Senator Martinez Formerly Served as Secretary of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President George W. Bush
(WASHINGTON, D.C. ) — Senator Mel Martinez (R-FL), will be the featured speaker at the upcoming Latino Leaders Luncheon Series™, taking place from 12:00 pm-2:00 pm on Wednesday, March 5th at the St. Regis Hotel, 16th and K Streets, NW in Washington, DC. The series is a quarterly event hosted by Latino Leaders Network™ and founder, Mickey Ibarra, to provide a platform for prominent Latino leaders to share their personal story in achieving success.
Senator Martinez was elected as Senator for Florida in 2005. He is the first Cuban-American to serve in the United States Senate. Senator Martinez is also the former Secretary of Housing and Urban Development under President George W. Bush.
Senator Martinez currently sits on the Armed Services committee, the Banking, Housing and Urban Affairs committee, and the Energy and Natural Resources committee.
Martinez arrived in the United States from Cuba in 1962 fleeing the Communist dictatoriship. He was one of over 14,000 Cuban children in Operation Pedro Pan–a Catholic humanitarian effort that helped bring Cuban children to freedom. He lived with two foster families until he was reunited with his family in 1966. Martinez graduated from Florida State University College of Law in 1973. During his 25 years of law practice in Orlando, he was actively involved in community activities.
Before becoming Secretary of HUD, Martinez was the Mayor of Orange County (Orlando), Florida. He served on the Governor’s Growth Management Study Commission and he previously served as President of the Orlando Utilities Commission, and as Chairman of the Orlando Housing Authority. Martinez served as Co-Chairman of George W. Bush’s 2000 presidential campaign in Florida. He was also one of the 25 electors from Florida, which voted for George W. Bush in the 2000 election.
“We are delighted to welcome Senator Martinez to the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series™ and to present him with the Nambe Eagle Leadership Award for outstanding contributions to his community,” said Mickey Ibarra, Founder and Chairman of the Latino Leaders Network™. “His life story and his journey from Cuba to America is the embodiment of the American dream. His unwavering commitment to giving back to his community, first as HUD Secretary and now as the Senator from the State of Florida, is an inspiration to Hispanics nationwide.”
Verizon Communications and The Coca-Cola Company are sponsors of the luncheon, and Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. is the sponsor for the pre-luncheon reception. Media partners include the Hispanic Communications Network, HITN-TV, Latino Leaders Magazine, and El Tiempo Latino.
The first Latino Leaders Luncheon was held in 2004 and featured then Representative Bob Menendez. In 2005, speakers included Senator Ken Salazar and Representative John Salazar, brothers from Colorado currently serving in Congress, delivering joint keynote addresses; Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa delivering a keynote address just days after his historic 2005 victory; and Attorney General Alberto Gonzales headlining the luncheon in November. In 2006, the luncheon series featured Senator Bob Menendez; Texas State Senator Leticia Van de Putte; Father Virgilio Elizondo, a Hispanic Heritage Awardee; and actress Eva Longoria. In 2007, luncheon speakers included Governor Bill Richardson (D-NM), Oregon State Superintendent of Public Instruction Susan Castillo, NY Mets General Manager Omar Minaya, actor and youth advocate Wilmer Valderamma, and journalist Maria Hinojosa. Details and photos from each of these events are available on the Latino Leaders Network™ website (www.LatinoLeadersNetwork.org).
Latino Leaders Network™ (LLN) is a non-profit, 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to promote the social and economic advancement of the Latino community in the United States by developing opportunities for current and prospective Latino leaders to meet and dialogue on issues of concern. In addition to the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series™, other signature events supported by the LLN are the Latino Leaders Issue Hour and the Latino Mayors Tribute. Mickey Ibarra, Founder and Chair of LLN, is the President of Mickey Ibarra & Associates, a government relations and public affairs firm that hosts the events of the LLN. He served as Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs at the White House from 1997 to 2001. In addition to Mickey Ibarra, the Board of Directors of the Network includes: Michelle Minguez Moore, Executive Director; Maria Teresa Petersen, the founding Executive Director for Voto Latino; Raul L. Rubio, a government affairs consultant; Ruben Alvarez, co-founder and Managing Partner of the Molera Alvarez Group; and David Ibarra; a Utah business owner and founder of the Ibarra Foundation.
Notes: Participation in the Latino Leaders Luncheon Series™ is by invitation only. For more information, please contact Michelle Minguez Moore at 202-969-8777. Media wishing to cover the luncheon and/or the Issue Hour are asked to RSVP to Jennifer Devlin at 703-876-1714 or jennifer.devlin@cox.net. Press call time is 9:45 am for the Issue Hour and 12:00 pm for the luncheon.
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