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Hispanic Scholarship Fund P&G Pledges $1.5MM

Scholarship applications now available until Feb. 2010

Procter & Gamble (P&G) and the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) are pleased to announce that P&G is awarding $1.5 million under the company’s Live, Learn and Thrive(TM) global cause to support HSF, the leading Hispanic organization devoted to awarding university scholarships. The grant will be provided over the next four years to support scholarships to increase participation from Hispanics in the STEM (science, technology, engineering and mathematics) areas, as well as sponsoring educational outreach programs.

This contribution will help award 192, $2,500 scholarships to eligible Hispanic students nationwide in the next four years. Thanks to the support of companies like Procter & Gamble, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund has given over 90,000 scholarships to students in need worth over $250 million in the past 34 years. Two-thirds of these students were the first in their families to go to college.

“Through the Live, Learn and Thrive Scholarship program, P&G is enabling a cadre of academically talented, low income, first in family to attend college students complete an important new step in realizing the American dream. And, by focusing on STEM majors, P&G is strategically investing in future career paths destined to assure continued success and leadership of our country in this ever competitive global economy. We salute P&G and the scholars!” said Frank D. Alvarez, HSF President and CEO.

While Hispanics are the largest ethnic minority in the United States, they unfortunately are not keeping up when it comes to educational attainment: according to HSF, Latinos have the lowest high school and college completion rates of any racial or ethnic group, registering a 23.8 percent high school dropout rate, the highest of any major racial or ethnic group (ages 16 to 24), compared to 7 percent for non-Hispanic whites. Moreover, as per data from the Census report Educational Attainment in the United States: 2008, out of the total population, only 13 percent of Hispanics 25 and older have a bachelor’s degree, as per data from the report.

In addition, data from the study, “Confronting the ‘New’ American Dilemma, Underrepresented Minorities in Engineering: A Data-Based Look at Diversity,” from the National Action Council for Minorities in Engineering (NACME) reveals that the number of minority students pursuing STEM degrees and careers has flattened out or even declined in recent years: out of the 6,404 doctoral degrees in engineering awarded in 2006, only 98 went to Latinos and Latinas.

Following its commitment to advance the Hispanic community, P&G has been a long-standing corporate partner of HSF for over 30 years and has donated more than $3,000,000 to help educate future Hispanic leaders. Under its global Live, Learn and Thrive(TM) cause, P&G aims to contribute to the success of Hispanic students and even make higher education a more realistic goal by helping build a pool of exceptional talent and empowering possible future employees, who will continue to enhance the company’s dedication to cater to the needs of its consumers.

“At P&G, we believe in having a workforce and business partners that reflect the markets and consumers that we serve, and to fully value and learn from all of their experiences, insights and talents so we can meaningfully improve the lives of our communities. As part of our efforts to improve life for children and youth, we’re proud to make this Live, Learn and Thrive(TM) grant in recognition of the programs HSF delivers on behalf of Hispanic students,” said Edgar Sandoval, P&G’s General Manager, North America Marketing.

Sandoval, a former recipient of an HSF scholarship while he was pursuing his engineering degree, was inducted into the prestigious Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) Alumni Hall of Fame as the “Inspirador” (the motivator), in recognition of his personal achievements and the hard work and sacrifice made in pursuit of a college education. His scholastic success testifies to the great positive impact that an HSF scholarship can have in a student’s life.

This year’s Alumni Hall of Fame Gala took place in New York on Sept. 30th, and was hosted by Natalie Morales, NBC’s “Today” Co-Host and National Correspondent. Created in 2002, the HSF Alumni Hall of Fame honors Hispanics who demonstrate the power of higher education and highlights how attaining a college degree can change individual lives and society as a whole for the better. As an inductee, Sandoval will join a select group of Latino professionals who have been recognized, including former Surgeon General Richard Carmona, U.S. Ambassador to Mexico Tony Garza and Time Warner Vice President Lisa Quiroz.

HSF’s scholarship application period is now open and will run until Feb. 28th, 2010. General application requirements include having a minimum 3.0 cumulative GPA and be pursuing or planning to pursue their first undergraduate or graduate program. For more information on how to apply for these scholarships, please visit www.hsf.net

About the Hispanic Scholarship Fund

Founded in 1975 as a not-for-profit, the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF) is the nation’s preeminent Latino scholarship organization, providing the Latino community more college scholarships and educational outreach support than any other organization in the country. During the 2007-2008 academic year, HSF awarded almost 4,100 scholarships exceeding $26.7 million. In its 33-year history, HSF has awarded in excess of 86,000 scholarships, worth more than $247 million, to Latinos attending nearly 2,000 colleges and universities in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands. For a scholarship application or more information about HSF, please visit: WWW.HSF.NET.

