#Networking Hispanos - 20091028 - October Meeting - 30 Sec Commercials - DSCN9186-A

#Networking Hispanos - 20091028 - October Meeting - 30 Sec Commercials - DSCN9186-A

Background:
In 2006, people of Hispanic origin accounted for 22% of the total population in Broward County, and 16% in Palm Beach County. Approximately one in five Americans is of Hispanic origin. In 2002, Hispanics in Florida had a purchasing power of $52 billion, growing at a compound annual rate of 8.7%

Hispanics in Boca Raton in 2003 accounted for 8.5% of the total population, a percentage that has grown significantly in recent years as a result of increased immigration of Latinos seeking better employment or financial opportunities and personal safety in the United States due to the economic and political situation in their native countries.

More than a third of Hispanics have some college education and another third have an undergraduate or postgraduate degree. Some of these individuals are business owners, or self-employed professionals. Unfortunately, they are often isolated trying to promote their products and services with some limitations, such as language, lack of knowledge of the American system, lack of economic resources, etc.

Local resources:
There are some organizations that bring together the Hispanic professionals in order to support them, mainly in North Palm Beach County or South Broward. There is also the Greater Boca Raton Chamber of Commerce, with the Latin Business Professionals Network; however most of this groups membership consists of non-Hispanics. Additionally, such organizations have costly memberships or other requirements that small business owners or self-employed individuals are not willing or able to absorb.

Why Networking Hispanos:
Networking Hispanos is a non-profit organization. It was created with the idea of providing professionals, entrepreneurs and individuals who offer a product or service in Palm Beach and Broward Counties a means of establishing new business relationships, share information and resources so as to enable its members achieve further professional and personal development.

It is a fact that people do business with people they know and with whom they share language, culture, etc. To satisfy the need in the Hispanic community to engage in an open and flexible manner in the area, Networking Hispanos was established in 2007. Its members currently meet the fourth Wednesday of each month at the Boca Community Center, 150 Crawford Blvd. Boca Raton, at 6:30 p.m.

Membership
At present Networking Hispanos has approximately 200 members and is expected to double its membership by 2009. More than 300 people receive communications from Networking Hispanos. This number increases every month.

Sponsorship:
The increasing purchasing power in the growing Hispanic population make this group an attractive target for companies seeking to reach and increase their market share within the group. The purchasing power of Hispanics is increasing at a faster pace than other minority groups: 450 percent, compared with 176 percent of whites.

In order to support the growth of the organization as well as services provided to its members, Networking Hispanos is sponsored by companies who are interested in being recognized in the Hispanic market.

Note: The term Hispanic refers to a person from Mexico, Puerto Rico, Cuba or other culture of Spanish / Hispanic / Latino origin, and is considered an ethnic category rather than a racial group.

Category:

Science & Technology