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Rice Recipe Can Make You Rich, $325,000
Rich
Forty-two of the top graduate schools from around the
world will compete for more than $800,000 in prizes,
including equity investment.
-
Reliant Energy Launches New Seasonal Rate
Plan
During the hottest and coldest months of the year,
customers will pay a lower price to offset the increased
electricity usage.
-
Anadarko Buys Office Building for $215M
The 30-story headquarters building, which opened in
2002, is the only LEED certified office complex in The
Woodlands, according to Anadarko spokesman John
Christiansen.
-
Cat Lift Trucks, Lopez Negrete and
HAHMP Supports Local Students
Three local organizations helping students with
scholarships. Hurry up, the deadlines are close.
-
LOS TRES TOUR to play in Houston and
Dallas
International superstars Marco Antonio Solis, Joan
Sebastian and Alejandro Fernandez announced today that
they will headline their first tour together this
spring.
-
Have a Plan and Save Money on Valentine’s
Day
Doing nothing because you are on a budget is a big
mistake. No matter how frugal or wonderful your woman
is, she still wants you to put some effort into
Valentine’s Day.
-
Historic Galveston Island Unveils Charging
Stations for Electric Vehicles
Coulomb Technologies announced that the Galveston
Historical Foundation has installed the first of twelve
publicly accessible ChargePoint® Networked Charging
Stations for electric vehicles (EV).
-
6 Ways to Fend Off Debt Collectors
You owe money, and a debt collector is calling you night
and day. Collectors are
applying the thumbscrews -- often illegally -- as recent
complaints to the Federal Trade Commission bear out.
-
Teach for America offers
Opportunity for Positive Impact in the Hispanic
Community
Teach For America, the national teaching corps, will
soon close its selection period for new teachers for the
2010-11 school year. The final deadline for submitting
applications is February 19.
-
Employees Are Eyeing the Door
Companies worried about losing critical employees may
have good reason to be.
-
LBN's Blog
-
LBN's Twitter
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Rice Recipe Can Make You Rich. $325,000 Rich.
Rice Business Plan Competition Announces Administaff as
Title Sponsor
World’s Richest and Largest Business Plan Competition
slated for April 15-17, 2010
The Rice Business Plan Competition is pleased to
announce that Administaff has expanded its role to
become the title sponsor of the 2010 competition that
will be held on April 15-17, 2010. The Rice Business
Plan Competition is the largest and richest business
plan competition in the world. Forty-two of the top
graduate schools from around the world will compete for
more than $800,000 in prizes, including equity
investment. The grand-prize winner will receive a total
package worth $325,000, including over $245,000 in
cash/investment funding and $80,000 in services.
More than 85 past competitors have successfully launched
their companies after competing at Rice and raised over
$150 million in early-stage funding. These are
high-growth companies that can all benefit from
Administaff’s HR and business services.
The competition is hosted by the Rice Alliance for
Technology and Entrepreneurship (Rice Alliance) and the
Jesse H. Jones Graduate School of Business at Rice
University.
“The key to an economic recovery is the entrepreneurial
spirit of small business, which creates the most jobs
and economic growth in our country,” said Jay E. Mincks,
Administaff executive vice president of sales and
marketing. “Administaff’s commitment to helping small
and medium-sized companies succeed is reflected in its
support as title sponsor of the 2010 Rice Business Plan
Competition. In its 10th year, the competition is a
proven vehicle for helping to launch the next generation
of successful entrepreneurs and high-growth
enterprises.”
Key 2010 Competition Dates:
Friday, February 26, 2010
Applications Due
Thursday, March 11, 2010
RBPC Announces 42 Teams
April 15-17, 2010
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Reliant Energy Launches New Seasonal Rate Plan
Plan Provides Relief from High Winter Electric
Bills with a Lower Rate
Reliant Energy is launching a new Seasonal Rate Plan
designed specifically for customers who rely on
electric heat. With the Seasonal Rate Plan,
customers get a lower price in the high-usage winter
and summer months and pay a slightly higher rate
during low-usage months, helping to smooth their
bills throughout the year.
“This winter has been unusually cold with 10 days
below freezing in the Houston area and even more
days of cold weather in North Texas,” said Bill
Clayton, vice president, customer care at Reliant
Energy. “Customers with electric heat often see the
highest electricity usage of the year during winter
months. This new plan helps by providing two prices
that adjust automatically with the seasons.”
During the hottest and coldest months of the year,
customers will pay a lower price to offset the
increased electricity usage. As a result, there will
be less variation in bill amounts from season to
season and families can enjoy greater predictability
in their household budget.
“Providing a range of plans and options to fit the
needs and lifestyles of our customers is part of the
Reliant Advantage and one of the ways we deliver the
Promise of Power ” Clayton added.
To sign up or for more information about these or
other services from Reliant Energy, call
1-866-735-4268.
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Anadarko Buys Office Building for $215M
Anadarko Petroleum Corp. has acquired the office
complex it occupies in The Woodlands for $215
million in cash. The deal included Anadarko’s
30-story office building at 1201 Lake Robbins Dr.;
an adjacent mid-rise office building at 1200
Timberloch Place; and a parking garage — all on 14.5
acres of premium land located on the Woodlands
Waterway.
The 30-story headquarters building, which opened in
2002, is the only LEED certified office complex in
The Woodlands, according to Anadarko spokesman John
Christiansen. LEED stands for Leadership in Energy
and Environmental Design — a rating system developed
by the U.S. Green Building Council that measures the
environmental impact of a building’s design,
construction and operations.
