ALPFA's Annual National Convention In Las Vegas, Aug. 11 - 16, Focuses On Building Latino Business Leaders At Crucial ...

LOS ANGELES, July 16, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- For the past 40 years, ALPFA, the premier business organization for expanding opportunities for Latino leadership in the global marketplace, has opened doors for thousands of Latino professionals through rich programs and activities.

During these tough economic times and in a state with an ever increasing Hispanic influence, ALPFA continues to pave the way at its largest event of the year -- the 40th Annual National Convention themed Shining the Light on 40 Years of Latino Leadership scheduled for Saturday, Aug. 11 through Thursday, Aug.16, at the world famous Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada.

ALPFA's Annual Convention is one of the most powerful events in the Latino business community. The four-day conference attracts about 3,000 Hispanic entrepreneurs, corporate executives, procurement and supplier-diversity professionals from the private and public sectors, as well as college students from across the country.  Given the opportunity to connect with top Latino leaders and young talent, every major financial institution in the country has a presence at the event.

As part of its ongoing commitment to opening doors for all Latinos, this year ALPFA is inviting military service veterans to attend the Career Fair and University Expo on Wednesday, Aug. 15 from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. for free. The day will also feature an exclusive panel discussion, "Military to Corporate --Tips for a Successful Transition," and the annual Leadership Luncheon.  U.S. veterans can register online at www.ALPFA.org or onsite on Aug. 15 for a day pass to the career fair by showing their military identification.

"Corporations recognize the leadership skills Veterans bring to the table and we want to ensure that our Latino Veterans are connected to these opportunities. As ALPFA works to build Latino leaders, we want to support Veterans to transition from leadership in the military to leaders in the corporate community," said Manuel Espinoza, ALPFA CEO.

At the Career Fair, nearly 100 companies, including lead sponsor Deloitte, from retail, banking, technologies, pharmaceuticals, financial services, and professional services are looking for talented, motivated and dynamic individuals.

"The fact that our Career Fair is completely booked shows that we have corporate partners who are serious about hiring cream-of-the-crop Latino candidates.  ALPFA continues to address the tough challenges facing our country today and what we can do together for the future," added Espinoza.

Attendees will learn from the best industry leaders as they engage in professional development workshops, networking opportunities, and the popular product pavilion. Highlights of this year's 40th Annual National Convention include:

Women of ALPFA Luncheon – Monday, August 13, Noon to 2 p.m.
A special highlight this year is the 10 year anniversary of the Women of ALPFA as it celebrates empowering women's leadership and honors the CEO of Girl Scouts Anna Maria Chavez with its first Latina Excellence Award.

Career Fair & University Expo -- Wednesday, August 15, 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.
During the Career Fair and University Expo, ALPFA will host an exclusive panel discussion for Latino Veterans from 9 a.m. to 10:15 a.m.

ALPFA Awards Gala – Wednesday, August 15, 6 p.m. to 10 p.m.
Sponsored by Deloitte, the ALPFA Awards Gala promises to be the biggest celebration of the year. ALPFA will honor outstanding individuals as well as give a sneak peak to what is in store for 2013. Keynote speaker for the gala will be Maritza Montiel, Vice Chairman and Deputy Chief Executive Officer, Deloitte LLP.

Since 1972 ALPFA has been the organization dedicated to creating successful Latino business leaders. ALPFA provides quality programs and access to decision makers. We create opportunities; add value and build relationships for our members and corporate partners. Today, ALPFA is a national organization with more than 19,000 professional and student members.

Visit www.ALPFA.org to register for the 40th Annual Convention and learn more about ALPFA's success in building Latino business leaders and Latino success stories.

Tweet this story: #Latino business leaders ready to shine the light as bright as the #LasVegas sky @ALPFA Conference, Aug. 11 -16. [www.alpfa.org] #ALPFA

ABOUT ALPFA

Established in Los Angeles in 1972, ALPFA is the first national Latino professional association created in the United States and is the proud successor of the AAHCPA. ALPFA provides members the foundation to advance Latino leadership through access to opportunities and the individuals that can impact them throughout their careers. Today, with more than 19,000 members, including CEOs, CFOs and board members, through 40 professional chapters and 100 student chapters in campuses around the nation, the organization has the largest member base and footprint among professional associations for Latinos.

