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The SFHCC seeks applicants for the role of CEO of the organization. The SFHCC is a nonprofit organization dedicated to connecting our business community unifying and advancing Hispanic business, Corporate America, and community interests in and around San Francisco.

The Chamber provides a variety of programs and services for members and for the community, including economic development, education, leadership, networking events and services, and government affairs.

The Chamber has gained state and nation-wide attention as a model of Chamber leadership. Therefore, the Board of Directors has embarked on a national search to recruit a President & Chief Executive Officer who has the ability to continue leading The Chamber into prominence within the region.

Background:
The San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SFHCC) is celebrating it’s 25-year anniversary and is looking for a new CEO/President to perform the impossible by taking us to an even higher level than our past CEO/President has taken us in the past 5 years. The SFHCC has become one of the strongest, diverse and innovative Chambers of Commerce in Northern California. Our Chamber membership has grown approximately 20% per year over the last 5 years and has become a necessary partner in working with the Latino business community. We are continuing to create innovative and valuable benefits to our membership as well as providing our sponsors a valuable means for entering the Latino markets.
Objective: To develop and execute the goals for the SFHCC.

Goals for the SFHCC:

• Develop and execute programs that will open opportunities for Latino businesses.
• Develop and maintain excellent relationships with businesses, organizations, government and individuals to create opportunities and strategic alliances.
• Create sustainable revenue streams for the SFHCC that will support staff and programs.
• Strengthen the Latino economy through economic development activities and job creation
• Develop sponsorship opportunities for businesses and organizations.
• Work with the Board of Directors of the SFHCC to carry out the goals of the SFHCC.
• Serve as a spokesperson for the interests of Latino business.
• Serve as a liaison for downtown with local and state governments.
• Provide a fun, motivating and exciting environment for the staff of the SFHCC.

Technical Skills:

• Ability to prepare a budget and manage finances.
• Ability to communicate ideas verbally and in writing clearly and concisely.
• Experience and expertise in event management.
• Event and corporate identity marketing experience.
• Basic understanding of urban real estate development, planning, municipal finance, and downtown development.
• Experience working with the print and broadcast media.
• Bilingual in both English and Spanish desirable.
• Hire, train, supervise, and evaluate staff, as well as oversee the work of professional consultants.
• Develop, in collaboration with the Chair of the Board of Trustees, the agenda for Board meetings, report at Board meetings, and consult with Board members to fulfill Alliance objectives.

Soft Skills:

• Ability to supervise and manage a team of professional and administrative staff.
• Ability to work effectively with others and cultivate productive professional relationships.

For more information, contact the office at 415-278-9611 or email your resume and cover letter to staff@sfhcc.com

The San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce seeks prospective board members to fill seats available in 2009. The SFHCC seeks individuals that can provide a value to the organization. We would like each candidate to have skills and expertise in 2 or more of the following areas:

• Computers / Technology
• Finance Development/Fundraising
• Government Affairs
• Media/ Public Relations
• Organizational Development
• Written Communications

The General Board meets 4 times a year and participates in the annual Board Retreat. For more information, contact the SFHCC at 415-278-9611 or by email to staff@sfhcc.com.

by Mark Quinn, District Director, U.S. Small Business Administration, San Francisco

Veterans Day, and National Veterans Awareness Week November 9-15, is the perfect time to share important information with veterans who are considering starting or expanding a small business, or Reservists and National Guard members who have been suddenly called up to serve. No group of Americans is more deserving of our help and respect.

The U.S. Small Business Administration’s Patriot Express Loan Initiative is a loan product designed to help America’s military heroes achieve their small business goals. In less than a year and a half, this unique initiative has produced nearly 2,400 loans for a total of almost $220 million. Patriot Express expands on SBA’s already considerable assistance to vets. Each year SBA guarantees approximately 8,000 veterans’ business loans totaling more than $1 billion annually. The men and women of SBA are proud of the work they do on behalf of these selfless Americans.

The loans are available to veterans, active duty personnel who are in the military’s Transition Assistance Program, and all Reservists and National Guard members are eligible. In addition, their spouses, and the spouses of active duty members, and the widowed spouse of a service member who died while in the service or of a service-connected disability, are also eligible. Nearly 15 percent of Patriot Express loans have gone to military spouses.

The loans carry a 75-85 percent guaranty: an 85 percent SBA guaranty for loan amounts up to $150,000, and then a 75 percent guaranty from $150,000 to $500,000. That provides lenders with the support they need to reach further in extending capital to vets. To learn more go to www.sba.gov/patriotexpress.

