Spirits were high as hundreds of professionals and entrepreneurs gathered at the Radisson San Bernardino Hotel for the final LATINA Style Business Series of 2005. San Bernardino was a special host of the event, as it was the hometown of the magazine’s late founder, Anna Maria Arias. Her mother, Rita Arias, who was present at the event, said that she was “delighted how the magazine still had Anna Maria’s vision. She would be very proud with the growing number of Latinas in the professional and business field.”

The morning began with a fresh and delicious networking breakfast in the exhibit hall. The Honorable Mayor Judith Valles welcomed the audience with inspiring words about the growth of Latina entrepreneurs in San Bernardino and throughout California. Next, the new district director of the U.S. Small Business Administration, Adalberto Quijado, introduced the audience to the different programs that the SBA has to offer for entrepreneurs.

In the Access to Capital panel, moderated by Alice Perez of US Bank, panelists Paula Bahamon of the Inland Empire Women’s Business Center and Sami Morcos of the SBA discussed the importance of having a business plan as a beginning entrepreneur.

The Successful Marketing Strategies panel featured moderator Marlene Garcia of La Agenci de Orci & Asociados and panelists Patricia Perez of Valencia, Perez & Echeveste Public Relations; Sara Rubalcava Beck of La Agencia de Orci & Asociados; Yloanda Machado of Cozumel Films; and Jackie Murguia Cavaliere of Nestle/Disney Latin America Worldwide. The panel offered great tips on how to market not just your business but also yourself as an entrepreneur.

In the morning’s last panel, Basic Foundations of a Business, the audience learned about the various logistics of starting a business from moderator Debra Avila of Southern California Edison and panelists Martha Valverde of Medifarm and Sheila Futch, a buyer for the City of San Bernardino.

The Latina Entrepreneur Award Luncheon featured a special ceremony in honor of Veteran’s Day, during which Anthony Acevedo, World War II veteran and POW, told of his experience in the military. Scott Bender of Office Depot welcomed the luncheon audience and turned the microphone over to Mistress of Ceremony Laura Lucio, correspondent for Telemundo’s Sin Fronteras, who introduced keynote speaker Maria Marín. Marín, a negotiations expert, addressed the audience on the topic of self-confidence. “Confidence has nothing to do with things you know how to do well, things outside of you,” she said. “It’s your attitude, your way of thinking.” After Marín’s inspirational and hilarious speech, Maria de Lourdes Sobrino, CEO of Lulu’s Desserts, was honored for supporting and championing Latina leadership, and Dorene Dominguez, president of Vanir Construction, was awarded San Bernardino's Latina Entrepreneur of the Year Award.

Lunch was followed by the conference’s final session, the Latina Entrepreneur Panel, titled “Lessons Learned.” The panel was moderated by luncheon honoree Sobrino and featured three other prominent Latina entrepreneurs: Carmen Montalvan of Montalvan’s Sales, Anna Sauceda of ACS Group, and Gloria Macias Harrison of El Chicano Newspaper. The women shared the lessons they learned on the path to entrepreneurial success.

Attendees gathered in the exhibit area following the final panel for a dessert reception and a final round of networking with event sponsors and with each other. “Developing these relationships,” noted Olga Goss, a Sam’s Club representative, “is just as important for big businesses as for small businesses.”

“The Healthy Wealthy You…A Financial Empowerment Seminar”