About Procter & Gamble and Live, Learn and Thrive.

Three billion times a day, P&G brands touch the lives of people around the world. The company has one of the strongest portfolios of trusted, quality, leadership brands, including Pampers®, Tide®, Ariel®, Always®, Whisper®, Pantene®, Mach3®, Bounty®, Dawn®, Gain®, Pringles®, Charmin®, Downy®, Lenor®, Iams®, Crest®, Oral-B®, Duracell®, Olay®, Head & Shoulders®, Wella®, Gillette®, Braun® and Fusion®. The P&G community includes approximately 138,000 employees working in over 80 countries worldwide. In these countries and beyond, P&G is committed to improving lives for children in need through its global cause, Live, Learn and Thrive. Every day P&G Live, Learn and Thrive(TM) is helping children get off to a healthy start, receive access to education, and build skills for life. Please visit http://www.pg.com for the latest news and in-depth information about P&G, its brands, and Live, Learn and Thrive.

SOURCE Procter & Gamble

Prescription Assistance Partnership Prepared to Help NJ Workers

The ‘Help Is Here Express’ bus tour will be stopping in New Jersey throughout the week of August 9-15 at various cities in order to help uninsured and financially-struggling New Jersey residents access information on programs that provide prescription medicines for free or nearly free. With the state’s unemployment rate now hitting 8.8 percent — compared to 5.1% a year ago — the Partnership for Prescription Assistance (PPA) bus tour is raising awareness of patient assistance programs among state residents who face layoffs and loss of health care benefits.

The PPA, a nationwide effort sponsored by America’s pharmaceutical research companies, provides a single point of access to more than 475 patient assistance programs that help those who are uninsured or struggling financially. Nearly 200 of the programs are provided by pharmaceutical companies.

The “Help Is Here Express” bus will be at the following New Jersey locations:

Sunday, August 9, 2009

WHEN: 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.

WHERE: Crawford Rodriguez Elementary School

1025 Larsen Road

Jackson, NJ 08527

Monday, August 10, 2009

WHEN: 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m.

WHERE: NJ STEPS

14 South Clifton Avenue

Lakewood, NJ 08701

Tuesday, August 11, 2009

WHEN: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Neighborhood Health Center

1700 Myrtle Avenue

Plainfield, NJ 07063

Wednesday, August 12, 2009

WHEN: 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Neighborhood Health Center

250 Second Street

Elizabeth, NJ 07206

Saturday, August 15, 2009

WHEN: 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

WHERE: Shappell Park

427-429 South Main Street

Phillipsburg, NJ

“The PPA, so far, has helped well over 239,000 New Jersey residents find out if they may qualify for free or discounted medicines and as we move forward into 2009, the assistance is still available,” said PhRMA President and CEO Billy Tauzin. “That’s good news for the citizens of New Jersey, where there are more than 400,000 people out of work.”

Patients who qualify for help from the PPA’s participating patient assistance programs have access to more than 2,500 brand-name and generic prescription medicines. In addition, the PPA provides information on more than 10,000 free health care clinics in America and has connected more than 281,600 patients with clinics and health care providers in their communities.

Patients seeking help from PPA can call a toll-free number (1-888-4-PPA-NOW) to talk to a trained operator or access the PPA Web site (www.pparx.org). It only takes 10 to 15 minutes to find out if someone may qualify for free or discounted medications.

To help spread the word about the assistance available, the PPA’s “Help Is Here Express” buses continue to visit communities all over the country with trained specialists on board to provide information on how to access patient assistance programs. All 50 states and more than 2,500 towns and cities have been visited so far, and nearly 6 million patients have been helped nationwide since the PPA began in April 2005.

“At a time when national unemployment is the highest in almost two decades, the PPA has become an important lifeline for a growing number of patients,” PhRMA’s Tauzin said. “Millions of Americans have been added to the jobless rolls over the last several months and there could be a sharp increase in the number of our citizens losing health care benefits.”

“PPA is currently helping thousands of people every day,” Tauzin added, including those who need treatments to fight such debilitating chronic diseases as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and asthma.

