Chase & SBA Hispanic Business Seminar Helps Build Business Skills May 20 in Detroit; Chase, SBA Want to Help Business Owners Succeed.

DETROIT -- Chase and the U.S. Small Business Administration invite current and potential business owners to learn the basics of investing, lending, marketing, advertising, computer applications and becoming a corporate supplier from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 20, during the Chase & SBA Hispanic Business Conference at Cesar Chavez High School, 1761 Waterman (near Vernor), Detroit.

Keynote speaker Lydia Gutierrez, president of Hacienda Mexican Foods, will discuss how she expanded her firm from a small, mom-and-pop tortilla and tortilla chip manufacturer to a major employer of more than 70 workers in Southwest Detroit. Fox 2 reporter Lourdes Duarte will serve as mistress of ceremonies for the half-day seminar.

The $25 registration fee includes lunch and the choice of two 70-minute seminars on five business topics. Conference materials in Spanish and translators will be available. Space is limited. Call [phone] to register or for more information.

"Chase and the U.S. Small Business Administration want to help small business owners turn their dreams into reality by providing key information for starting and expert insights on running a business," said Marino Orlandi, regional manager of small business banking for Chase.

A recent U.S. Census Bureau report shows the number of Hispanic-owned businesses grew 31 percent -- or three times the national average -- between 1997 and 2002. Hispanic business owners tend to concentrate on construction, services and retail and wholesale trade.

"The SBA is proud to have assisted many Hispanic American small businesses in Michigan, and I hope that conference attendees will take full advantage of our guaranteed loan, management assistance, and government contracting programs to help them start or grow their small businesses," said Richard Temkin, SBA district director.

Seminar speakers and topics include:

--Chase business bankers Mariam Elrada and Nancy Tochman will lead financial seminars with Manuel Alfonso of the Profit Strategies Group

--Jorge Flores of Chase's Hispanic marketing team and Ray Lazano of the Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will talk about effective marketing and advertising

--David Olivencia, director for enterprise architecture at Oracle, will lead sessions on computer applications for business management

--Ernesto Kuperman of SCORE Chapter 18 will discuss organizing for growth and investments

--James Sutton of Chase's supplier diversity group and Conrad Valle of the SBA will share tips on how to become a supplier to large companies Chase serves more than 6,700 businesses in Michigan and operates a network of nearly 260 branches and more than 380 ATMs in the state. The SBA's mission is to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by aiding, counseling, assisting and protecting the interests of small business.

Chase serves more than 6,700 businesses in Michigan and operates a network of nearly 260 branches and more than 380 ATMs in the state. The SBA's mission is to maintain and strengthen the nation's economy by aiding, counseling, assisting and protecting the interests of small business.