispanics who move here, it can feel like familiar territory.

“What I love about Hilo culture is that it’s similar to Latin culture,” said Marlene Calderon, a retired accountant who was born in Panama and spent most of her life in California. “That’s why Hispanics like it here. With the culture here, they may have just met you, but they embrace you, feed you, love you, and pretty soon you feel like family. That’s how Hawaiians are. The cultures are very similar.”

Calderon, who moved here in 2012, is one of the Hawaiian transplants who is helping make Latinos the fastest growing ethnic group in the state.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the “Hispanic or Latino” population grew 40 percent between the 2000 Census and the 2012 American Community Survey. READ MORE AT FOX NEWS LATINO

WINNERS WERE REVEALED AT THE MARIA MANGUAL LATINA LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE

CHICAGO, October 20, 2014—Verizon Wireless was one of the official sponsors of the fourth Maria Mangual Latina Leadership Conference in aims of showcasing the important role Latina professional women play in society. The conference took place at the Hyatt Regency Chicago where the four winners of the annual “Nueva Latina Estrella Award” (NLEA) program were announced, of which received more than 400 nominations in 2014.

At this successful event organized by Mujeres Latinas en Acción, Verizon recognized professional women who have demonstrated success in the areas of technology, business, education and community service.

The committee that selected the semifinalists and winners of each category was comprised of women leaders from Chicago, Minneaopolis, Kansas City and Cleveland who work in diverse industries which include companies, education, community service, healthcare, government services and media. The contest prized each winner with $1,000 and a Verizon Wireless 4G LTE Smartphone.

“It is an honor to be recognized by Verizon for my efforts as a business owner and advocate for the

arts and education in the Latino community,” says Jessica Priego, winner in the Business category,

“I am simply doing my best to provide a good life for my family and to help as many people as I can

around us so that they can do the same. I feel strongly that an appreciation for one’s cultural identity

is critical to happiness and success and that is why my ‘free’ time and energy are focused largely on

the arts and education,” stated the president of JPriego Communication.

"On behalf of all of us at A Safe Haven and our supporters, thank you for the honor and recognition we received through the Nueva Latina Estrella Award,” said Neli Vazquez Rowland, winner in Illinois in the Community Service category, “At A Safe Haven we are all devoted to influencing a new, cutting edge, efficient and effective model focused on ending homelessness in a sustainable manner, and in a way that truly engages and connects all stakeholders and systems. We are very grateful to Verizon and that together we can share, support and celebrate our social responsibility vision for lifting the spirits and the economic conditions of the homeless and disenfranchised long-term, and for our mutual mission of connecting people for making this a better world for all,” affirmed the president of A Safe Haven.

“Verizon feels proud to recognize the outstanding work of Latina professional women in our society

through the “Nueva Latina Estrella Award,” expressed Miguel Bassail, Marketing and Multicultural Strategy Manager at Verizon in the Midwest area, “It is a privilege for Verizon to be able to recognize through this program these leaders who have made a difference in their industries and communities.”

The winners from each category were:

In the BUSINESS category the winner was Jessica Priego, president of JPriego Communications, from

Illinois.

From the COMMUNITY SERVICE category: Neli Vazquez Rowland, co-founder and president of A Safe

Haven Foundation, from Illinois.

In EDUCACIÓN the winner was: María Teresa DePaoli, profesor from the Modern Languages department

from Kansas State University in Kansas.

In the area of TECNOLOGY the “NLEA” winner was: Maria Elena Tototzintle, from Tequila Digital Media, who resides in Minnesota.

With this initiative Verizon not only awards the work of today’s Latina, but also highlights that she is bilingual, bicultural and a college graduate. They are women who envelop their culture and heritage, and at the same advance in their distinct industries, acquiring experience and serving their communities.

About Verizon Wireless

Verizon Wireless operates the largest and most reliable 4G LTE network in the country. As the largest mobile telephone company in the U.S., Verizon Wireless serves 104.6 million retail customers, including 98.6 million postpaid customers.

Verizon Wireless is proprietary of Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE, Nasdaq: VZ). For more information, visit www.verizonwireless.com. For the latest news and updates concerning Verizon Wireless, visit our News Center at http://www.verizonwireless.com/news or follow us on Twitter at http://twitter.com/VZWNews.

Opening Remarks

Susana Mendoza, City Clerk of Chicago

Susana A. Mendoza was sworn in as City Clerk of Chicago on May 16, 2011. She is the first woman ever elected to the Office, one of only three city-wide elected positions.

