Baltimore, MD  - The 13th Annual Maryland Hispanic Business Conference (MDHBC) flaunts its dynamic line-up of speakers who will be featured at the September 2 event at the Bethesda North Marriott Hotel & Conference Center.

The conference kicks off at 8:00am with a special ribbon cutting ceremony with the State’s top officials. During the breakfast, attendees will hear from Maryland’s Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown, Montgomery County Executive Isiah “Ike” Leggett, Carmina Perez-Fowler, assistant secretary, MBE compliance and procurement at the Governor’s Office of Minority Affairs and Steve Silverman, director of Montgomery County Department of Economic Development. Alejandro Negrón will take the stage as emcee for a second year in a row.

In a groundbreaking ceremony, the Hispanic Chamber leaders will sign a historic memorandum of understanding between their organization and the MDHBC, strengthening ties between the entities. Representatives include: Melvin Mora, president, Baltimore Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Angela Franco, president, Greater Washington Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; Enrique Melendez, president, Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce; and Henry Bonilla, president, Salvadoran American Chamber of Commerce of the Washington, D.C
The Hispanic Stellar Award luncheon features Republican Gubernatorial Candidate Larry Hogan, Congressman Christopher "Chris" Van Hollen and the recipients of the Latina Powerhouse, American Dream and Negocio del Año Awards will be unveiled for the first time. “This year’s conference brings together notable political leaders, the State’s vibrant business sector and region’s most respectable media outlets,” said Luis Borunda MDHBC Chairman.

The conference, laced with powerful educational seminars, help professionals and entrepreneurs take their businesses to the next level. Here’s a sampling of the speakers: Tony Jimenez president and CEO of MicroTech, Julio C. Parra, president and CEO of Parra Consulting Group, Inc; Nicole Quiroga, general manager of Telemundo WZDC Washington, D.C. and WZTD in Richmond; Anthony Ruiz, assistant district director of business development/8(a) at the U.S. Small Business Administration and Mauricio Vera, director of the U.S. Agency for International Development’s (USAID) Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization.

This year’s event will conclude with a bang. The “networking happy hour,” sponsored by Latin Opinion Baltimore Newspaper celebrating its ten years of service, will showcase its newest publication. The cocktail event, from 4:30pm to 7:30pm, allows attendees to network and mingle with top entrepreneurs over food, drinks and music from the award-winning, Latin female group Las Chicas del Sabor Tropical.

This year, the general public can come to the exhibition hall at no cost, and meet with sponsors, exhibitors and media partners. Please visit our website for the full conference schedule, registration information and more.