The Woodlands-based company saw its fourth quarter
earnings plummet 71 percent from the prior year,
citing lower oil and gas prices and decreased demand
for the drop.
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Cat Lift Trucks, Lopez Negrete and
HAHMP Supports Local Students
Scholarships Deadline: February 20, March, 1,
April, 2
Cat Lift Trucks
Cat Lift Trucks will award two Houston-area high
school students with a $5,000 scholarship.
Students from public and private schools in Harris,
Brazoria, Chambers, Fort Bend, Galveston, Liberty,
Montgomery and Waller counties are eligible.
Applicants must plan to attend an accredited
college, university or technical school in Texas and
major in mechanical engineering or a
business-related field.
Application forms and scholarship requirements can
be downloaded at www.cat-lift.com or picked up at
the local Houston Office. Applications must be
postmarked by 5 p.m. on Friday, April 2, 2010.
Applications should be sent to: Cat Lift Trucks
University Scholarship Fund, 808 Travis Street, Ste
501, Houston, TX 77002. For inquiries, please
contact Lauren Winterfeld or Amanda Modglin at
713-970-2100.
Lopez Negrete Scholarship
The deadline for students to apply for the Lopez
Negrete Hispanic Marketing Education Fund
scholarship is March 1. Links to the scholarship
application can be found at www.aaf-houston.org/2010-scholarship/.
Students must major in a marketing-related field
such as advertising, marketing, communications,
radio/TV/film production, media studies or marketing
research. Applicants may be Latino or non-Latino,
but must be bilingual and focused on, or with a
specific interest in, Hispanic marketing and
advertising.
Students may attend eligible institutions in any
location, but preference will be given to those
attending classes full time at the University of
Houston, University of St. Thomas, Emerson College,
Texas State University or The Florida State
University.
Houston Association of Hispanic Media
Professionals Scholarship
The Houston Association of Hispanic Media
Professionals (HAHMP) is inviting high school
seniors, college undergraduates and first-year
graduate students pursuing careers in print, photo,
broadcast, and online journalism to apply for HAHMP
scholarships. Public Relations majors are also
invited to apply. Students must plan to attend a
community college or university that is within the
United States or Puerto Rico. They must attend
classes full-time for the entire academic year.
Applicants must reside in the Greater Houston area.
This year, HAHMP will award ten $2,500 scholarships.
The scholarships will be awarded at the 21st Annual
HAHMP Sylvan Rodriguez Scholarship Gala on March
30th, 2007 at the InterContinental Hotel in the
Galleria. The application deadline has been extended
to February 20, 2007. For more information please
visit
www.hahmponline.org.
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LOS TRES TOUR to play in Houston and Dallas
Alejandro
Fernandez, Joan Sebastian, and Marco Antonio Solis
and LOS TRES TOUR to play in Houston and Dallas
International superstars Marco Antonio Solis, Joan
Sebastian and Alejandro Fernandez announced today
that they will headline their first tour together
this spring. LOS TRES TOUR is a mega star match up
of Mexico's most extraordinary and respected talent
playing some of the most exciting and important
music in the world. Tickets go on sale at
www.livenation.com.
The artists on LOS TRES TOUR have a successful
recording and touring career of their own, is more
than a concert, it's a history making event; the
biggest showcase of Regional Mexican Music and
Mexican pop ever. Each show is an opportunity for
fans to see individual performances by three of
their favorite artists and also see them as they
join each other on stage to perform some musical
surprises. The artists share mutual admiration and
respect, but this is the first time that all three
have shared a headline tour.
LOS TRES Tour Dates
May 28th Houston, TX Toyota Center
May 30th Dallas, TX American Airlines Center
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Have a Plan and Save Money on Valentine’s Day
It’s an unspoken rule that the guy is responsible
for Valentine’s Day. Most girls have expectations,
and they will not tell you what they are. They hope
for flowers, dinner and hopefully a romantic
evening.
Doing nothing because you are on a budget is a big
mistake. No matter how frugal or wonderful your
woman is, she still wants you to put some effort
into Valentine’s Day.
Flowers
Flowers are a must. If your wife or girlfriend works
she probably hopes that you will send her flowers at
work. This year might be a little different though
because Valentine’s Day is on a Sunday. There is
something special about getting a single flower and
remember, it’s the thought you put into it that
counts.
Dinner
Every Valentine’s date has to include dinner. You
get to pick from the two obvious choices of going
out or cooking dinner at home. If you are doing
dinner at home you are going to save a ton of cash.
You can try to impress her with your cooking skills,
or you can avoid that disaster and pick up pre-made
dishes at a specialty grocery store.
Dessert
You can make dessert into a second event for the
evening. It falls after dinner so it’s easy to use
it to transition to another venue. You can move on
to your dessert spot or you can save money by doing
desert at home. Simple surprises go a long way.
Fun Things to Do
Home can be a fun place, if you put a little effort
into it. It’s amazing what $15 worth of romantic
music from iTunes and $5 worth of candles at Target
can do to a house. This is where your creativity
saves you money and earns you points with your wife
or girlfriend.
Have Fun
Saving money is important, but it’s not the most
important thing this Valentine’s Day. Once you have
your plan set go have fun and forget about saving
money and being frugal. Spend your time enjoying the
one you are with.