For more information on ALPFA, or to become a member visit: www.alpfa.org

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Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council Selects Charleston, SC As Host City For 35th Annual Business ...

CHARLOTTE, N.C., June 12, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- More than 500 minority business owners, corporate executives and procurement professionals from the world's largest purchasing organizations will convene in Charleston, South Carolina July 30-Aug. 1 at the 35th annual 2012 Carolinas Minority Supplier Development Council (CMSDC) Business Opportunity Conference (BOC). The three-day event will be held at the Embassy Suites-Convention Center and includes a welcome reception, golf tournament, workshops, seminars, a business opportunity trade show and awards gala.

The theme for this year's BOC is "SHIFT: Leveraging the Collective." Workshops, seminars and panelists will address ways for Minority Business Enterprises (MBEs) and CMSDC corporate members to leverage collaborative partnerships or joint ventures to advance contract opportunities and supplier diversity initiatives. The July 30 golf tournament will take place on two courses at the Kiawah Island Golf Resort, home of the 2012 PGA Championship. CMSDC will host a Captain's Choice tournament at the world renowned resort. An invitation-only CEO Breakfast on July 31 will feature top executives from all industry sectors throughout North and South Carolina. Presidents of local Chambers of Commerce, corporations and minority businesses also will attend to discuss how to strengthen and leverage business opportunities between the public, private, government and non-profit sectors.

Evette Beckett-Tuggle, CMSDC president and CEO said, "Corporate CMSDC members and minority business owners have a unique platform to leverage access and opportunity through the Business Opportunity Conference. As we SHIFT into high gear and excel to the next level of effective, results-oriented initiatives in supplier diversity, we anticipate success at every level. Not only will business owners and corporate representatives encounter new business opportunities, but also gain new business insights from our high-energy and inspiring speakers."

To learn more about the Business Opportunity Conference, visit Carolinas MSDC online at: http://carolinasmsdc.org/events/event/2012-business-opportunity-conference/  or connect on Facebook at www.facebook.com/carolinas.msdc.

The Carolinas MSDC is a non-profit corporation chartered to enhance business opportunities for minority-owned companies by providing support through developing mutually beneficial networking opportunities with corporate members and promoting minority business development.

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ACT-IAC Announces A New, Revamped Focus for the 32nd Annual MOC - Marketwatch

FAIRFAX, Va., May 01, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) today announced the agenda for the 32nd annual Management of Change (MOC) 2012. MOC 2012 will bring together more than 500 government and industry information technology managers and rising professionals for an education and training event that will be more technology-driven and interactive than in previous years. With the changing environment surrounding the government IT community, MOC 2012 will look to keynote speaker and noted futurist Nick Bilton to discuss ways IT professionals can adapt. Set for June 3-5, MOC will be at the Hyatt Regency Chesapeake Bay in Cambridge, Md.

"Times have changed in government IT, and our education and training must change as well," said Maria Horton, MOC industry chairperson. "This year's MOC will be the next logical step in the evolution of this event. We set out to be more inclusive in order to attract a greater audience. We hope to provide a forum for young, up-and-coming change agents to discuss solutions to the most complicated, critical technical issues facing the federal community today, with a focus on bringing new ideas to the forefront."

The event will feature several "unconference" sessions that will promote a greater degree of interactivity and open communication between government and industry, which will allow more voices to be heard while discussing the hard topics. MOC will give attendees an opportunity to network with peers, share best practices, earn continuing education credits and be equipped to meet the challenges of today's complex IT acquisition environment.

"We're really looking to get straight to the heart of the issue on topics such as security and mobility," said Angela Miller, MOC government chairperson. "Part of that is having an interactive education event where we can focus much more on promoting the public-private partnership for which ACT-IAC is so well known. It's more critical than ever that we stay on top of these issues."