Clerk Mendoza is committed to improving the Office by making it the most technologically savvy, user-friendly and efficient City Clerk’s Office in the country. Her Office recently successfully transitioned 1.3 million motorists from an inefficient seasonal Chicago City Vehicle Sticker sales program to a modern Year-Round Sales system. Since being elected Clerk, she has overhauled the Office, cut overtime and increased Wheel Tax compliance, generating new, sustainable revenue for the City of Chicago. In March 2014, she championed a landmark ordinance to require that City pet stores sell only rescue animals from humane shelters. The Companion Animal & Consumer Protection Ordinance received 49 votes in the City Council and Chicago is now one of just a select number of major U.S. cities to have enacted a ban on the sale of animals from large-scale mills, including dogs, cats, and rabbits.

Prior to serving as City Clerk, Mendoza was elected as the youngest member of the 92nd General Assembly where she proudly served six terms as a Democratic member of the Illinois House of Representatives from 2001 to 2011. As a State Representative, she was publicly recognized for her leadership and legislation on social services, education, law enforcement, animal welfare, and job creation. She served as Co-Chairperson of the Conference of Women Legislators and twice served as a delegate to the Democratic National Convention. Most recently, she served on the Board of the National Foundation of Women Legislators.

Mendoza has been named one of Crain’s Chicago “40 Under 40” and one of its “Women to Watch.” She lives on the northwest side of Chicago with her husband David and their son David Quinten.

MODERATOR

Lourdes Duarte, Co-Anchor, WGN TV Morning News Chicago

Lourdes Duarte is co-anchor of WGN Morning News from 4-6am. Prior to the early shift, Lourdes was co-anchor of WGN Evening News and a reporter for WGN News at Nine. Lourdes came to WGN-TV in September 2007 as a general assignment reporter for WGN Midday News, WGN Evening News and WGN News at Nine.

Prior to joining WGN-TV, Lourdes worked for three years as a reporter and fill-in anchor for WJBK-TV, the Fox affiliate in Detroit, Michigan. She also worked for two years as a reporter for WXIN-TV in Indianapolis. While there, she launched and hosted the station’s public affairs program, “Hoy en Dia,” and anchored daily news cut-ins for radio station WEDJ-FM. Lourdes was a reporter in Peoria at WHOI-TV and at Metro Networks in Miami, Florida for radio stations WLRN-FM and WTMI-FM. She got her start here in Chicago, working as a freelance reporter for Telemundo.

Lourdes has won several awards including an Emmy award for her work on “Hoy en Dia” and Society of Professional Journalists awards for Minority Issues Reporting. Most recently, she won an Emmy award for her story titled “Unlicensed and Serving.” She also received an Emmy nomination for a story on deportation. Lourdes and a WGN photographer where aboard the plane that transported undocumented immigrants to their home country.

Currently, Lourdes hosts “Adelante Chicago” on WGN and sits on the board of Arden Shore Child and Family Services. In the winter of 2010, Lourdes began contributing video pieces to Hoy, Chicago’s largest Hispanic newspaper.” Last year, she was picked as one of DePaul University’s 14 Under 40.

Lourdes received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Communication from DePaul University.

PANELISTS

Elba Aranda-Suh, Executive Director, National Latino Education Institute (NLEI)

Elba Aranda-Suh leads the National Latino Education Institute (formerly Spanish Coalition for Jobs, Inc.) as its Executive Director. The National Latino Education Institute (NLEI) is a nationally accredited nonprofit organization founded in Chicago forty two years ago. NLEI has served generations of Latino families enabling economic empowerment through comprehensive industry-driven job training, career placement and supportive services that include capacity building in technology, financial literacy and worker health and wellness. NLEI's mission is to enhance the quality of life for Latinos through educational, vocational and employment services and through advocacy, thus enabling the achievement of economic independence.

Ms. Aranda-Suh is a transformational leader with an entrepreneurial spirit and pragmatic approach to community development and works tirelessly in forging opportunities that develop, strengthen and afford meaningful systemic change for the Latino community. She is an accomplished Workforce Development professional with more than 17 years in leadership roles. Since 1999, she has led NLEI in creating and delivering award winning and nationally recognized career education programs for the Latino community.

She has served on boards of directors and executive committees for several community-based organizations including: The Latino Council on the Media (LCOM), Illinois League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), National LULAC Educational Center, Maria High School, and People's Music School and was a founding board member of the Pilsen/Little Village Information Center and served on the Michael Reese Hospital Advisory Council. She has been recognized by corporations such as Citibank, Pepsi-Cola, Lucent Technologies and the National Diversity Council for her community leadership.

Luis Gutierrez, Founder & Executive Director, Latinos Progresando

Luis founded Latinos Progresando in 1998 to serve Chicago's Pilsen and Little Village communities, where he was born and raised and continues to live today. Beginning in a small office on 18th Street, with just $200 in the bank, Luis has built a nearly 17-year-old organization that has served more than 25,000 families.

