connecting leaders, inspiring the future:
Latino Leaders Magazine is the mission of brothers and founders, Raul and Jorge Ferraez, two Mexican businessmen. Our Magazine Latino Leaders has been publishing for 20 years addressing the business, upscale and leadership readers of the U.S. Hispanic markets at a national level. With more that 240,000 distribution copies and 30,000 plus in its digital versions, plus our social media platforms, Latino Leaders is perhaps the most read business and professional publication in the Hispanic market.
By promoting and publishing stories of Latino success, Latino Leaders Magazine strives to showcase stories, other than those often seen in the mainstream media. At the same time, demonstrate the influence Latinos maintain in this country. For more than a decade, Latino Leaders Magazine has featured the top Latinos in the United States, including politicians, sports stars, business owners and other relevant and successful leaders.
Visit the website to subscribe to our print edition, newsletter, digital edition, and to receive updates on upcoming events like the Latino Franchise Symposium.
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schedule & more
2024 details
Friday, Dallas, TX | May 3, 2024 | 8:00 AM 3:30 PM
LOCATION: Pizza Hut Headquarters
2024 Program: to be announced
2024 topics: to be announced
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2023 Program:
9:00 AM - Doors open
9:00AM-10:00AM - Networking Coffee & Donuts
10:00AM-10:15AM - Welcoming Remarks Jorge Ferraez, Publisher, Latino Leaders Magazine James Fripp, Chief Diversity Officer, Yum! Brands Aaron Powell, Global CEO, Pizza Hut
10:15AM-11:00AM - Panel: Women in Franchise Moderator: Jorge Ferraez, Publisher, Latino Leaders Magazine Yolanda Stevenson, Founder & CEO, TaxiMom Erika Enciso, Head of LatAm Franchise Recruiting, Wendy's Ericka Garza, Board Member, IFA
11:00AM-11:30AM - Presentation: YUM! Melissa Cuadra, Director OD & Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging, KFC US Randy Martinez, Chief Equity Officer, Pizza Hut US
11:30AM-12:00PM - Presentation: Hispanic Market Update Mike Lakusta, Chief Executive Officer & Founding Partner, EthniFacts
12:00PM-1:00PM - Luncheon presented by KFC & Pizza Hut
1:00PM-2:00PM - Panel:Hotel Ownership; A great franchise opportunity Moderator: Lynette Montoya, President & CEO, Latino Hotel Association Marcus Thomas, Emerging Market Director, Choice Hotels Curt Eiffert, Vice President Franchise Development Services, G6 Hospitality Michael Garcia, President, Matthews Southwest Hospitality Johanna Cuevas, NewGen Advisory
2:00PM-2:30PM - Fireside Chat: A Tasty story of Success Robert Rodriguez, CEO, Tasty Restaurant Group
2:30PM-2:45PM - Brand Presentation: Choice Hotels Marcus Thomas, Emerging Market Director, Choice Hotels
2:45PM-3:30PM - Panel: How to Advance Latinos in Franchise Business providing access to Capital by JPMorgan Chase Moderator: Jorge Ferraez, Publisher, Latino Leaders Magazine Troy Ahrens, Executive Director Franchise Finance, JPMorgan Chase
3:30PM-4:30PM - Panel: Latino Franchise Association dialogue with Franchisors & Franchisees Moderator: Rafael Alvarez, President, Latino Franchise Association Ricardo Rivera, CEO & Founder, Wings & Fries Fabiola Guerrero, CEO, Rhoslyn Florist Franchise Diego Toasa, Franchise Representative, ATAX Patricio Lombardo, CEO & Founder, Cassava Roots
4:30PM-5:30PM - Panel: IFA ; The relevance of Latinos in the Franchise Industry Moderator: Felipe Osorio, Area Manager - East, Paychex Roberto Litwak, COO, Feher Consulting Javier Solis, Co-Founder, Toro Taxes Erika Enciso, Head of LatAm Franchise Recruiting, Wendy's
5:30-6:00PM - Brand Presentations
6:00PM - Adjourn Closing Remarks: Jorge Ferraez, Publisher, Latino Leaders Magazine
2023 topics:
Women in Franchise Businesses
How to Franchise your Brand
Hispanic Market trends up-date
How Franchises work in LatAm
Entrepreneurship
2022 program:
A virtual experience created for entrepreneurs, franchise operators and brands that want to connect for business opportunities in the Hispanic Markets of the US and the Latin American marketplace. You can view the 2020 event and seminar on our YouTube page, Latino Leaders Magazine.
Program:
8:00-9:00 Networking Coffee and Donuts
9:00-9:15 Welcome; YUM/Latino Leaders; James Fripp, Chief Diversity, Inclusion & Belonging Officer of YUM Brands & Jorge Ferraez, President of Latino Leaders Magazine
9:15- 9:30. Keynote: Mark Madrid, Associate Small Business Administrator; office of Entrepreneurial Development.