This year's MOC will also feature an Innovative Technology Expo. As part of an effort to provide advice and information about IT beyond 2012, the Innovative Technology Expo will showcase solutions that may only now be in a pilot or beta version test within government. These technologies might also only be in the commercial sectors, supporting new methods or new processes. The primary goal of the Technology Expo is to identify and bring new technologies to government and industry.

Bilton, the lead technology writer for the New York Times Bits blog, will be the keynote speaker, and the education and training event will feature three tracks:

-- "Linked" In -- This track will focus on the mobile and social nature of communication and how that affects business. The track will consist of sessions on mobile identity management, the inherent risks of conducting business over social media and the implications of constant connection.

-- The Consumerization of Federal Mobility -- Focusing on the implications of an increasingly mobile federal workforce, this track will feature sessions on the return-on-investment of mobile device life cycle management, sharing the quick wins of mobile strategies and mobile applications.

-- Cloud Connections -- With the increased usage of cloud technology pervasive throughout the federal marketplace, this track will include sessions on the differences of digital natives' needs, the coordinates of the cloud and operationalizing FedRAMP.

For more information, or to register for the event, please visit: http://www.actgov.org/events/managementofchange .

For sponsorship information, please contact Judy Fry at (703) 208-4800 ext. 205 or at jfry@actgov.org.

About ACT-IAC -- Advancing Government Through Education, Collaboration and Action

ACT-IAC has been recognized as the premier government IT community's public-private partnership and is an example of how government and industry work together. We are a nonprofit educational organization created to advance government in serving the public through the effective application of IT resources. Our education, training, programming and collaboration opportunities enhance and advance the government IT profession. ACT-IAC's objective, vendor and technology-neutral, and ethical forum allow government and industry to collaborate and improve government through technology. Headquartered in the Greater Washington, D.C. area, ACT-IAC also has chapters in Pacific region (based in San Diego) and the Rocky Mountain region (based in Denver).

Learn more about our organization and how to become a member at www.actgov.org or call (703) 208-4800.

SOURCE: American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC)

Sage Communications Duyen "Jen" Truong, 703-584-5645 dtruong@aboutsage.com

Copyright Business Wire 2012

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First Annual Bizness Branding Summit - PRLog (free press release)

Lady Bizness, Inc. and The Triad Social Academy present The first annual Bizness Branding Summit will be held on Friday, June 1, 2012 from 9 am-4 pm at the Galleria Events Galleria Events Center, 1325 S. Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27406.

Bizness Branding Summit June 1, 2012PRLog (Press Release) - Mar 03, 2012 -
Celebrate the First Annual Bizness Branding Summit

Showing up is only part of the mission for small businesses; the other part is Showing Out!  Lady Bizness, Inc. and The Triad Social Academy have teamed up to bring the businesses of the Triad a one day educational, networking, and promotional opportunity designed to make us all better at what we do.  The first annual Bizness Branding Summit will be held on Friday, June 1, 2012 from 9 am-4 pm at the Galleria Events Galleria Events Center, 1325 S. Eugene Street, Greensboro, NC 27406.  The program is created in support of small business development, creation of jobs, increasing the efforts of students seeking internship opportunities, and expanding entrepreneurship in the Triad.  

At 9 am the Greensboro Chamber of Commerce will present the official ribbon cutting ceremony for new Chamber Member, Lady Bizness, Inc. All organizations, Chamber members and high profile speakers will be in attendance to witness another small business making giant steps toward boosting the economy of North Carolina.
Online registration for the Bizness Branding Summit can be found at www.BiznessBranding.co or www.BizBrandingSummit.Eventbrite.com.  General registration on the day of the Summit begins at 9:30 am followed by our Real Bizness panel at 10 am, which will be comprised of Greensboro’s finest leaders of Greensboro based Business Incubators.  Our keynote speaker will be Mr. Angel Guerrero; professional speaker and owner of A.S. Web Pros.  Whether it is paving a new career path or growing an existing business, the Bizness Branding Summit will be rich with opportunities that can help professionals build a new reality by learning about potential new business ventures, social media marketing, online advertising, and by providing a forum for the exchange of information, services, education, and inspiration.
Entrepreneurs, Speakers, and Trainers are invited to participate in the Bizness Branding Summit.  Sponsors are welcome to display their services to the business community during our Summit Exhibition and our Bizness Branding Luncheon. There is no other business summit in North Carolina that will enhance individual brands, provide hands on training, and enable immediate actionable results like the Bizness Branding Summit.

