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.

latinoleadersmagazine.com

2024 Program:

8:00-9:00 - Opening Networking: Coffee & Donuts

9:00-9:15 - Opening Remarks

• Jorge Ferraez, Co-Founder and Publisher, Latino Leaders Magazine

• James Fripp, Chief Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Officer, Yum! Brands, Inc.

9:15-9:30 - Presentation: Taco Bell

• Heather Jacobson, Sr Director, Field Development, Taco Bell Corp

9:30-10:15 - Panel: Entrepreneurship - How to Develop a Pipeline of Future Operators

• Moderator: Jorge Ferraez, Co-Founder and Publisher, Latino Leaders Magazine

• Ricardo Rivera Badia, President, All Around Franchise Consultants

• Hugo Del Pozzo, Founder, Savor Restaurant Group

• Rodolfo Bianchi, Restaurant Entrepreneur and Owner, The Empanada Cookhouse

10:15-10:35 - Presentation: Legal Services for the Franchise Business by GNS Law

• Gabriela Smith, Founder and Partner, GNS Law

10:35-11:05 - Brand Presentation: DINE BRANDS: Applebee's, IHOP, Fuzzy's Taco

• Valerie Thodde, Sr Manager Construction & Development, Dine Brands Global

11:05-11:35 - Brand Presentation: 7-Eleven

• Ray Kruckner, Franchise Sales Manager - United Sales Region, 7-Eleven

11:35-12:00 - Presentation: Ethnifacts

• Mike Lakusta, CEO/Founding Partner, EthniFacts

12:00-12:30 - Presentation: Financing the Franchise Business for Latino Operators and Entrepreneurs

12:30-1:30 - Networking Luncheon

1:30-2:00 - Panel: Brands Looking into the Hispanic Markets

• Moderator: Jorge Ferraez, Co-Founder and Publisher, Latino Leaders Magazine

• Regina Borda, KFC LA&C General Manager

2:00-2:30 - Brand Presentation: Choice Hotels

• Marcus Thomas, Emerging Markets Director, Choice Hotels International

2:30-3:00 - Presentation: Latino Donor Collaborative

• Ana Valdez, President & CEO, Latino Donor Collaborative

3:00-3:45 - Panel: Franchising in Latin America

• Moderator: Jorge Valencia FranchiseZar, President, Latin América Franchise Institute

• Hugo Magaña, President, Santas Alitas

• Miguel Avila, CEO, Yafah Express

• Barbara Ruiz, Founder, Quickliss

• Daniel De Paul, CEO, D´Paul

3:45-4:00 - Closing/Adjourn

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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