Lourdes Aponte-Rosario

• President of Hispanic Business Women's Alliance -- (http://www.hbwa.net/) an international alliance of Hispanic women entrepreneurs that promotes and facilitates collaborative marketing among its members to help them grow their business faster. HBWA currently has active members in twelve countries, 26 States and over 2,000 Newsletter subscribers.

• Founder of Latina Marketplace.com - An Online U.S.
  Directory of Latina-Owned Businesses in the United States and Puerto Rico.

• Author of the workshop book in Spanish - Mujer: GUÍA DE TRABAJO para el Desarrollo de su Microempresa o Negocio

• President of the Women Entrepreneurs and Professionals Committee of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce (2001-2002)

• Has over twenty years of experience in the public relations and communications fields and has served as a consultant to private and public entities including the Governor's Office, the Puerto Rico Department of State, the Puerto Rico Society of Certified Public Accountants, and the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce.

• Prior to starting the Hispanic Business Women's Alliance and Latina Marketplace, she was president of the editorial board of Comercio & Producción the official publication of the Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce (PRCC), and served in various executive positions at the PRCC. 

• Also has served as moderator in numerous radio and television programs and authored many newspaper and magazine articles advocating the need to promote and support the establishment of women owned businesses. 

• Has made numerous presentations at business conferences in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Panama, the U.S. Virgin Islands, promoting the use of the Internet as a facilitator of commerce and eliminator of country borders. Her outreach efforts have helped forge business alliances and increased trade among businesswomen in these areas.

• Recipient of the prestigious U.S. Small Business Administration Women in Business National Champion Award in 2004

• Recognized by The Caribbean Business newspaper as one of the Powerful Businesswomen in Puerto Rico. 

• Recipient of the national award “Ana María Arias Memorial Business Fund Award”, offered by the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Wells Fargo Co. and Latina Style Magazine, on October 2, 2003. 

• Ms. Aponte-Rosario is a graduate of the University of Puerto Rico and also studied at Brookhaven College, in Dallas, TX