On a national level, the Partnership for Prescription Assistance is represented by Emmy-winning syndicated television talk show host Montel Williams, named PPA’s national spokesman in January 2006. In addition, nationally recognized Telemundo talk show host and author Mayte Prida leads the PPA’s Hispanic outreach effort.

“Since January 2006, I’ve been traveling the country talking about the Partnership for Prescription Assistance, urging people to pick up the phone, log on to the Web site or visit the big, orange PPA bus to see if they may qualify for assistance,” said Williams. “As a patient who must cope every day with the effects of multiple sclerosis, I understand only too well the importance of having access to the medicine you need.”

More than 1,300 national, state and local partners are working with America’s pharmaceutical research companies to spread the word about the program. Trained specialists work with doctors, pharmacists, health care providers and community groups, educating them on the process and use of the PPA’s easy-to-access Web site and toll-free number.

To find out if there are patient assistance programs that may meet their needs, patients should call toll-free 1-888-4PPA-NOW (1-888-477-2669) to speak with a trained specialist or visit www.pparx.org.

Source: Partnership for Prescription Assistance

Targeting Latin Americans

Wyncrest’s Insurance and Financial Division to Rapidly Expand Into Latin American Market

The Wyncrest Group, Inc., a niche insurance consortium, announces its position to rapidly enter the Latin American market. Wyncrest’s pending acquisition of Florida Insurance Consulting Inc. will provide an important key to our growth in the Latin American markets. With the huge growth of the Spanish speaking population in the U.S., many markets are underrepresented and many families and businesses need an insurance and financial services provider.

As recently stated in our previous press release, Southwest Financial Group has been in talks with other Insurance and Financial services companies in Broward Country, Florida that could bring the number of agents in Florida to well over one hundred. This company is also doing roughly $120,000,000.00 in premium insurance and financial sales per year. The company hopes to continue its efforts in recruiting agents and associates from strong family backgrounds with ties to the Latin American communities, Cuba and elsewhere in the Caribbean, as well as South America.

Keith Lanzara, President of the Wyncrest Group, pointed out, “America is more Latin than ever before, and the language and cultural differences that exist must be overcome if Wyncrest Group’s growth strategy in the Latin insurance industry is to be successful. Wyncrest Group’s subsidiary Southwest Financial Group welcomes the opportunity to form synergies with Florida Insurance Consulting and to develop additional business in the Latin American community.”

Targeting Latin Americans

This demographic seems to be the most sought after by insurers. Hispanics represent the largest minority group in the United States with 44.3 million or 14.8% of the population. Latin Americans are also the fastest growing minority group and account for nearly half (1.4 million) the national population growth from 2005 to 2006. In U.S. history, there has never been an immigrant group that has grown to its current size while continuing to maintain its language, cultural values and traditions This makes Latin Americans a sizeable target for marketers in all industries.

The relatively young Hispanic population, entering the workforce for the first time or moving up their individual career ladders, are seeking additional gains in buying power. This will be even more important in this decade than in the 1990s. The increasing number of Latin Americans who have successfully started and expanded their own businesses is another potent force powering the growth of this consumer market, as evidenced by the 1.2 million Hispanic-owned firms in the U.S.

Health insurance providers and hospitals have traveled online to help build their brands with Latino audiences. At the same time tax preparation and accounting services continues to grow when it comes to the total dollars invested in Spanish-language media.

Source: Wyncrest

New Financial Services Hispanic Marketing Campaign

Fifth Third Bank (Nasdaq: FITB), a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, OH, announced this week the launch of its new financial services Hispanic marketing campaign tailored for the growing Hispanic population. The campaign entitled “Las cosas que hacemos por los suenos,” or “The Things We Do for Dreams,” seeks to expand the Bank’s positioning as a trusted financial partner for Hispanics. The creative executions show variations of the “American Dream” such as owning a home or taking a family vacation, along with the Bank’s tips regarding how to make those dreams a reality through proper financial planning.

The campaign began running in April and will appear throughout the year in markets that are part of the Bank’s footprint: Chicago, Orlando, Tampa, Ft. Myers, Naples, Grand Rapids, and Indianapolis. The ads will run in radio, print, Out of Home and online in Spanish language media. Part of the campaign will also be a series of financial workshops and television vignettes providing tips on how to best handle one’s finances during the current economic climate and beyond. A comprehensive public relations push will support all initiatives.

