A new Americas Society and Council of the Americas (AS/COA) white paper details corporate commitment to supporting the integration of Hispanic immigrants. Drawing from original research and site visits in Atlanta, GA, and New Orleans, LA, the paper highlights the challenges to the integration of recent immigrants, the contributions of Hispanic immigrants to the U.S. economy, and innovative efforts by business to smooth the integration of Hispanic communities and workers into the social and economic fabric of the U.S.

About the White Paper: The new AS/COA white paper, U.S. Business and Hispanic Integration: Expanding the Economic Contributions of Immigrants, demonstrates a collective commitment by private sector leaders to integrating immigrant communities and offers best practices for encouraging Hispanic workforce development and community integration. It features case studies of business′ efforts to facilitate and promote integration and highlights Hispanic contributions to the U.S. economy. Funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, the AS/COA Hispanic Integration Initiative is engaging private-sector leaders in support of initiatives that promote Hispanic integration, through meetings held in New York, NY, Atlanta, GA, and New Orleans, LA.

There will be a press conference in Wahington DC on Wednesday, July 23rd, and a main meeting on Capitol Hill on Thursday, July 24th.

on Wednesday the confirmed speakers are: Myles Gladstone, Vice President, Miller & Long Co, Inc.;
Susan Minushkin, Deputy Director, Pew Hispanic Center;
Christopher Sabatini, Senior Director of Policy, Americas Society and Council of the Americas;
and Susan Segal, President & CEO, Americas Society and Council of the Americas.

on Thursday the main event title is: “U.S. Business and Hispanic Integration” and will be held at:

2359 Rayburn House Office Building (Capitol Hill)
Washington, DC - Thursday, July 24, 2008.

Registration: 10:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.
Program: 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.

with confirmed participants: Sen. Hillary Clinton (NY)
Rep. Charles A. González (TX)
Rep. Rubén Hinojosa (TX)
Rep. Michael M. Honda (CA)
Remarks also to be provided by members of the AS/COA Hispanic Integration National Business Council and Advisory Board along with AS/COA:

Lourdes Diaz - Senior Director of Diversity Relations, Sodexo, Inc.

Peter Johnson - Rockefeller Family and Associates

Bob Merchent - Vice President, Northrop Grumman Shipbuilding

Fred Niehaus - Senior Vice President of Public Affairs, The Western Union Company

John Ozburn - Vice President of Human Resources, Tecta America Corp.

Christopher Sabatini - Senior Director of Policy, Americas Society and Council of the Americas

Susan Segal - President and CEO, Americas Society and Council of the Americas.
The new AS/COA white paper, U.S. Business and Hispanic Integration: Expanding the Economic Contributions of Immigrants, will demonstrate a collective commitment by private sector leaders to integrating immigrant communities and offer best practices for encouraging Hispanic workforce development and community integration. It features case studies of business’ efforts to facilitate and promote integration and highlights Hispanic contributions to the U.S. economy.

Funded by a grant from the Rockefeller Foundation, the AS/COA Hispanic Integration Initiative is engaging private-sector leaders in support of initiatives that promote Hispanic integration. Through meetings held in New York, NY, Atlanta, GA, and New Orleans, LA, we have brought nationally and locally-operating businesses together with public sector officials and community groups to exchange lessons learned and best practices. A National Business Council—companies at the forefront of integration efforts—anchors and provides guidance to the initiative. Findings document the many major U.S. corporations that already offer (or sponsor) programs that promote integration.
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Further information: Please contact Jorge Merino at  jmerino at as-coa.org or (202) 659-8989. For media inquires: Caitlin Miner-Le Grand, 212-277-8384,  cminerlegrand at as-coa.org
Americas Society is the premier forum dedicated to education, debate, and dialogue in the Americas. Its mission is to foster an understanding of the contemporary political, social, and economic issues confronting Latin America, the Caribbean, and Canada, and to increase public awareness and appreciation of the diverse cultural heritage of the Americas and the importance of the inter-American relationship.

The Council of the Americas is the premier international business organization whose members share a common commitment to economic and social development, open markets, the rule of law, and democracy throughout the Western Hemisphere. The Council’s membership consists of leading international companies representing a broad spectrum of sectors, including banking and finance, consulting services, consumer products, energy and mining, manufacturing, media, technology, and transportation.