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Historic Galveston Island Unveils Charging Stations
for Electric Vehicles
Coulomb Technologies announced that the
Galveston Historical Foundation has installed the
first of twelve publicly accessible ChargePoint®
Networked Charging Stations for electric vehicles (EV).
The official unveiling of the stations will take
place at the Historical Foundation’s headquarters in
the 1861 Custom House located at 502 20th Street. The 1861 Custom House ChargePoint
charging station installation is the first of more
than a dozen planned installations by Positive
Energy Resources, a Texas Renewable & Sustainable
Resource Systems Integration company based in
Houston and Galveston Island over the next few
months. The charging stations were sold through
Verdek-EV, Coulomb’s exclusive southwest
distributor.
Galveston Island residents and Mardi Gras visitors
can see a “Sneak Peek” of the 2010 Tazzari Zero
electric sports car on display at Hotel Galvez.
The City of Houston recently purchased and installed
several ChargePoint Networked Charging Stations and
has nearly 50 EV’s and PHEV’s in service today. The
installation of the ChargePoint charging stations in
Galveston will serve to promote inter-city travel by
Houston businesses and residents who own and drive
plug-in vehicles and who travel to Galveston.
“The ChargePoint Networked Charging Station is an
aesthetically pleasing and effective method of
encouraging a practical, viable, renewable and
sustainable resources program within our city,” said
Matthew Pelz, Galveston Historical Foundation
special projects coordinator. “The ChargePoint
charging stations allow for the use of an emerging
clean fuel technology that can be easily integrated
in the Historic Downtown District. We are in the
process of rebuilding our community since Hurricane
Ike swept through. We are embracing sustainable
transportation and renewable energy solutions and
these charging stations are a welcome addition.”
For more information on Verdek, please go to:
www.verdek-ev.com. For more on Positive Energy
Resources: www.PositiveEnergyResources.Com or
www.houstonEVcharge.com. For information on The
Galveston Historical Foundation, please go to:
www.galvestonhistory.org.
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6 Ways to Fend Off Debt Collectors
Whether or not you owe money, the law protects you
from abusive practices.
You owe money, and a debt collector is calling you
night and day. Or maybe you don't owe money, and a
debt collector is calling you night and day.
Collectors are applying the thumbscrews -- often
illegally -- as recent complaints to the Federal
Trade Commission bear out.
But the federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act
protects you from abusive and annoying practices on
the part of third-party collection agencies --
companies that buy debts from creditors and attempt
to collect on them -- and collection attorneys. The
law does not cover collection attempts made by
creditors (but some state laws do). Virtually every
state prohibits serious harassment no matter who
does the collecting. (To learn the law in your
state, visit www.privacyrights.org.)
Here are six steps to take when a collection agency
hassles you.
1. Get the facts. In its first letter, the
collection agency must provide you with the name of
the creditor, the amount of the initial debt, a
breakdown of penalties and interest, and an
explanation of your rights. If the collection agency
calls rather than writes, get the details on the
phone and remind the caller that you are entitled to
the written information within five days.
Ask for an address and a phone number so you can
follow up if necessary, and start a file that
includes a record of every call and a copy of every
document involved in the claim.
2. Set the record straight. If you don't recognize
the debt, or know you're being dunned in error,
write a letter disputing the claim to both the
collection agency and the creditor. Include details,
dates and copies of any supporting paperwork, and
send the letters by certified mail, with a request
for a receipt, within 30 days of the first written
notice.
3. Hang up on harassment. Collection agencies are
prohibited from calling you between 9:00 p.m. and
8:00 a.m. and from using abusive or threatening
language. If you don't want to be called or
contacted at all, write to the agency and say so. It
must abide by your terms, although it can send one
more notice telling you how it will proceed. If your
lawyer writes the letter, the agency must
communicate only with him or her.
4. Agree on a plan. If the debt is yours, work with
the agency to come up with a realistic plan for
paying it back. "Don't promise something you cannot
do," says Robert Markoff, of the National
Association of Retail Collection Attorneys. Debt
collectors would rather adjust the terms of
repayment than face future defaults, he says.
5. Tell the authorities. Still have a problem?
Complain to the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov),
which enforces the Fair Debt Collection Practices
Act. Your complaint, added to others, can help it
identify and pursue the most egregious bad guys,
although it probably won't help get your case
resolved. Also contact your state attorney general's
office. Depending on state law, that office may be
willing and able to pursue your case.
6. Sue the bums. You can sue a collection agency
that flouts the federal law and collect statutory
damages of up to $1,000, plus real damages and
attorney's fees. Many lawyers will take your case on
a contingency basis or charge a fee of, say, $25 to
$100, says Robert Hobbs, of the National Consumer
Law Center. Some will also represent you in serious
cases involving collectors who are not covered by
the federal law. To find a lawyer in your area, go
to www.naca.net.
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Teach for America offers Opportunity for
Positive Impact in the Hispanic Community
College Graduates and Professionals of All
Backgrounds and Majors Invited to Apply by Feb.
19
Teach For America, the national teaching corps,
will soon close its selection period for new
teachers for the 2010-11 school year. The final
deadline for submitting applications is February
19. Application materials are available online
at www.teachforamerica.org.
Teach For America’s mission is to end
educational inequity. The organization seeks
college graduates and professionals from all
backgrounds who will commit to teach for two
years in underserved public schools. Teach For
America operates in 35 regions in the country.
