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HISPANIC PR WIRE

Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez Named Woman Of The Year By Hispanic Business Magazine

April 3, 2003
Copyright © 2003
HISPANIC PR WIRE. All rights reserved. 

The April issue honors 80 of the nation's most influential and successful Hispanic women in business, government, and academia.

SANTA BARBARA, CA--Hispanic Business Inc., publisher of Hispanic Business magazine, announced today that Congresswoman Nydia Velázquez has been chosen as the recipient of the first annual Hispanic Business Magazine Woman of the Year (WOY) Award. To celebrate the achievements of Congresswoman Velázquez and the other women who make up the magazine's "80 Elite Hispanic Women" list for 2003, a special awards luncheon was held this morning on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C.

Ms. Velázquez, the Ranking Democrat on the House Small Business Committee, has long served as a fighter for equal rights of the underrepresented and a proponent of economic opportunity for the working class and poor. The first Puerto Rican woman elected to Congress, Ms. Velázquez stands as a harbinger of Hispanic influence in the nation's capital. She also has positioned herself as one of Capitol Hill's most outspoken advocates for small and minority-owned businesses since her election to represent New York's 12th congressional district in 1992.

"Congresswoman Velázquez has been a longtime supporter and champion of Hispanic small businesses," observes Jesús Chavarría, editor and publisher of Hispanic Business. "With her national influence in both the political and business sectors, Ms. Velázquez is a worthy inaugural recipient of the Woman of the Year award."

"I am very honored to receive this award," said Ms. Velázquez. "In Congress, it is so important to me that the voice of small business, including minority-owned businesses, is heard. They are the backbone of the American economy, and women, especially Latinas, are opening businesses in record numbers. There is still much work to be done, but I know they are our future and I will continue to fight for them."

Since 2001, Hispanic Business has documented the emergent Hispanic female leadership cadre in business, and later education and government. This year, the magazine's annual Elite Women directory has grown to comprise eight categories. Corporate America still contributes the largest share (30 women), followed by government careerists (10) and education professionals (10). The categories of elected officials (7), nonprofit executives (4), sports and entertainment figures (9), and women of the military (3) make their debut on this year's list. The final category, Rising Stars, highlights seven women who embody the future potential of Hispanic female leadership.

Now in its 24th year, Hispanic Business Inc., based in Santa Barbara, California, is an award-winning publishing and information services company. Hispanic Business magazine, the nation's leading source of information for and about Hispanic professionals and entrepreneurs, is the company's flagship publication. Other products and educational services include SúperOnda magazine, HireDiversity.com Career Expos, the annual EOY (Entrepreneur of the Year) Awards Gala, and the Hispanic Business Board of Economists (BOE) U.S. Hispanic Economic Summit.

For additional information, visit the company's Web site at www.hispanicbusiness.com/pr.

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