A special Military Reservist Economic Injury Disaster Loan is available for self-employed Reservists whose small businesses may have been damaged through extended absences of the owner or essential employee as a result of activation of the owner or essential employee to military active duty. For more information go to http://www.sba.gov/aboutsba/sbaprograms/ovbd/index.html

SBA is the primary federal agency responsible for assisting veterans who own or are considering starting small businesses. Among the services provided are business counseling and training through five Veterans Business Outreach Centers, more than 1,000 Small Business Development Centers, nearly 400 SCORE Chapters with 11,000 volunteer counselors and 100 Women’s Business Centers providing more than 100,000 counseling sessions annually.

Finally, SBA thanks our partners – local lenders, vets’ associations and our own resource partners – for their service to the military community and consistent partnership with us in this area. We look forward to working with them to better serve America’s heroes.

With military activations and extensions having a profound impact on military community entrepreneurs, we’re obliged to ensure they have the tools to rebuild their businesses, or to start-up new businesses. There are about 1.2 million men and women on active duty in the armed forces, and 1.8 million in the Reserves and National Guard. Of that total, 1.5 million have been deployed to Afghanistan or Iraq since the war on terror began. Veterans account for 14 percent of small business owners nationally, 7 percent of them service-disabled veterans. These business owners make significant contributions to the economy, and because of the unique technical and leadership skills they acquire through military service, they are well-suited to become successful entrepreneurs.

Where should you send a veteran for more information? A Veterans Business Development Officer is stationed at every SBA District Office. Simply call the San Francisco SBA District Office at (415) 744-6801. Information about SBA’s full range of services can also be found at: www.sba.gov/vets and for Reservists at www.sba.gov/reservists.

On November 4, 2008, the United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit issued a decision holding that preferences given to small disadvantaged businesses ("SDBs") by the Department of Defense ("DOD") under 10 U.S.C. § 2323 ("Section 1207") are unconstitutional as a race-based violation of the right to equal protection. The Court declared the statute unconstitutional and enjoined application of the current version of the law. The Court found that the statute was unconstitutional because it afforded preferential treatment on the basis of race and there was no strong basis in evidence for Congress to conclude that the DOD had engaged in pervasive, nationwide racial discrimination.

The ramifications of the Federal Circuit's decision on Rothe are unclear at this time. At first blush, the Court's findings would appear to not have any significant ramification on SDBs (and 8(a) firms) because of the current status of the SDB program. Section 1207 established a 5% goal for the award of contracts to SDBs, which, by definition, includes 8(a) firms. To achieve that goal, Section 1207 authorized the DOD to provide a price evaluation adjustment for bids from SDBs. However, because the DOD has met the 5% goal for a number of years, the authority to provide the price evaluation adjustment has been suspended, substantially limiting the value of the SDB program.

Although the benefits of the SDB program have been eroded over the years, the decision raises one disturbing issue: If the statute is unconstitutional, does the DOD have the authority to set aside contracts for the 8(a) Program? Should the Rothe decision be broadly interpreted, DOD officials may question whether 8(a) set-asides are permissible if there are no statutory goals for awards to SDBs. Such an interpretation would directly impact 8(a) firms as the 5% goal was being met through 8(a) set-asides. It may also lead procuring agencies to question whether other statutory goals for awards to disadvantaged businesses are constitutional.

The decision also has potential ramifications for the 8(a) Program. While the decision does not specifically address the 8(a) Program, more challenges to such race-based programs likely can be expected, particularly given the similarities between the SDB program and the 8(a) Program as they pertain to presumptions of social disadvantage. Critics of race-based programs may rely upon the Rothe case to challenge the constitutionality of the 8(a) Program. To survive such challenges, Congress will need to assemble strong evidence that there is racial discrimination in federal contracting. Thus, potentially-affected businesses would be well served to lobby for more thorough and methodologically sound studies of widespread discrimination.

For full details, CLICK HERE

11/12/08

Today Mayor Gavin Newsom announced that Shape Up San Francisco, a coalition of neighborhood groups, health providers, businesses, schools, and city agencies, will hold a summit this week focused on the challenges of chronic disease and the role that environment plays in what we eat and how we live.

At the Summit, the Shape Up San Francisco coalition will unveil a five-year plan to address the root causes of chronic disease, and, in particular to understand why certain neighborhoods and racial groups in San Francisco suffer disproportionately from chronic diseases.