Last fall, Teach For America placed more than
4,000 teachers nationwide, the largest incoming
corps in its history. They worked in more than
100 school districts in 27 states and the
District of Columbia.
Among the teachers, 7 percent are Hispanic or
Latino, which represents an increase of 1.3
percent compared with the previous year.
Teach For America provides intensive training
and ongoing professional development to its
teachers and fosters their impact and leadership
after they complete their corps commitment.
Joining Teach For America is an excellent
opportunity to make a meaningful difference in
the community
while earning a competitive salary, health
benefits, and transitional financial aid.
BusinessWeek ranked Teach For America seventh in
its 2009 list of “Best Places to Launch a
Career,” marking the organization’s third
straight year as the top-ranked nonprofit on the
list.
Teach For America exists to address the
educational disparities between poor students
and their more affluent peers. Nine-year-old
students growing up in low-income communities
are, on average, three grade levels behind those
in high-income communities. Only half of
low-income students will graduate
from high school, and only one in ten will earn
a college degree. These disparities
disproportionately affect Latino students, who
are three times as likely to live in a
low-income community.
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Employees Are Eyeing the Door
Matching hiring and benefits strategies now will
give employers the edge as the economy heats up.
Companies worried about losing critical employees
may have good reason to be. Some savvy firms are
already trying to pick off the cream of the crop,
and when the job market improves, more workers will
gratefully seize the opportunity to jump ship. “Now
is the time to make a preemptive strike to hang on
to the most valuable employees,” says Ravin
Jesuthasan with Towers Watson, a consulting firm.
No company should think it’s immune. A recent survey
from The Conference Board shows that 22 percent of
workers want to switch jobs as soon as they can—a
painful prospect. Recruiting and training a
replacement plus the loss of productivity can cost
up to three times a wage earner’s annual pay.
Employees with important skills will leave first.
Later on, the floodgates will start to open, though
probably not until the jobless rate falls to seven
percent or so. That’s not expected until 2012 at the
earliest.
Now is the time for companies to take preventive
steps, even while asking staffers to do more for
less. Waiting until a worker who is pivotal has an
offer from another firm is probably waiting until
it’s too late.
Firms can take some relatively easy and low cost
steps:
--Show you care. Offer flexible hours and
telecommuting options. Say “thanks” and “well done”
whenever they’re deserved. Give some extra days off
or offer gift cards and bigger discounts on your own
firm’s products. “Employers need to show the
love—job advancement, leadership and support and
recognition are high on employees’ lists of what’s
important to them,” says Jeff Schwartz of Deloitte.
--Take an interest in career goals and emphasize
training opportunities. If promotion slots are few,
offer lateral moves that allow workers the
opportunity to broaden their knowledge and increase
their skills.
--Keep promises, if at all possible. If a pay freeze
or cut came with a pledge to catch up later, do it.
Or at least explain why you can’t now and when you
might. “Companies that don’t keep their promises
will see even more dramatic losses,” says Ray
Baumruk of Hewitt Associates.
-- Reduce unnecessary tasks—maybe make monthly
reports quarterly instead.
-- Save what cash you have for the most important
people on your staff. That may be a line foreman
rather than a vice president. Think productivity,
experience and the availability of a replacement
when deciding who gets a bonus.
Remember the other side of the coin: Now’s a good
time to fill staff holes and to plot a hiring
strategy so you can compete when you’re ready to add
more employees.
Money will always be the primary lure, but a good
approach needs more. If you have a prospect in mind,
home in on his or her personal goals and needs. Be
willing to offer flexible work schedules, training
and advancement potential. Some workers hunger for
informal dress codes or the occasional right to
bring a child or even a dog to work. Introduce
prospects to fellow employees who can seal a deal by
telling them your company is a good place to work.
Show you’re financially secure, if that’s the case,
so workers won’t worry about the long-term viability
of a move.
Take generational differences into account. No one
size fits all. What attracts a 20-something
technology whiz who hates being tied to a desk can
be very different from a seasoned baby boomer’s
wants. Flexibility in schedules and in tasks
assigned, autonomy, company stability and more are
part of the package.
By Martha Lynn Craver, Associate Editor, The
Kiplinger Letter
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Business Corner

Memorial CITYCENTRE
Memorial area has a new spot! Welcome to CITYCENTRE,
a well planned community developed by Midway
Companies. CITYCENTER combines some of the nation’s
most successful retailers, businesses, hotel, dining
and entertainment. The new center is surrounded by
air plazas and beautiful green spaces, featuring
fine restaurants and nightly entertainment, like
Eddie V's Prime Seafood from Austin, TX, San
Francisco-based Straits Restaurant has also opened
its doors; the restaurant introduces modern
Singaporean cuisine to Houston. RA Sushi known for
fresh sushi and cool happy hours also opened its
second location in the CITYCENTRE last year. Yard
House, from Long Beach, CA also joined the plaza.
Yard House offers an upscale-casual eatery with
extensive menu, classic rock and a large selection
of draft beer. And that’s not all - Bistro Alex and
Café Rose - from Alex Brennan-Martin from the famous
Louisiana Brennan restaurant family are also in
town.
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Laurenzo's Grille opened a new Restaurant in the
heart of Houston's Washington corridor
Roland Laurenzo, son of the famous Mama Ninfa,
offers prime steaks alongside some of the family's
favorite Tex-Mex dishes. Laurenzo’s is the perfect
place for prime rib with chili con queso and chips
complemented by strong margaritas. The margaritas
are made to order, using fresh lime, lemon and
orange juice, top-brand triple sec and high-octane
tequila.