Why a New Financial Services Hispanic Marketing Campaign

“The Hispanic market is a key growth segment for Fifth Third Bank. The goal with this campaign is to inform Hispanic customers about the best ways to keep their finances healthy and growing so they can make their dreams a reality,” said Larry S. Magnesen, Senior Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer.

“Fifth Third Bank just celebrated its 150th anniversary, a testament to the Bank’s strength and heritage. Our campaign seeks to couple that message of trust with a personal connection around Latino insights. At the end, the goal is simple: to get them to see Fifth Third as a partner they can trust,” commented Catherine Nunez Account Director at the vox collective, the full service advertising agency Fifth Third Bank is partnering with for many of its multicultural initiatives.

The campaign pieces can be viewed at: www.thevoxcollective.com/fifththirdbank

Fifth Third Bancorp is a diversified financial services company headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio. The Company has $119 billion in assets, operates 16 affiliates with 1,318 full-service Banking Centers, including 99 Bank Mart(R) locations open seven days a week inside select grocery stores and 2,354 ATMs in Ohio, Kentucky, Indiana, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, Tennessee, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Missouri, Georgia and North Carolina. Fifth Third operates four main businesses: Commercial Banking, Branch Banking, Consumer Lending, and Investment Advisors. Fifth Third also has a 49% interest in Fifth Third Processing Solutions, LLC. Fifth Third is among the largest money managers in the Midwest and, as of March 31, 2009, had $166 billion in assets under care, of which it managed $23 billion for individuals, corporations and not-for-profit organizations. Investor information and press releases can be viewed at www.53.com. Fifth Third’s common stock is traded on the NASDAQ(R) National Global Select Market under the symbol “FITB.” Fifth Third Bank, Member FDIC.
Source: Fifth Third Bancorp

Hispanic Business Magazine Announces 500 Largest U.S. Hispanic-owned Companies

SANTA BARBARA, Calif., June 29 /PRNewswire/ — The June 2009 issue of Hispanic Business magazine features the 27th annual Hispanic Business 500, the benchmark directory of the 500 largest Hispanic-owned companies in the United States.

The annual Hispanic Business 500 directory is widely recognized as the barometer of the U.S. Hispanic economy. Cumulative revenues for the directory totaled $36.15 billion, a slight increase from 2008, which totaled $36.10 billion. A searchable directory of the 2009 Hispanic Business 500 is available now on the magazine’s companion web site, HispanicBusiness.com.

For the third straight year, the HB 500’s top-ranked company was the aptly named Brightstar, a global telecom wholesaler. Though the company posted a dip in revenue of 2.35 percent, it still managed to bring in $3.6 billion.

The surprising bright spot of this year’s list was the financial sector, which posted an impressive 17.2 percent boost in revenues. Pan-American Life Insurance Co. of New Orleans was among the successful businesses in this category, showing an 11 percent gain in revenue over the previous year, as well as a healthy 6 percent profit.

Companies included in the 500 must show at least 51 percent ownership by Hispanic U.S. citizens and must maintain headquarters in one of the 50 states or Washington, D.C. Principals must be U.S. citizens.

For more information, go to http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/rankings/hispanic_companies/

About Hispanic Business Media

For 30 years Hispanic Business Media has been the authoritative source for the latest trends, research and reporting on the growth of the U.S. Hispanic consumer market and the Hispanic enterprise and professional sectors.

Hispanic Business Media properties provide innovative branding and targeted marketing solutions across multiple platforms:

— Award-winning print editorial via Hispanic Business Magazine, which provides readers in the United States and around the world with the most relevant and data-driven news on the U.S. Hispanic economy. — Fresh, real-time online content and interaction via HispanicBusiness.com. The site specializes in b2b daily news, branded content from Hispanic Business magazine, original postings by hb.com writers and some user-generated content. — Hispanic Business Events, which feature and draw the nation’s most affluent and influential Hispanic leaders. Examples include the Hispanic Business magazine EOY Awards for entrepreneurial excellence; the CEO Capital Markets Roundtable; and the Woman of the Year (WOY) Awards. — Unique data reports on the U.S. Hispanic sector developed by HispanTelligence, the research arm of Hispanic Business Media. — Diversity recruiting and development services from HireDiversity.com.

HispanicBusiness magazine, HispanicBusiness.com, Hispanic Business magazine EOY, HireDiversity.com and HispanTelligence are registered trademarks of Hispanic Business Inc. 2008 Hispanic Business Inc. All rights reserved. Hispanic Business Media

Web Site: http://www.hispanicbusiness.com/