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The Briefcase - November

Telemundo gets a full power signal, Wal-Mart creates equity fund for minority businesses and more.

TELEMUNDO GOES FULL POWER
The Telemundo Spanish-language broadcasting network recently announced that it will transmit a full-power signal in the Phoenix market, a move that will create increased competition between it and rival, top-ranked Univision.

The Federal Communication Commission recently approved a channel exchange for Telemundo – a division of NBC Universal Television Stations.

Telemundo’s Phoenix station will boost the Spanish-language network’s power, allowing more viewers to receive the channel’s over-the-air signal. The local Telemundo station is KDRX Channel 48. Univision’s local station in Phoenix is KTVW Channel 33.

Telemundo will exchange signals with Daystar, which can now offer low-power service in Phoenix and a full-power station in Holbrook, Ariz.

“We commend the FCC for recognizing the extraordinary and unique public benefits of the planned exchange,” says Don Browne, president of Telemundo. “This will give all Phoenix consumers, for the first time, a real choice in Spanish-language programming.”

For more info, (602) 268-2648.

WAL-MART SETS EQUITY FUND    
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. announced that it will invest $25 million to establish a private equity fund that will issue equity investments in women and minority-owned business enterprises. Although minorities account for 30 percent of the U.S. population, less than 2 percent of all venture and private equity funds are invested in minority companies. The co-investment management fund, which will have an allocation life of five years, will be managed by Dallas-based Aldus Equity to provide equity capital to women and minority-owned business enterprises seeking capital for acquisitions, joint ventures and other growth and expansion initiatives.

Prospective investment candidates must either operate companies or be in the process of acquiring companies that distribute or have the capacity to distribute products and services to major retailers. Investment candidates must also be certified as minority or women-owned or minority-controlled businesses as defined by the National Minority Supplier Development Council and the Women’s Business Enterprise National Council. Aldus will manage all aspects of the investment application and review process. Business owners can apply for funding by forwarding a brief description of the business and financing opportunity to coinvestmentfund@aldusequity.com. Fund managers anticipate the first investments will be completed within the next three to six months and investing in a total of five to nine companies over the life of the fund.

“Even though small businesses are one of the fastest growing sectors of the economy, access to capital remains a key barrier to growth for women and minority-owned businesses,” said Jay Fitzsimmons, senior vice president of finance and treasurer, Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. “By creating this fund we help fill a significant void and can have a positive impact on those businesses that are ready and able to move to that next level of national and international distribution for retailers.” For more information contact Delia Garcia,  at (602) 241-8560, or e-mail Delia.garcia@wal-mart.com.

MARKETING TO LATINOS
The American Marketing Association Phoenix Chapter has launched a special interest group to provide quarterly presentations on Hispanic marketing.

The first forum was held Oct. 20, and featured Earl de Berge, head of the Behavior Research Center and Ricardo Torres, CEO and co-publisher of Latino Perspectives Magazine.

The series is the AMA’s program to educate Valley marketing professionals about trends in the Hispanic population, marketing and communications, and unique strategies to reach Latino segments.

Topics to be discussed in the future include Hispanic population growth projections, first versus second generation, factors in selecting retailers, media preferences, and implications for marketing and advertising. For more info, contact Perla Flores, SIG coordinator, the American Marketing Association Phoenix Chapter at (602) 387-5085, or e-mail pflores@gdc-co.com.
 
EXCELLENCE AWARDS
The United Latino Business Coalition’s Excellence in Business Awards dinner held on Nov. 3 honored individuals and organization in the Valley business community.
  
Awardees are:

Ricardo Carlo, Individual Advocate of the Year Award – Awarded to an individual or an organization who has advocated for Latino and minority-owned businesses.      
Hunt Construction, Corporation of the Year Award  − Awarded to a large corporation that is actively working with the Latino and minority-owned business community to build relationships and create business opportunities. Phoenix Community and Economic Development Department, Service Provider of the Year Award − Awarded to a service provider for its innovative service offerings, efforts, niche and leadership in the minority-owned business industry. Ted Cruz and Associates, Small Business of the Year Award – awarded to the ULBC member business that has demonstrated success as a business while continuing to advocate for and provide opportunities to other Latino and minority-owned businesses.

Yvette Armendariz, Media Advocate of the Year Award − Awarded to an individual working in the media who has been instrumental in communications, writing, creating, leading or implementing minority-owned business advocacy.

City of Phoenix Aviation Department, Government Advocate of the Year Award – Awarded for outstanding contributions to advance Latino and minority-owned businesses, which includes creating more opportunities for Hispanic businesses and increasing economic development for the Phoenix Hispanic community. 

Chicanos Por La Causa, Inc., Legacy Award – Awarded to a company/corporation/organization for a lifetime of special efforts towards minority businesses and being involved in the community and helping Latino and minority-owned businesses.

Yvette Uriondo, Volunteer of the Year Award – Awarded to an individual who has provided extraordinary support and time, and has serviced the advancement of the ULBC. 

For more info, contact Millie Gonzalez, ULBC vice chair, at (602) 410-3505.

URBAN LIVING PROJECT
Studio Ma, a collaborative design studio based in downtown Phoenix, has designed an innovative residential project that broke ground in mid-October. The project is called PRD 845 and is being developed by the Uristruct company.  PRD 845 is a modern urban town home development at 777 W. Roosevelt. “This is the first of Studio Ma Phoenix projects, and we have amazing partners on each one,” says lead architect Christopher Alt of Studio Ma. Studio Ma is a partnership between architects Alt, Dan Hoffman and Christiana Moss. “Ma” is a Japanese term that acknowledges the dynamic relationship between objects and their environment. The groundbreaking commemorates the start of the 12-month construction schedule. For more info, call Wendy Villa at (602) 265-7324 or visit the Web site at www.studioma.com.

GRUPO RENEWS
Grupo Ñ, Inc., a Tempe-based agency, recently renewed two big contracts.  The Arizona Lottery again tapped the firm to promote its products to multicultural markets. Grupo has been the Lottery’s Hispanic market ad agency for the past four years. Several other Hispanic ad agencies had submitted bids for this contract. The new contract increases its scope of work for the agency. In addition, the Maricopa County Community Colleges system renewed Grupo’s contract to provide awareness and recruitment services. Again, the agency has worked with the client for the past four years. More info at www.gruponadv.com.