Keeping it all in the family is grandson Domenic
Laurenzo, who mans the spacious open kitchen.
Laurenzo’s Grille,
4412 Washington Ave.,
Houston, TX 77007,
713-880-5111.
website
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Chef
Suggestions
Chef Juan Carlos Gonzales
Bistro Alex is now open in Houston’s new City Centre
under the command of Chef Juan Carlos Gonzales.

Puerto Rican Chef Juan Carlos Gonzales started to
appreciate the culinary arts at a young age. Born
into a family of Spanish and Italian, is not a
surprise he has a taste for bold flavors.
Chef Gonzales worked most kitchen stations and
trained with great Chefs, like Chef Eric Ripert from
New York City’s respected Le Bernardine and late
Chef Jamie Shannon, the acclaimed chef from New
Orleans’s Commander's Palace
Combining years of experience and a passion for
intense flavors Chef Juan Carlos incorporates bits
and pieces of his upbringing and culinary training
by infusing bold flavors and fresh ingredients into
dishes such as Boudin Blanc Crusted Black Grouper
with Five Mustard Sauce.
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Events
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February 11
Membership Orientation
09:00 AM - 10:00 AM
Membership Orientation
Federal Reserve Bank
1801 Allen Parkway
Description
New and renewing members learn about the benefits of being a
member
Contact:
M. Madrid
M. Rojas
R. Jones
L. Flores
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February 16, 2010
Lunch & Learn: Jumpstart the New Year!
11:30am to 1:30pm
University of Houston
Small Business Development
Join us for an interactive Lunch & Learn to Jumpstart the
New Year with a Motivated Workforce! This is an absolute
MUST for anyone who depends on the actions of others for
their business success! You will learn: Best Practices and
New Strategies for motivating your people. Keys to create an
environment that brings out the BEST in your people Maximize
your organization performance by tapping into employee
"discretionary effort". Unleash the passion in your people
in 2010! Presented by Bambi McCullough, CEO Chrysalis
Partners
University of Houston Small Business Development Center,
2302 Fannin, Suite 200
Abby McFarland
email
713 844 3692
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February 17/18
Women’s Business Summit "The New Rules of Business for Women
Entrepreneurs"
National Hispanic Professional Organization- NHPO
Start 8:00am Feb/17
End 5:00pm Feb/18
JW Marriott
5150 Westheimer Road, Houston-TX
The Summit will focus on The New Rules of Business for Women
Entrepreneurs and participants will receive advice and
useful content to help women business owners grow in the
current economy.
The Summit will also be a valuable networking opportunity
for women business owners in the Houston metro area and
attendance is expected to gather hundreds of leading
entrepreneurs.
Please find more information on the Summit below:
website
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February 17 & 24
Rice Design Alliance (RDA) with support from the Mexican
Consulate
General and Bank of America
RDA Lectures Examine the Palaces to Progress in Mexico City
District Federales Architecture Topic of Spring Lecture
Series
This year’s focus is Mexico City Surging: DF Architecture,
and includes a
lineup of young architects and urban planners helping to
shape the burgeoning Mexico City landscape.
The lectures coincide with Mexico’s year-long celebration of
the Bicentennial of Mexican Independence
(Día de La Independencia) and the Centennial of The Mexican
Revolution (La Revolucíon Mexicana).
Wednesday, – Javier Sanchez, Principal, JSa
February 24 – Frida Escobedo Lopez
7:00 p.m. in Brown Auditorium, The Museum of Fine Arts,
Houston. No guaranteed seating for ticket holders after 7:00
p.m.
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February 19
Latina Roundtable
02:00 PM - 04:00 PM
Central Market
3815 Westheimer Rd,Houston, TX 77027
Contact:
M. Madrid
M. Rojas
R. Jones
L. Flores
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March 24, 2010
International Summit & Business Expo
HHCC
Renaissance Hotel Greenway
6 Greenway Plaza East, Houston TX 77046
7:30 AM - 10:30 AM
Networking and Business Development Breakfast
Contact:
M. Madrid
M. Rojas
R. Jones
L. Flores
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March 25
Luncheon Meeting
IAPG Houston
Repsol's LNG Strategy: Addressing the
Increasing Role of LNG in the World Gas Market
Guest Speaker:
Pablo Giner - Deputy Director LNG Strategy & Business
Development – Repsol USA
Price: free
A chance to discuss, practice and have fun speaking Español.
Venue: Epicure Cafe
2005 W. Gray (at Shepherd)
Contact Info: 281-536-3927
website
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April 08
2010 State of the City Address
Mayor Annise Parker
12:00 PM to 1:30 PM
Location: Hilton Americas, 1600 Lamar
Considered one of the Partnership's premiere events for
networking with key local decision makers, join us for this
forum with the mayor of Houston as she comments on the
initiatives for the year ahead.
Blanca Ortega
713 844 3695
email
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April 22, 2010
17th Annual Membership and Corporate Sponsors' Luncheon &
Business Expo
April 22, 2010
Annual Membership and Corporate Sponsors' Luncheon &
Business Expo
10:30 AM – 3:00 PM Business Expo
11:00 AM – 1:00 PM Luncheon
HHCC
With over 1400 in attendance, the Annual
Membership/Corporate Sponsors' Luncheon & Business Expo is
the largest Hispanic business luncheon in Houston. This
event gives Chamber members the opportunity to network with
established and emerging Houston Corporations and to
showcase their company at the Business Expo.