At the conclusion of the Bizness Branding Summit attendees are invited to a complimentary Networking Soiree from 5 pm – 7 pm at Bin 33, located at 324 S. Elm Street, Greensboro, NC 27401.  Attendees must have a ticket for entry.  
The Bizness Branding Summit – Helping NC Businesses to Show Up & Show Out!

# # # Lady Bizness Corporate Offices are located in Greensboro, NC. Our goal is to create healthy relationships, business opportunities, and events for women & entrepreneurs in our community.
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***@ladybizness.com 1325-B S. Eugene Street Suite 103Lady Bizness, triad, social, media, Business, develop, conference, academy, chamber of commerce, greensboro, piedmontDisclaimer:   Issuers of the press releases are solely responsible for the content of their press releases. PRLog can't be held liable for the content posted by others.   Report AbuseMore...

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Care at home provider wins franchisee of the year award at Caremark annual conference

UK home care franchisee, Janis Anderson wins Franchisee of the Year Award from Caremark Limited.

This is the most prestigious award given by franchisor, Caremark Limited in recognition of the growth and development of the care franchise business, the standards of home care delivery, adherence to the Caremark process and system and also acknowledges the qualities of a franchise business leader.

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WomenCorporateDirectors Announces Launch of First Annual "Americas Institute" for Boards

NEW YORK, Feb. 2, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD) is launching a new WCD Americas Institute this March – its first conference dedicated specifically to exploring trends, business opportunities, and challenges in this hemisphere, directed to a global boardroom audience. This first Americas Institute will focus on Latin America, featuring a slate of speakers and panelists with deep business, regulatory, and trade expertise in the region. WCD will also launch the WCD Americas Awards program at the institute, recognizing companies and business leaders who are making an impact in business practices and governance in the Americas.

"With our regional focus, we are able to take a deeper dive into specific issues affecting organizations doing business in the Americas, including market trends and supply chain concerns," says Susan Stautberg, president of PartnerCom Corporation and co-founder and co-chair of WCD. "This kind of forum provides a real hands-on approach to director education in regional issues, as well as in-depth, interactive discussions for directors about bringing best governance practices back to their boardrooms."

"We chose Latin America as the focus for our first Americas Institute – the region is taking on greater priority for corporate boards, as it is emerging as a new economic force," says Henrietta Holsman Fore, chairman and CEO of Holsman International and co-chair of WCD. "Latin America presents unique challenges, and it is important that directors know what to look for – and look out for – among business opportunities."

The institute will be held on March 9, 2012, at the Four Seasons Hotel in Palm Beach. WCD, with more than 1,350 women director members worldwide, has four chapters in Latin American countries, including Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, and Peru.

"Companies are watching many of the countries shift from being primarily natural resource exporters to nations of consumers," says Pat McKay, partner at Templeton & Company, former CFO and director at Office Depot, Inc., and chair of the South Florida chapter of WCD. "The emerging middle class is driving growth, especially in Brazil, and corporations are having to shift their perceptions of how these markets fit into the supply chain."

The WCD Americas Institute will address the evolving nature of Latin American economies, in addition to best corporate governance practices. The keynote speaker will be Lars Thunell, CEO of the International Finance Corporation, a member of the World Bank Group. Other speakers include Mel Lagomasino, director of Avon Products and The Coca-Cola Company; Toti Graham, director of Interbank, Quimica Suiza, Grupo Salud del Peru, ENFOCA SAFI, Corferias del Pacifico, and Red i3; Janet Clarke, director of Cox Communications, eFunds Corporation, ExpressJet Airlines Inc., and Asbury Automotive Group Inc.; Sherry Barrat, director of NextEra Energy Inc.; P. Michael McKinley, U.S. Ambassador to Bogota,Colombia, and former U.S. Ambassador to Peru; Lillian Garcia, EVP & AVP Argentina, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador, and Uruguay for Tupperware Brands Corporation; and Steve Odland, director of General Mills.