9:30-10:00 PANEL “Why Brands are interested in the Latino Markets”
- Ericka Garza, Chief Executive Officer Au Bon Pain
- Edward James-Vice President Development BidExecs
10:00-10:20 Presentation JPMorgan Chase; How to get capital for the Franchise Business; Kimberly N Evans, Business Banking Field Manager
10:20-10:40 Presentation Choice Hotels; “Hotel Ownership 101: How to Get Started” Marcus Thomas, Director Emerging Markets
10:40-11:40 PANEL “Global Franchise Excellence” University of Louisville/YUM
Panel Moderator – Scott Catlett, Yum! Chief Legal & Franchising Officer ; Wanda Williams,Yum! Head of Global Franchising ; Rodrigo Martinez, KFC Global Director of Operations ; Dr. Kathleen Gosser, University of Louisville, Assistant Professor of Franchise Management & Director, Yum! Center for Global Franchise Excellence ; Sally George, Recent MBA Graduate, University of Louisville
11:45- 12:00 “Doing Franchise Business in Latin America” Jorge Valencia, The Czar of Franchise in Mexico
12:00- 1:00 KFC Luncheon
Presentation: Operator Panel Discussion
- Jaime Aguiar, KFC U.S. Franchise Operations Leader
- Heidy Cruz, KFC Franchise operations Leader
1:00 - 1:30 Presentation Estrella Insurance: “New Concepts for Latino Markets” Felipe ; Martinez, Director Franchise Development
1:30- 2:30 PANEL “Getting Trained for the Franchise Business”
- Rikki D. Amos, Executive Director IFA Foundation
- Erick Premont
- Acceler8Success Group
- Ericka Garza, Chief Executive Officer Au Bon Pain
2:30- 3:30 PANEL “Understanding the Hispanic Markets”
- Mike Lakusta, Founder EthniFacts
- Pete Lerma, Founder LERMA Marketing
- Jorge A. Plasencia, Co-Founder, Chairman & CEO, Republica Havas
- Louis Maldondao, Partner & Managing Director d’exposito & partners
3:30- 3:40 Children’s Medical Center Foundation Presentation
Aracely P. Muñoz, Director Corporate Partnerships
2021 LATINO FRANCHISE SYMPOSIUM SCHEDULE
may 10:
12:00PM-1:00PM: Welcoming by Jorge Ferraez / "Why Diversity & Inclusion is Key for the Franchise Business" by James Fripp, CDO of YUM! Brands
1:00PM-2:00PM: "The Power of a Brand" by Lawrence Newell, Partner at Brand Finance
may 11:
12:00PM-1:00PM: "The Perfect Site for a Business" by Ryan Griffin, Senior Vice President for Edge Realty Partners
1:00PM-2:00PM: “How to Finance a Franchise Business” in Partnership with the SBA by Roscio Rueda, SBA Lending Group VP of LiftFund, James Stokes, Exec. Director of Alliance Lending Corp., Mark Hare, SBA Financing Expert, Moderator: Derenda Fisher, Lender Relation Specialist at SBA
2:00PM-3:00PM: “Championing Diversity in Franchising: IFA” by Earsa Jackson, Chair of the Board Diversity Inst. Intl. Franchise Assoc., Marlen Cortez Morris, Member of the Diversity Inst. Board, Intl. Franchise Assoc. and Shareholder at Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart P.C., Michael Mercado, VP of Franchise Operations at Soccer Shots Franchising, Luis Alvarez, Master Franchisee of Stratus Building Solutions
may 12:
12:00PM-1:00PM: "New Franchise Concepts" The story of BidExecs by Edward James, Senior Vice President Development
1:00PM-2:00PM: Brand Opportunities: YUM! Brands Executives by Tara Hinkle, Director of Franchising & Development at Taco Bell Corp., Diane Simrall, Director of Finance at KFC and Ericka Garza, Director of Growth Traditional & Non-Traditional at PHLLC
2:00PM-3:00PM: Entrepreneur Stories: Juan Francisco Ochoa, Founder of El Pollo Loco & Taco Palenque
may 13:
12:00PM-1:00PM: "The Art of Global Franchising" by Enrique Ramirez, GM for Pizza Hut Latin America & Iberia
1:00PM-2:00PM: “Hispanic Market and Demographics - How to Understand Them" by Mike Lakusta, Chief Executive Officer of EthniFacts
may 14:
12:00PM-1:00PM: "Doing Marketing for Latinos" by Trinidad Aguirre, CEO & Founder of TheHispanicCMO.com, Quim Gil, Principal Brand Planning & Strategy at Lerma and Francisco Cardenas, Principal Digital & Social Strategy at LERMA
1:00PM-2:00PM: “The Magic of the Avocado” by David Spirito, Senior Director for Food & Service for Avocados from Mexico