Business Expo
Please Call
713 644 7070
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We recommend this website:
The
Universal Packing List
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Cámara de Empresarios Latinos de Houston - Feb 4

Cámara de Empresarios Latinos de Houston - Networking Event
at Donerakis Restaurant
Click on the picture to see the photo gallery.

Cámara de Empresarios Latinos de Houston - Networking Event
at Donerakis Restaurant
Click on the picture to see the photo gallery.
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Meet Katie, a Sweet Loving Chef!
Katie Leggett is the
Assistant Pastry Chef at Mark’s American Cuisine, Voted
Houston’s most romantic restaurant. Katie is only 23
years old and has already worked at some of Houston’s
best restaurants and cafés, like Andres Cafe & Pastry
Shop, Michaels Cooking Jar and now Mark’s American
Cuisine. She has also started a new job as a Breads and
Rolls instructor at Houston Community College. I had the
pleasure to sit down with her, enjoy a fresh roll and a
nice chat.
What
made you decide you would become a professional cook?
When I was 14 I had my first job in a candy store and I
think that's where it all began. We carried specialty
chocolates, chocolate covered fruits, things I had never
heard of or tried before. I have always had a giant
sweet tooth, and my curiosity led me to culinary school.
Did you cook growing up?
In short, no! My mother was a terrible cook, and we ate
out a lot. However I always remember making things for
friends birthdays and holidays. I really only had an
interest in baking. Things like cakes, cookies,
chocolate covered pretzels…
Funniest kitchen incident?
I worked at Mark's American Cuisine while I was in
culinary school. It was a whole new world to me, and I
was always trying to keep up the pace. We had a roll of
paper towels on the table I was working on. I got a
ticket for a crème brulee, so I took out the torch and
started to burn the sugar on top. I was just a little
too close to the roll of paper towels and it caught on
fire! I wasn't sure what to do, so the Sous Chef came
over and knocked it on the floor and we started to stomp
it out. That was my first experience with kitchen fire!
Katie, last year My Table magazine’s 13th Annual
Awards for Culinary Excellence voted you as the best
Pastry Chef in Houston, how did that you feel?
It helps me feel inspired, that all the hard work I put
in is recognized. I still have a lot to accomplish and
will keep working to take my pastries to the next level.
What is your favorite gadget?
Knives! There are so many different shapes, sizes,
colors, materials… I love a good knife!
How about reading, any recommendations?
Julia Child's, the Way to Cook
What is your favorite food?
Authentic Mexican Food and Pastries, especially a good
citrus tart!
Any hot spots here in Houston you would recommend to
our readers?
There is a place called Laredo Taqueria on Washington,
if you haven't been you should go, I also love the curry
chicken salad at the Hobbit Café. Cafe Lilly on
Westheimer, Jenni's Noodle House… Anvil to grab a drink.
I might come by for dinner tomorrow, any suggestions?
They have a poblano soup on the menu right now that is
terrific!
Any advice you would give to our food enthusiasts?
Try everything once! If it's good, try it again and
again!
Mark's American Cuisine Website
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Latinos in Business
Mexilink Incorporated
Company was founded by Salvador Escalona.
According to Salvador, Mexicans have nostalgia for the
products they used to consume at their country. For this
reason he fought for the Mexican products to gain space at
the American Supermarkets and received the Mexican clientele
that lives in the United States.
Where
are you from?
I was born in Tepic Nayarit, Mexico.
Tell us about your business.
We export and import Mexican products targeted in American
Supermarkets. We become the "Masters Distributors" for
Mexican enterprises in the United States. The Mexican market
in the United States is enormous. Our job is to bring the
products that our clients are used to consume in Mexico.
Furthermore, we want Americans to become aware of the
importance to have Mexican’s products display at the
Supermarket shelves. Fifteen years ago, the supermarkets did
not have enough space for the Mexican products. They thought
that the Mexican products made their store look
"unattractive". Nowadays, Walmart has a store just for
the Hispanic market. This means that there is a potential
demand for Mexican products.
Mexilink works with manufacturers from:
the label design to the logistic work as a strategy to bring
their product to de American market.
We store our products nationwide at five distribution
centers.
We sell and distribute our products to more of 200
distributors and supermarkets all over the country.
The promoter’s job consists communicating to clients the
advantages of the product and make customers to purchase the
product. Not all Mexican products are better priced than the
American ones. For example, “Tuna” from Mexico is superior
quality than American’s tuna brands.
We are proud of knowing how to get to the clients through
our promoters. At this moment we are working with several
American companies; Hershey, Pepsico and Danone that we are
promoting their products on the same way.
How did you start with your business?
I have studied International Relations in Puebla, Mexico.
Later, I moved to Montreal, Canada, there I realized the
meaning of not having all the products I was used to consume
at my home country. Later on, my uncle invited me to come to
United States to work with him at a Mexican product
distribution company. At that time, the only Mexican
products we had available for distribution were laundry
products.
I worked with my uncle until 1999 and in 2000 I started my
own company and became the exclusive importer and
distributor for some Mexican products. We were the
pioneers importing tuna from Mexico, because this product
was forbidden previously. So, tuna "Dolores" was our first
product. Later on, the second product was "Tajin", spicy
powder for fruits. Our business has grown enormously since
we have started. We began being only two people and now we
have more than 75 employees.