For more information about the WCD Americas Institute, please contact Suzanne Oaks of Temin and Company at 212-588-8788 or news@teminandco.com.

About WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD)
WomenCorporateDirectors (WCD) is the only global membership organization and community of women corporate directors, comprised of more than 1,350 members serving on over 1,500 boards in 40 chapters around the world. In this new era of responsibility, WCD is committed not just to good governance, but to governance with global vision. Smart boards are going global in members and mindset. Our members share information and insights in order to ensure best practices in corporate governance around the world.

WCD's global chapters are located in Arizona, Atlanta, Australia, Beijing, Bogota, Boston, Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas/ Fort Worth, Delhi, Denmark, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Hong Kong, Houston, Israel, Lima, London, Mexico City, Malaysia, Minnesota, Morocco, Mumbai, New York, Northern California, Northern/Central Europe (Berlin), Paris, Philadelphia, Sao Paulo, Seattle, Shanghai, Singapore, South Africa, Southern California, South Florida, Switzerland, Tennessee, Toronto, United Arab Emirates, and Washington DC.

Our mission is to continue to expand the WCD community through leadership, diversity, education, best practices in corporate governance, and a focus on development and new board placement opportunities – see WCD's Call to Action to improve diversity on boards. WCD offers local, regional, national, and international forums, providing a platform for turning ideas into action. For more information, visit womencorporatedirectors.com.

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Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Inc. Announces Results of Annual Meeting of Shareholders - Marketwatch

NEW YORK, Jan 30, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Inc. /quotes/zigman/436372/quotes/nls/hio HIO -0.31% announced today the results of the votes cast at the Fund's annual meeting of shareholders held on January 27, 2012.

Paolo M. Cucchi and R. Jay Gerken were elected as Class II Directors of the Fund by shareholders of the Fund's common stock to hold office until the annual meeting of shareholders in the year 2015 or thereafter when respective successors are duly elected and qualified.

Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Inc. is a diversified closed-end management investment company that is advised by Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Legg Mason, Inc., and is sub-advised by Western Asset Management Company, an affiliate of the adviser.

Contact the Fund at 1-888-777-0102 for more information or consult the Fund's web site at www.leggmason.com/cef .

All data and commentary provided in this press release are for informational purposes only. Legg Mason, Inc. and its affiliates do not engage in selling shares of the Fund.

SOURCE: Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Inc.

Western Asset High Income Opportunity Fund Inc. 1-888-777-0102 www.leggmason.com/cef

Copyright Business Wire 2012

/quotes/zigman/436372/quotes/nls/hio

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Speaking Opportunities Abound for Women Business Leaders, Finds Annual Weber Shandwick Study on Top Executive ...

NEW YORK, Jan. 25, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Top women business leaders spoke at 218 unique events in 2011. These conference opportunities included a mix of women's and non-gender specific forums – including CEO-only conferences, global and policy summits, and industry events, according to Weber Shandwick's latest "Top Executive Conferences" study.

Given the importance of leadership communications, Weber Shandwick conducts global research annually on the executive leadership conference landscape.  In this year's installment, the firm examined the speaking engagements of the world's top women business leaders, based on Fortune's 2011 Most Powerful Women (MPW) list (50 women executives who are U.S.-based and 50 women who are not U.S.-based).

The majority of women (69 percent) on the list spoke at one or more conferences in 2011. On average, these top-ranking women spoke at 2.7 conferences over the course of 12 months. U.S.- and non-U.S. based women were nearly just as likely to speak, confirming that women all over the globe recognize the value of conference visibility.

"Women executives are establishing their rightful place at the table, gaining greater stature and notoriety in the business world.  As such, they are becoming vital members on the conference circuit, increasing participation and prominence in this powerful venue," said Micho Spring, chair of Weber Shandwick's Global Corporate practice.