"Today, we face a serious public health epidemic of obesity, inactivity and poor nutrition. Addressing chronic disease is far more complicated than simply asking people to eat their fruits and vegetables and exercise. In asking people to make those changes, we must consider how their behaviors are shaped by their social, physical and political environments," said Mayor Newsom.

In San Francisco, the annual costs of physical inactivity leading to chronic disease are substantial and have been estimated to be over $1 billion. However, if as few as 5% of inactive San Franciscans became physically active, it could save an estimated $57 million per year.

"We are moving beyond the usual approach," said Christina Goette, senior health program planner for the Department of Public Health. "We all know that you should eat five fruits and vegetables a day and get at least 30 minutes of exercise, but that may not be realistic for everyone."

The summit is scheduled to take place from 10 a.m. - 2 p.m. Thursday inside City Hall's South Light Court. Speaking at the Summit will be Gil Penalosa, creator of Ciclovia, the opening of streets every Sunday in Bogota, Columbia, and the inspiration for Mayor Newsom's Sunday Streets program in San Francisco. Also featured will be Bryant Terry, an eco-chef and food activist.

For more information, contact Shape Up SF Staff: Libby Albert, Department of Children Youth and Their Families, 557-6852 or Christina Goette, Department of Public Health, 581-2422 or visit the website at www.shapeupsf.org.

By MARTIN CRUTSINGER, AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON – The nation's financial picture grew darker Thursday, a day marked by breathtaking numbers: a quarter-trillion-dollar budget deficit for a single month and projections of up to $1 trillion for a year, a half-million new applications for unemployment benefits and a 900-point swing on Wall Street. There was some good news, with the stock market rallying from near its lows for the year to its third-biggest point gain ever. But analysts predicted that the steady drumbeat of gloomy statistics would only get worse in coming months as the country endures what could be the worst downturn since the severe 1981-82 recession. The initial costs of the government's economic bailout efforts sent the U.S. budget deficit for October soaring to a record $237.2 billion, putting it on track to reach the once-unfathomable sum of $1 trillion for the year.

"And as bad as these numbers are, they may look good a year from now because things are going to get much worse," said Sung Won Sohn, an economist at the Smith School of Business at California State University. In more grim economic news released Thursday, the number of newly laid-off workers applying for jobless benefits last week hit the highest level since the period right after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. As the economy weakens, the government's fiscal health was projected to deteriorate, too, with layoffs cutting into tax revenues and forcing higher payouts for programs such as unemployment benefits and food stamps. Unemployment, which jumped to a 14-year high of 6.5 percent in October, is now projected to climb above 8 percent. Sohn said that will further crimp government tax revenues, which were down 7.5 percent in October from a year ago.

The stream of negative news initially sent Wall Street down sharply, with the Dow Jones industrials briefly trading below 8,000. The markets rebounded with a fury, though, and closed up almost 553 — the third-largest point gain on record, following the 889-point rise on Oct. 28 and the 936-point surge on Oct. 13. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. reported profits up 10 percent for the third quarter as the company's renewed focus on low prices attracted financially squeezed shoppers. But the country's biggest retailer trimmed its outlook because of the troubled global economy. The Treasury Department said the $237.2 billion deficit for October, the highest ever for a single month, reflected the $115 billion spent last month to purchase stock in eight of the country's biggest banks, the opening phase in the $700 billion rescue of the financial system passed by Congress on Oct. 3.

It was far bigger than analysts expected, more than four times larger than the October 2007 deficit of $56.8 billion, and more than half the total for all of last year. The potential $1 trillion deficit reflected not only the massive expenditures from the rescue effort but also an expected second stimulus program and the effect of a steep recession. The Labor Department reported that the number of new applications for jobless benefits jumped by 32,000 to 516,000 last week. That nearly matched the 517,000 claims reported seven years ago, and it is only the second time since 1992 that claims have topped 500,000. On Capitol Hill, some of the largest U.S. banks sharing in the $700 billion government bailout tried to assure lawmakers they are using the money to make more loans and help financially strapped homeowners avoid foreclosure.

Executives from JPMorgan Chase, Goldman Sachs Inc., Bank of America and Wells Fargo & Co. told the Senate Banking Committee that none of the $85 billion they have received collectively from the government is being used to pay salaries or bonuses. Congressional Democrats pushed forward a package to pump $25 billion in emergency loans into U.S. automakers, but Democratic Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut said the package lacked the support to pass. "I don't know of a single Republican who's willing to support" the idea, said Dodd, chairman of the Senate Banking Committee. He personally backed the proposal but cautioned against "bringing up a proposition that might fail." Dodd appeared to suggest that Congress wait until President-elect Barack Obama is sworn in on Jan. 20 to provide further help to the carmakers.

