ADVISORY/United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce 14th Annual Legislative Conference Schedule of Events.

News Editors/Assignment Desks

ADVISORY...for Wednesday (March 24)

WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 19, 2004

The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) will host its 14th Annual Legislative Conference on March 24-25, 2004 at the Capital Hilton Hotel in Washington, DC. The conference will convene members of Congress, Hispanic business owners and corporate leaders to discuss the most critical public policy issues facing the Hispanic community--from small business legislation to the impact of poor health and nutrition on business. Richard Macedonia, President & CEO of Sodexho North America, is this year's Legislative Chair. Below is the schedule of events, followed by event descriptions.

                          Schedule of Events
                            (as of 3/19/04)

All events will take place in the Capital Hilton Hotel, 1001 16th St.,
NW, unless otherwise noted. Visit www.ushcc.com for details.

Wednesday, March 24, 2004

10:00 AM - 6:00 PM     Registration

11:00 AM - 12:30 PM    USHCC Chamber Best Practices, Room South
                        American AB

 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM     Welcoming Reception
                       The Library of Congress, James Madison Building
                       101 Independence Ave., SE, Montpelier Room

Thursday, March 25, 2004

 7:00 AM - 5:00 PM     Registration

 8:00 AM - 9:30 AM     Continental Breakfast, Foyer 1

 8:45 AM - 11:15 AM    Legislative Briefing, Congressional Room

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM    Issue Briefing I: A Business Imperative:
(Concurrent)            Closing the Achievement Gaps for Latino
                        Students, Room Statler A


11:30 AM - 12:30 PM    Issue Briefing II:  Federal Sector Procurement
(Concurrent)            Council: Expanding Opportunities for Hispanic
                        Business, Room Statler B

11:30 AM - 12:30 PM    How to Lobby Workshop, Senate Room
(Concurrent)

 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM     Capitol Hill Visits

 1:30 PM - 3:30 PM     Corporate Partner Legislative Hearing,
                        Congressional Room

 6:00 PM - 7:00 PM     Legislative Awards Reception, Congressional &
                        Senate Rooms

 7:00 PM - 10:00 PM    Legislative Awards Dinner, Presidential Room

10:00 PM - 12:00 AM    Viennese Dessert Reception, Congressional &
                        Senate Rooms


                          Event Descriptions

Chamber Leadership Training/Best Practices
Sponsored by Altria Group, Inc.

Recipients of the USHCC's new Political Empowerment Awards will
present their award-winning government relations programs. The
Political Empowerment Awards recognize member Hispanic chambers of
commerce with outstanding government relations programs.

Presenters:

    --  Latin Chamber of Commerce of Nevada, Inc. (Region I)

    --  New Mexico 8(a) and Minority Business Association (Region II)

    --  McAllen Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (Region III)

    --  Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (Region IV)

    --  New York State Federation of Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
        (Region V)

    --  Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (Region VI)

Welcoming Reception
Sponsored by Washington Mutual

A reception hosted by the Congressional Hispanic Caucus to welcome
conference participants to the USHCC's 14th Annual Legislative
Conference.

Presenters:

    --  J.R. Gonzales, USHCC Chairman of the Board and Acting
        President/CEO

    --  Tina Cordova, USHCC Legislative Chair and Board Vice Chair

    --  Rep. Ciro Rodriguez (D-TX), Chair, Congressional Hispanic
        Caucus

    --  Peter Villegas, First Vice President, Community & External
        Affairs, Washington Mutual

Legislative Briefing
Sponsored by Pfizer

An overview of the USHCC's four major legislative priorities: access
to capital, procurement, e-commerce and workforce development. Members
of Congress will also provide an update on major issues pending in
Congress, including legislation to reauthorize the Small Business
Administration, and proposals to address federal procurement and
contract bundling, broadband internet access, the impact of poor
health and obesity on business and the plight of America's immigrant
farm workers.

Moderators:

J.R. Gonzales, USHCC Chairman of the Board, Acting President & CEO

Franceen Friefeld, RD, P.H.Ec, Director of Marketing and Nutrition,
Corporate Services, Sodexho USA

Presenters:

    --  M. Kenneth Bowler, Vice President, Federal Government
        Relations, Corporate Affairs, Pfizer

    --  Sen. Harry Reid (D-NV)

    --  Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX)

    --  Rep. Mike Castle (R-DE)

    --  Rep. Bob Menendez (D-NJ)

    --  Rep. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)

    --  Rebecca Reeves, Ph.D, RD, Chair, American Dietetic
        Association, Weight Management Dietetic Practice Group

    --  Tuckie Westfall, Director, Government Affairs-Food, Altria
        Corporate Services

    --  Donna Shields, MS, RD, Manager, Nutrition and Health
        Communications, The Coca-Cola Company

Issue Briefing I
A Business Imperative: Closing the Achievement Gaps for Latino
 Students
Sponsored by Verizon Communications

A panel discussion about how to engage business in the education of
Latino youth. Panelists will highlight the findings of a 2003 report
authored by NHCSL and the Tomas Rivera Policy Institute (TRPI),
Closing the Achievement Gaps: Improving Educational Outcomes for
Hispanic Children, which examined the factors that contribute to the
educational disparities between Hispanic students and their
non-Hispanic counterparts.

