Across the Board

Executives Gather to Learn about the Latino Buying Power. Greater Washington’s Latino community is the fastest growing population in the region. Chiqui Cartagena, author of Latino Boom!: Everything You Need to Know to Grow Your Business in the U.S. Hispanic Market, opened the Board of Trade's jam-packed Latino Buying Power Conference by explaining region’s Latino make-up and the business opportunities this population presents. Three panels followed – the first addressed the importance of making a sustained branding effort in the Latino community; the second emphasized building an emotional connection through the media and entertainment; and the final discussed how to recruit and retain employees who can reach the Latino community. Emilio Pardo, Chief Brand Officer for AARP, closed the conference by looking at trends in the Latino community, from marketing by life stage instead of traditional demographics, to using cellular technology to communicate, to "trans-creating" your message for various Latino audiences. Learn more about the conference and its key takeaways in the program summary.

Metro Dedicated Funding Gains Momentum. The Amtrak Reauthorization Bill, which includes $1.5 billion in Metro dedicated funding, is going to conference on Capitol Hill. Its movement is a positive step toward getting critically needed funds to support Metro's maintenance and expansion. The Board of Trade remains actively engaged in the legislation and will continue to update you on its progress. Questions?

Federal Employees Get Bump in Transit Reimbursement. Employees of the federal government will receive almost double the monthly reimbursement for riding Metro. The reimbursement, part of a bill that the US House of Representatives passed on June 26, gives the Greater Washington region $53.7 million in transportation grants over the next two years. The funds allow the Metro reimbursement to increase from $115 per month to $220 per month. Questions?

Board of Trade Launches Green Business Awards. The Greater Washington Board of Trade, in partnership with the Washington Business Journal, is pleased to announce the first annual Greater Washington Green Business Awards. The 2008 Green Business Awards recognize regional businesses that are leading the effort to incorporate environmentally sustainable practices into their businesses and community work. Categories range from innovation to green giving and nominations are due August 18. Nominate a business that is leading this region in green.

Executive Networks Accepting Applications. Executive Networks brings together business and civic leaders to discuss critical regional issues and is accepting applications for the Class of 2008. Through Executive Networks, a group of 30 established and rising executives and civic leaders gain meaningful connections and a broad knowledge of the challenges facing our region. The program meets six times over three months and includes dinners with alumni, a regional bus tour, a wine tasting and other networking opportunities. Applications are due August 8. Learn more and apply.

USAID Engages Business Leaders in Development Challenges. The US Agency for International Development (USAID) is working with corporations, foundations and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) to form public-private partnerships that address challenges in the developing world. USAID has almost 2,000 private sector partners, and together, the public and private sector have contributed more than $9 billion to the world's poorest countries. USAID's model for partnerships aligns the private sector's business interests with the US government's strategic development objectives in a country. As a result, partners share in the risk and rewards of investing in a developing country. To learn more about public-private partnerships, click here or email David Boyer, Director of the Global Development Alliance.

Be Part of the Region's Green Solution. Cool Capital is uniting the region to take a bite out of Greater Washington’s carbon dioxide emissions by Earth Day 2009. The nonprofit group is bringing together individuals, schools, congregations, businesses, governments and other institutions to become more energy-efficient, save money and reduce carbon emissions. Cool Capital has already collected 1 billion pounds of carbon reduction pledges from individuals and businesses, including Board of Trade members Cassidy & Pinkard Colliers, Downtown BID Corporation, Shakespeare Theater Company, SAIC and Zipcar. Learn more and join the challenge.

Life in the Fast Lane - With Appreciation. Many Board of Trade members know our General Manager Roxanne Rukowicz as the person who demonstrates a constant commitment to excellence and attention to detail. She has done this every day for more than seven years here, and it shows in our work and in the way we accommodate our members at our special events and more. Now she is making a move to pursue her dream of starting her own event planning company and will be leaving the Board of Trade on July 11 to take that next step. Her first client, the “Audi Driving Experience,” an international race-track based high-performance driving program, will take her to several states throughout the country this summer and early fall. After which she will return to her home to DC to focus her efforts on building her business in Greater Washington.

We express deep appreciation, on behalf of the entire Greater Washington Board of Trade, to Roxanne for her tireless dedication to this organization and its members across the region. We are better because of her and so is the Greater Washington region. For a few more weeks, here is her email if you want to join us in sending best wishes to RoxanneRukowicz@bot.org.