In the House, five prominent hedge fund managers told lawmakers they support a new central exchange to open the murky world of some complex investments partly blamed for the global financial crisis. But they offered differing views on the need for stricter regulation of hedge funds themselves. A third economic report showed that the U.S. slowdown was also having an effect on trade, with the overall trade imbalance falling by a bigger-than-expected 4.4 percent in September to $56.5 billion, the smallest deficit in 11 months. Imports plunged by a record amount, reflecting slumping global demand for oil and other foreign products such as cars, which declined to the smallest total in more than four years. The report showed that the weakness in the U.S. was beginning to spread overseas, depressing U.S. exports, which also fell by a record amount in September.

The politically sensitive deficit with China bucked the trend and rose to an all-time high as U.S. retailers kept stocking their shelves with Chinese-made televisions, toys and games for a Christmas shopping season that may turn out to be a bust. President George W. Bush will host the leaders' summit of the Group of 20, which includes not only the world's wealthiest nations but also major developing countries such as Russia, China, Brazil and India. The G-20 leaders will meet in Washington on Friday and Saturday to seek a common approach to what has become a global economic crisis. Bush on Thursday defended his administration's response to the crisis, which has included massive amounts of government assistance to banks and outright government takeovers of the country's biggest mortgage-finance companies. "I'm a market-oriented guy, but not when I'm faced with the prospect of a global meltdown," Bush said in a speech in New York.

DALLAS, Nov. 12 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/

The New America Alliance (NAA) commends the Treasury Department for addressing NAA's concerns that ongoing request for proposal (RFP) language afford minorities appropriate opportunities to participate in the implementation of the Troubled Assets Relief Program (TARP). As stewards for Latino and Latina-owned businesses nationwide, the NAA is actively advocating that the current request for proposal (RFP) and contracting processes associated with TARP, as authorized under the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act (EESA), properly include participation by qualified minority and women-owned financial firms. The NAA understands the severity of the current economic crisis necessitates rapid implementation of TARP; however, the NAA does not perceive that a need for rapid implementation is inconsistent with appropriate diversity.

"We believe that from this financial debacle we are all sadly living, a new financial system will arise," said Carlos Loumiet, NAA Chair of the Board. "We wish to make sure that system is more representative and inclusive of our community than has historically been true in the past." A 15-member task force, led by NAA Chair Carlos Loumiet, and NAA CEO John C. Guerra, Jr., has met with senior Treasury Department officials on several occasions and the NAA has made a series of recommendations, including a tiered model for subcontracting, which allows for multiple level entry points to ensure inclusiveness of minority and women-owned talent, and a proposed category of firms controlled and managed by women and minorities, though not necessarily majority-owned by them.

"The current economic crisis is having a staggering impact on minority communities. During a time of crisis, you have to develop creative solutions to resolve issues," said Guerra. "By having qualified minority financial firms meaningfully participate in the country's economic recovery, we have a unique opportunity to create other wealth-building opportunities among minority communities." Throughout this process, the NAA has worked with other organizations such as the National Association of Securities Professionals (NASP), the National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials (NALEO), and the Real Estate Executive Council (REEC) to advocate for the inclusion of minority firms.

The NAA plans to continue working with the Treasury Department as a resource and advisor to identify qualified Latino-owned firms for future solicitations. Additionally, moving forward, the NAA hopes to assist the Treasury Department on economic issues of broader impact on the Latino community as a whole, as those issues are addressed. The New America Alliance (NAA) is a national organization comprised of prominent Latino business leaders united to lead the process of American Latino economic empowerment and wealth-building through economic capital, leadership development, strategic philanthropy, and public policy advocacy. http://www.naaonline.org

SOURCE New America Alliance

Join us for our last event of the year at Medjool Restaurant located at 2522 Mission Street from 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM. Network with Latino professionals at one of the city's hottest restaurants, enjoy great appetizers, and a no-host bar. We will also release a sneak preview of 2009 programming for the Chamber.

Fees:

• SFHCC Members - With pre-registration (before Nov 31st): FREE / Without pre-registration at the door: $10
• Non-Members - With pre-registration (before Nov 31st): $10 / Without pre-registration at the door: $10

Register Online

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• Protect your PC from Viruses, Spywares, Malewares
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FREE DSL Line for 2 years! Location: 2929 19th Street, SF / Time: 9a-11a/ Please RSVP to:415 648-5220; 415 641-3718;