The Latino Coalition Concludes Successful 2016 High Impact Small Business Summit Empowering U.S. Entrepreneurs with New Initiatives and Partnerships

The Latino Coalition (TLC), the leading national non-partisan organization representing Hispanic businesses and consumers, celebrated and marked its most successful 2016 TLC Small Business Summit to date in Washington, DC.

The premiere three-day event concluded on June 15 and united hundreds of small business owners with influential leaders, chamber executives and government officials.  The 2016 TLC Small Business Summit served as a key platform to build professional and personal networks and advocated for a stronger entrepreneurial environment with high impact panels, innovative breakout sessions and question and answer dialogues with elected officials and other centers of influence.

"We've just had our most successful Small Business Summit in our 21-year history!" said Hector Barreto, TLC's Chairman and Former Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration.  "The summit not only provided entrepreneurs a platform to learn about regulation, healthcare, procurement, technology and much more; it also offered small business owners the opportunity to present their concerns directly to elected officials about their current economic landscape, and promote effective solutions on how to improve their financial future."  

The 2016 TLC Small Business Summit included presentations from top government leaders and business executives from around the nation, including newly-appointed Mexican Ambassador Carlos Sada, Congressman Mike Coffman (R-CO), SenatorJohn Cornyn (R-TX), Congressman Henry Cuellar (D-TX), Congressman Carlos Curbelo (R-FL), Congressman Jeff Denham (R-CA), Congressman Cresent Hardy (R-NV), Senator Orin Hatch (R-UT), Costa Rican Ambassador Roman Macaya Hayes, Congressman Joe Heck, D.O. (R-NV), Congressman Will Hurd (R-TX), Congressman Tom Price MD (R-GA), Congressman Peter J. Roskam (R-IL) and Congresswoman Loretta Sanchez (D-CA).

"Hispanic-owned businesses are boasting 15 times the national growth rate, and for over two decades The Latino Coalition has been committed to the economic and social empowerment of these entrepreneurs across the nation.  This year's summit connected the engine of our economy with an impressive number of movers and shakers in Washington, D.C. to discuss the ever-changing economic environment and advocate for key solutions this important sector of the economy needs to succeed," Barreto added.

The summit also featured leaders from Dialogue on Diversity, the Ibero American Business Council, the Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Mid-Atlantic Chamber of Commerce, the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Tucson Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.  The event also featured a large international business presence with delegations from Bolivia, China, Costa Rica and Mexico. 

"Our goal is to always surround entrepreneurs with the tools and contacts needed to expand their businesses," said TLC's National Executive Director Allen Gutierrez.  "This year, summit attendees had an exciting chance to grow and expand their national and global networks to boost their prosperity."

TLC also expanded its national footprint to over 90 strategic partnerships by signing Memorandums of Understanding with four leading groups: The National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals, Initiative for a Competitive Inner City, China Council for the Promotion of International Trade and the Business Coalition for Fair Competition.

Lastly, The Latino Coalition previewed a nationwide poll titled "The Rising American Electorate: Latinos and the 2016 Elections".  The survey sampled Latino voters across the political spectrum regarding the pressing issues such as: the economy, healthcare, immigration and much more.  Final results will be presented during TLC's Republican National Convention and Democratic National Convention events.

"Last week proved to us that entrepreneurial momentum can grow given the right opportunities.  I am encouraged and really looking forward to TLC's 2016 West Coast Small Business Summit, on September 29 in Los Angeles.  For this event, The Latino Coalition will work with Medical Travel & Global Healthcare to convene the business community of this nation, provide them with the resources essential to launch and scale their business ideas, as well as stimulate the vital economic growth and job creation critical to our nation's economy," concluded Barreto.

The Latino Coalition would like to thank the following Title Sponsors: Wal-Mart and Google.  In addition, TLC acknowledges: Centene Corporation, Herbalife, Univision, PG&E, U.S. Chamber Institute for Legal Reform, Honda, Master Card, Intuit, Altamed, Act Wireless, American Express Open, UnitedHealth Group, Direct Selling Association, Dun & Bradstreet, PhRMA, Comcast Universal, Coca-Cola, Verizon, Tributo Tequila, The Latino Coalition Foundation, American Beverage Association, Job Creators Network, JP Morgan Chase, Hispanic Business Roundtable Institute, EastWest Bank, The Libre Institute, 305 Communications & Events, Conexion and media partners CapitalWire PR and Impacto Latin News.

ABOUT THE LATINO COALITION- The Latino Coalition (TLC) was founded in 1995 by a group of Hispanic business owners from across the country to research and develop policies solutions relevant to Latinos.  TLC is a non-profit nationwide organization with offices in California, Washington, DC and Guadalajara, Mexico.  Established to address and engage on key issues that directly affect the well-being of Hispanics in the United States, TLC's agenda is to create and promote initiatives and partnerships that will foster economic equivalency and enhance and empower overall business, economic and social development for