Luis was also responsible for founding the Marshall Square Resource Network (MSRN), a coalition of 20 organizations on Chicago's southwest side that meets monthly for capacity building and developing collective impact strategies.
In addition to serving on Mayor Rahm Emanuel's Advisory Committee to the Office of New Americans, Luis also participated in the Donors Forum's "Communities of Practice," a year-long program bringing together leaders from both the nonprofit and funding communities to discuss true costs of running nonprofit organizations.

Luis currently serves on the Board of Directors of the ACLU of Illinois, and the Latino Policy Forum. Luis received the Excellence in Community Service Award from MALDEF, the Community Partner Award from the University of Chicago, a "35 Under 35" Leadership Award from the Community Renewal Society, and a Certificate of Appreciation from the City of Chicago.

Tricia Martinez, Founder & CEO, Basic Transfer

Tricia Martinez is the Founder and CEO of Basic Transfer, a Fintech social venture focusing on underbanked women in developing countries. Through their peer-to-peer platform, you select different communities to support and send money directly to the women who need it most. Once you invest in a community, you will receive updates on the groups progress and learn more about their lives through feature stories, videos, and impact reports.

Prior to Basic Transfer, Tricia founded two impact companies and worked with technology- driven startups based in Chicago. Tricia completed her Master of Public Policy at the University of Chicago's Harris School. With a background in development economics and poverty, Tricia is a strong believer that technology can scale social innovation and achieve immense impact.

Victor Herrera, President, NSHMBA Chicago

Victor Herrera joined the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (NSHMBA) Chicago Chapter in 2009, where he has served as Education Officer, Executive Vice President, and currently as President. With more than 17 plus years broad-based general management experience gained working with Chicago Public Schools, he understands how each part of an operation functions on a deep level. Victor also knows that it is imperative for organizations to continuously review their strategic plans to further their goals. Another lesson learned is that, above mentoring and leading, being capable of motivating staff must be every organization’s primary goal.

Throughout his leadership with NSHMBA Chicago, Victor has contributed not only to increasing membership by more than 100%, but also providing their constituents with the highest quality events, programs, and activities they expect from the premier organization for Hispanic professionals. Victor takes pride in professional development and dedicates substantial resources to developing new and better ways to enhance member, sponsor, and partner experience.

Victor is extremely generous in sharing his talents, time, and success with his community and numerous organizations. He genuinely cares about giving back to the community and his country through his activism. His passions away from work include serving on the Board of the Illinois Technology Foundation, Lead for Organizing for Action Chicago North Chapter, and Advisory Board Co-Chair for Organizing for Action.

Most recently, Victor was awarded an Honorary Ph.D. Degree from Robert Morris University and recognized as one of 25 young rising Latinos of Chicago by Latino Leaders Magazine. These are Latinos who are in the forefront of the next generation of Powerful Leaders. His recognition is featured in the "Club Leaders of the Future" section of the magazine.

Victor received a Masters degree from Morris Graduate School of Management in Chicago.

Time is running out to secure your registration to the Professionals in Non-Profit Networking Forum. Don't miss out. Register today!

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In today’s STEM-driven economy, the need to talent ratio in the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) fields is less than favorable. The scarcity and availability of qualified talent in STEM is creating a huge talent gap – and therefore, a problem for companies looking to innovate at the velocity required to stay competitive.

Taking the STEM field analysis a step further, the STEM field also lacks diversity. It is a hugely male-dominated field, which limits the talent pool even further. And based on the latest stats, the outlook for filling that gap doesn’t look too promising; it may even get worse before it gets better.

According to a Department of Education study, only 16 percent of high school seniors are interested in pursuing careers in STEM. And although those with STEM degrees are highly sought and earn higher wages than their non-STEM majoring counterparts, of those graduating with STEM degrees, 74 percent pursue non-STEM jobs, such as healthcare, law, education, and the like. From the gender standpoint, nationally only one in four girls graduating college go into any profession within the STEM field. READ MORE AT BUSINESS2COMMUNITY

Network, update your resume, and network are keys to finding the right job

Fall is the start of many things - cooler weather, first days of school and, for many, a new career search. 

"Finding a job is more difficult than having a job." That's the consensus of most job search professionals. So looking for a job might mean starting from scratch — like hiring a career coach to get you over those hurdles.

Although there is some good news on the employment front — The Bureau of Labor Statistics latest job numbers show that nonfarm payroll employment increased by 248,000 in September, and the unemployment rate declined to 5.9 percent — the reality is that many people are actively looking for jobs or to switch careers.

Peter Heymann sees a lot of people who are starting a new career or business and are in transition. "I give them a road map and plan, and be someone they can be accountable to," says Heymann, who runs break/through Career and Life Coaching. "My job is to guide people. What a coach can do is give someone objective, be a cheerleader and a nudge. They can take the first small steps and build on that success." READ MORE ON IOHUD