Moderator: Frank Lopez, President, USHCC Foundation

Presenters:

    --  Liz Burgos, Executive Director of the National Hispanic Caucus
        of State Legislators (NHCSL)

    --  Sarita Brown, Senior Fellow, Pew Hispanic Center

    --  Dora Olivo, Texas State Representative

    --  Magda Yrizarry, Vice President of Public Policy and Strategic
        Alliances, Verizon Communications

    --  Susan Castillo, Oregon State Superintendent of Public
        Instruction

Issue Briefing II
Federal Sector Procurement Council: Expanding Opportunities to
 Hispanic Business

Part I: Congressional staff and key leaders will provide an in-depth
overview of the SBA reauthorization legislation.

Presenters:

    --  Steve Denlinger, CEO, Latin American Management Association

    --  LeAnn Delaney, Contracting & Technology Staff, House Minority
        Small Business Committee

Part II: A discussion about the USHCC's new outreach initiative with
federal agencies to boost federal contracting opportunities for
Hispanic-owned businesses. Representatives of the USHCC Federal Sector
Procurement Council will highlight this new initiative and federal
agency representatives will highlight the federal government's current
efforts to strengthen federal procurement for minority businesses.

Moderator: John Gonzalez, Co-Chair, USHCC Federal Sector Procurement
Council

Presenters:

    --  Paul Rodriguez, Co-Chair, USHCC Federal Sector Procurement
        Council

    --  Felipe Mendoza, Associate Administrator of the Office of Small
        and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU), General
        Services Administration

    --  Theresa Avillar-Speake, Director of the OSDBU, Department of
        Energy

    --  Ralph C. Thomas III, Associate Administrator of the OSDBU,
        NASA

    --  Frank Ramos, Director of the OSDBU, Department of Defense

    --  Kevin Broshears, Director of the OSDBU, Department of Homeland
        Security

How to Lobby Workshop
Presented by Mickey Ibarra & Associates, Inc.

For the third consecutive year, Mickey Ibarra & Associates will
facilitate the "How to Lobby Workshop" at the USHCC Legislative
Conference. Mickey Ibarra will moderate a panel of experts as they
discuss on the "Dos and Don'ts of Lobbying". Panelists will offer
media, corporate and congressional perspectives. Following the
workshops, participants will put these strategies to the test on
Capitol Hill as they advocate for the USHCC Legislative priorities.

Moderator: Mickey Ibarra, President, Mickey Ibarra & Associates, Inc.

Panelists:

    --  Rebecca Cooper, Reporter, WJLA-7

    --  Emilio Gonzalez, Director Public Policy and Strategic
        Alliances, Verizon Communications

    --  Rita Jaramillo, Chief of Staff, Office of Representative Ruben
        Hinojosa (D-TX)

Corporate Partner Legislative Hearing

Representatives from several USHCC corporate partners will share their
key legislative priorities for the coming year to various
congressional and community leaders.

Presenters:

    --  Broderick D. Johnson Esq., Vice President of Congressional
        Relations, AT&T

    --  Sam Wright, Sr. Vice President, Government Relations, Cendant
        Corporation

    --  Rob Elliott, Vice President of Government Affairs, MGM MIRAGE

    --  Dick Macedonia, President of Sodexho North America

    --  Magda N. Yrizarry, Vice President, Public Policy and Strategic
        Alliances, Verizon Communications

    --  Rep. Leticia Van de Putte (D-TX), President, National Hispanic
        Caucus of State Legislators

    --  Octavio Hinojosa, Executive Director, Congressional Hispanic
        Conference

Legislative Awards Reception
Sponsored by MBNA. Beverages sponsored by Corona.

A reception, hosted by the Congressional Hispanic Conference, to honor
national, state and corporate leaders who have made life-long
contributions to the Hispanic and minority communities.

Presenters:

    --  J.R. Gonzales, USHCC Chairman of the Board and Acting
        President/CEO

    --  Tina Cordova, Vice Chair of the USHCC Board of Directors,
        Legislative Committee Chair

    --  Junior Ortiz, Senior Vice President, Director of Government
        Relations, MBNA America

Legislative Awards Dinner
Sponsored by Sodexho North America

The USHCC will honor Hector Barreto, Administrator of the Small
Business Administration, with the Chair's Award; Norman Y. Mineta,
Secretary of the Department of Transportation, with the President's
Award; and Senator Paul Feleciano, Jr., Past-President of the National
Hispanic Caucus of State Legislators with a Lifetime Achievement
Award. The USHCC Foundation will present Magda N. Yrizarry, Vice
President of Public Policy and Strategic Alliances of Verizon
Communications, with a President's Award. The USHCC will also
recognize the national Political Empowerment Award winner.

Master of Ceremonies: Ramon Rodriguez, Host of Hispanics Today

Presenters:

    --  J.R. Gonzales, USHCC Chairman of the Board and Acting
        President/CEO

    --  Tina Cordova, USHCC Board Vice Chair, Legislative Committee
        Chair

    --  Dick Macedonia, President of Sodexho North America and
        Legislative Conference Chair

    --  Liz Burgos, Executive Director, National Hispanic Caucus of
        States Legislators

    --  Frank Lopez, President, USHCC Foundation

    --  Jeffrey Smith, Senior Manager, Corporate Affairs &
        Communications, American Honda Motor Co., Inc.

    --  Former Congressman Bob Garcia (invocation)

The USHCC represents the interests of more than 1.2 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States and Puerto Rico, which earn more than $200 billion annually. It serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local Hispanic chambers nationwide, and it actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs. For more information about the USHCC 24th Annual National Convention and Business Expo, October 1-4, 2003, call 1-800-874-2286 or visit http://events.ushcc.com.