The leading speaking forums in 2011 for these top women executives included Fortune's Most Powerful Women Summit, The World Economic Forum/Davos, India-US CEO Forum, Women Corporate Director's Global Institute, the Paley Center for Media International Council Summit and the APEC Women and the Economy Summit.

A categorization of all conferences found that these executives spoke primarily at industry-specific events (e.g., World Food Prize Conference and FICCI-IBI Conference on Global Banking) and conferences geared toward job function (e.g., Techonomy and ANA Conference), followed by women's leadership and academic forums. Our research found that the digital category (e.g., Digital Life Design and South by Southwest) of conferences crossed prominent women business leaders' radar screens in 2011, though participation was still low.  Perhaps the greater concentration of industry- and job function-related conferences hints at the importance for leading executives to speak before audiences containing potential prospects and customers.

Types of 2011 Global MPW Speaking Venues*

(in rank order)

The World Food Prize, FICCI-IBI Conference on Global Banking

WSJ Women in the Economy, Women in Leadership Forum Asia

Stanford University Entrepreneur Bootcamp, MIT Sloan Innovation Leader Series

The White House Council on Jobs and Competitiveness, Commonwealth Business Forum

Chief Executive's Club of Boston, Detroit Economic Club

APEC CEO Summit, Forbes Global CEO Conference

Digital Life Design Conference, SXSW

*Rank based on number of types of conferences regardless of how many Most Powerful Women (MPW) from Fortune's list spoke at each

"Executives not only personify the company but are the company's most influential storytellers.  Weber Shandwick's new Top Executive Conferences study helps define the context in which senior women business leaders are seen and heard. The strategic use of the conference landscape to promote a company's story is a powerful tool that when fully leveraged can move the business forward," said Carol Ballock, executive vice president at Weber Shandwick.  

For more information, please contact Carol Ballock at 212.445.8124 or cballock@webershandwick.com.  You can also visit www.webershandwick.com.

You may download the executive summary at: http://www.webershandwick.com/topconferences.

About the Research
Weber Shandwick began with the U.S. and Global lists of the 2011 Fortune's Most Powerful Women in Business.  This is a list of 50 women from U.S.-based companies and 50 women from non-U.S. companies.  For each woman on the list, Weber Shandwick examined her speaking engagements during 2011.  Weber Shandwick audited company websites for conference participation and searched media using Factiva.  Company meetings and shareholder presentations were excluded.  Weber Shandwick also analyzed the agendas of the highest ranking conferences to determine the topics these Most Powerful Women spoke about.

About Weber Shandwick's Executive Equity & Visibility Services
Executive Equity & Visibility is a component of Weber's Shandwick's Enterprise Brand Activation Strategy which includes Corporate Storytelling, Executive Equity & Visibility, Amplification & Engagement, and establishing third-party Credentials & Recognition. 

About Weber Shandwick
Weber Shandwick is a leading global public relations agency with offices in 81 countries around the world. The firm's success is built on its deep commitment to client service, our people, creativity, collaboration and harnessing the power of Advocates - engaging stakeholders in new and creative ways to build brands and reputation. Weber Shandwick provides strategy and execution across practices such as consumer marketing, healthcare, technology, public affairs, financial services, corporate and crisis management. Its specialized services include digital/social media, advocacy advertising, market research, and corporate responsibility. In 2010, Weber Shandwick was named Global Agency of the Year by The Holmes Report for the second year in a row; an 'Agency of the Decade' by Advertising Age, Large PR Agency of the Year by Bulldog Reporter, a Digital Firm of the Year by PR News, and Top Corporate Responsibility Advisory Firm by CR Magazine. The firm has also won numerous 'best place to work' awards around the world. Weber Shandwick is part of the Interpublic Group (NYSE: IPG - News). For more information, visit http://www.webershandwick.com.

Rachel Manfredo
Weber Shandwick
212.445.8171
rmanfredo@webershandwick.com

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