What was the biggest challenge that you have encountered?
The biggest challenge was when we started with the business.
We had in our hand an opportunity bigger than we could
handle. Life always surprises you with those challenges. I
was honest with the person that gave me this opportunity and
explained him that I was willing to take the risk because
that was exactly what I was looking for. But, it was not
easy. We first placed the product on the market and we
failed, then we realized we needed to implement a strategy
to build the brand.
Which was the best decision you made for your business?
The best decision was when we hired employees because they
are the ones who sell all our products. I think I have taken
75 good decisions, my 75 employees that work with me at
Mexilink.
What part of your job do you enjoy the most?
I enjoy being around my people, also, when the supermarkets
place new orders, and seeing the clients purchasing any of
my products. That's a big satisfaction and it’s the results
of our enormous hard work.
What is the secret of your success?
The secret of our success was to found the correct products
and the marketing strategy.
What is your advice for someone that wants to start a new
business?
Every business requires a huge market study and a good
business plan. You need to study and analyze the product
that you want to place on the market.
Also, you need to have knowledge about the competition.
Lastly, you need to be aware of hiring the appropriate
personnel to achieve the company goals.
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Latinos in Business
Chocolate Passion
Zulay
and Terry Quinn are the owners of Chocolate Passion, it’s a
wonderful place to relax and dine for breakfast or lunch,
sip an American or Italian-style coffee, taste a wonderful
dessert or try a varieties of handmade, all natural truffles
and bonbons made from Venezuelan Criollo (rare and the
best!) chocolate.
Additionally, Chocolate Passion has flexible seating
arrangements such that they can host groups privately from 2
to 100. The principal room for big events is also something
of an art gallery where it’s exhibiting the paintings of
Gordon Smith.
The small to large rooms are available for all kinds of
private functions, from birthday parties, baby showers,
bridal showers, wedding receptions, weddings themselves,
society functions, end-of-year parties, and the like.
Chocolate Passion can cater the event or rent the rooms
separately.
¿How did you start this Business?
Zulay and I used to stop at a cacao plantation on the way to
a beach apartment we have in Venezuela -said Terry. This rather
primitive farm claimed to be more than 400 years old,
serving the original Spanish Main. After tasting the
wonderful chocolate produced in Venezuela, we dreamed of
someday having a chocolate shop where we could use the
finest chocolate and let others know of the wonderful
chocolate of Venezuela. We moved from Venezuela in mid-2002
and in 2005 purchased the Conroe property and one part of it
became vacant. Zulay and I decided that that could be the
beginnings of our Chocolate shop dream, including fine
coffees. From there it expanded to the desert side, then
food, then special events.
¿Why you decided to open this kind of business in Conroe?
The Conroe location was appealing to us as being located
along a main thoroughfare while providing the charm of
relaxed pace that Conroe offers. The people of Conroe were
definitely a deciding factor as we learned of their
friendliness and all-around good nature, being distant from
the hectic pace of Houston. Conroe is an ideal place for an exquisite
chocolate shop.
¿What was your mayor challenge with this Business?
Learning the general aspects of running a business and
ensuring customer happiness
¿What was your best decision you make for your business?
To open or not to open a chocolate shop
¿What kind of bonbon you recommend?
Champagne truffles, chocolate-enrobed baklava, turtles,
passion fruit ganache truffle in milk or dark chocolate, and
toasted coconut, but of course they are all good.
Chocolate Passion plan is to begin having cooking classes
beginning in January, featuring Latin American Chefs and the
interesting cuisine they bring to the area. It will be by
registration and we will be able to accept up to 20 persons
per event as currently planned. Events in the past, which
will continue, include various music events from violin
recitals to acoustic guitar solo artists to full rock and
roll. The have a Belly Dancing show once a month; the ladies
provide wonderful entertainment and the gypsy dress is very
beautiful. Chocolate Passion is a family kind of place, so
this is entertainment for everyone.
Valentine’s Day is a big event for chocolate-lovers
everywhere. Some of our Valentine’s Day offerings include:
Chocolate roses in a box
Chocolate dipped strawberries in a dark pink box
Champagne truffles
Boxes formed from chocolate containing truffles. For
Valentines we have them colored in a dark pink….nice.
Probably have music during lunch.
Chocolate Passion
1520 N. Frazier
Conroe, Texas 77301
Phone: 936 529 6585
map
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Latinos in Business
Guillermo Moreno is the owner of American Agroproducts Houston a Wholesaler of a Fresh Cut Flowers site on The Heights 
Where were you born?
I was born in Mexico City
How did you end up in Texas? After 13 years working for Banco Santander, I decided to open my own business. Houston was an attractive market for a wholesaler of fresh cut flowers business.
Who are your customers? And what kinds of companies use your services?
My customers are mainly florists and companies who use my services are, Special Events Co. and Supermarkets
What do you like most about your job?
Flowers are a symbol of life; they express sentiments of human beings. To see the satisfaction of the consumer at the end of the chain of production where the producers, packers, transporters, vendors & designers all meet. And the human relationships that exist in this segment is important to accomplish objectives since we all depend on each other.
What advice do you have for Hispanics that would like to open a business like yours?
Have a clear objective within the business that is desired, have a plan that is the closest to reality, circle yourself around people within the community of the desired business, and the most important is to always satisfy all aspect of the clients needs
(quality of product and service)
What is your secret to success?
To do what I really enjoy to do with dedication, to start at the bottom, involve yourself in all aspects of the business, be one step ahead of your competition, delegate responsibilities, financial discipline and look for the best results with out loosing sight of a possible failure. A philosophy very important in any business “You give, you take.”
How do you get involved in the Latino Community?
With relationships relating to the business.
Is your company being affected by the new Bush Intercontinental new Tradewinds Cargo Handling?
No
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Latinos in the Spotlight: Sylvia
Garcia
LBN arrived to an elegant office where County Commissioner
Sylvia Garcia was expecting us. She greeted us very kindly
and gently and invited us to sit down. At that moment we
realized the beautiful view she has from that office.
Commissioner
Garcia, LBN would like you to tell the Latinos in Houston
and its surrounding areas who you are, how did you get to
your current position and what is your task in this
position:
I was born in San Diego, Texas. As very young child I was
brought to live to Palito Blanco, where my parents had their
ranch. Palito Blanco is a small town that I think still has
the same number of people, which is 100, and is located west
of the Jim Wells County is an agricultural town, where
everyone works the land.
The village had a church, a school and two businesses. So
there was not much to do in town. The school had 4 rooms,
where a teacher in grades took care of kindergarten and
first grade, another teacher, second and third, one fourth
and fifth and finally another sixth and seventh grade. This
school was very small. When I graduated from it we were only
fourteen students. We spoke Spanish there. Everybody was
Mexican or born Americans like my parents who mostly spoke
Spanish.
When I decided to go to college I chose Texas Women
University. Two of my aunts from the Rodriguez branch of the
family -my mother's surname- graduated from that school, so
my father allowed me to go to that college and I chose the
social work career. Since very young I worked in the ranch,
either milking cows, working the land to get food for
animals, collecting cotton or driving a tractor. However, I
never liked that work and particularly did not like working
outdoors. The heat made me ill and I had nosebleeds.
Whenever that happened I was brought to get some fresh air
and once the nosebleed was over, I was taken back to work.
My first goal was to study and get a job that would keep me
indoors with air conditioning. All my brothers -we were 5
men and 5 women- received the support and help from my
parents. They always instilled in us the importance of
studying. We all finished high school and many of us
continued to college. My mother was given a merit award for
being a model parent as she had so many children that went
all through school. We were very poor; we received
government assistance for food. The town of Palito Blanco
did not have either a doctor or a hospital, only a healer.
One day I got sick and they took me to her to cure me. She
gave me some herbal tea, but the fever was not breaking, so
my parents took me the nearby town where there were doctors
and a hospital, but we had to make a long line and wait a
long time because we could not pay. That's where I told
myself that I would study to become a social worker to help
children so they would not need to work in the field as I
needed to do and they would have good medical care. While
working as a Social Worker, I began to study law at Texas
Southern University.
I had the honor to be appointed Chief Judge of Houston's
Municipal Court System. I was just 35, so I was the first
woman of that age and also the first Hispanic to reach this
position. I was the officer that spent the longest time in
that position and worked during the full term of two mayors.
In 1998 worked as City Controller in the city of Houston and
in January 2003 I was appointed Commissioner of Harris
County, becoming the first Hispanic woman to hold this
position.
As Harris County Commissioner I am responsible for a budget
of 65 million dollars and have 500 employees under me. The
Precinct 2, where I am commissioner includes 416 miles and
has a population of one million people and 15
municipalities.
What do you like best about your job?:
I love all of my work. Every day I deal with a wide
variety of issues relating to different aspects of
government in 15 different municipalities located within my
Precinct. The most pleasant is that thank God I have a job
where every day is different and presents different
challenges. I like that because I always faced many
challenges during my life.
What are your plans for the future? :
At the moment we are concentrating on preparing for the
eventuality of a hurricane. Last year Hurricane Ike heavily
affected my Precinct. There was damage of billions of
dollars and we are still in the recovery period. I recommend
all readers to please take all necessary precautions during
this hurricane season that ends on November 30th. We are in
a high-risk area and we cannot be laid back about it. Ike
was a very clear reminder that we are in the preferred path
of hurricanes.
Tell me what is your role in NALEO (National Association
of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials) and if you plan
to implement any changes?
As President of the Council I am the spokeswoman for the
organization nationwide. As such I represent and carry out
the mission of NALEO to all corners of the United States.
Our goal is very clear: to promote Hispanic leadership to
positions in government.
Our agenda is very broad and generally refers to breaking
down barriers for Hispanics to vote and participate in
public life. I think that my predecessors have managed very
well the organization so I continue to support the
principles that guide the NALEO organization.
This year we will have a very special task, which is to
encourage participation in the Census for all inhabitants of
the country. It is our obligation to take part in the Census
and to be included in the count. This issue is a priority
for me as President of NALEO.
What advice would you give to Latinos who are interested
in a political career?
My advice is summed up in two words: be prepared, be
educated as best you can, do community work and get involved
in all aspects of public life. It is also necessary to focus
on a target. We must actively focus on the knowledge of
government affairs.
Thus, when down the road the opportunity shows up, they will
be successful and achieve either an elected office or an
appointed position. We saw it clearly in the recent election
of Ed Gonzalez for Councilman of District H in the City of
Houston. When it opened a site in the council, he was
prepared to beat seven competitors in the race. He won
because he was the most prepared.
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