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The Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has named partner Luis Aguilar its Member of the Year for 2005 in recognition of his outstanding contributions in the progress and development of business in the Hispanic community, as well as his community and charitable efforts.
"Luis is one of the pre-eminent corporate attorneys and business leaders in Georgia and an invaluable resource to the Hispanic business community nationwide," said Teresa Palacios Smith, chair of the Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce's Blue Ribbon Committee which selected the award recipient. "He has used his talents as an attorney to propel the growth of scores of Hispanic-owned and other businesses and has advised executives at some of the largest corporations in the nation."
Earlier this year, Luis received the Mexican American Legal Defense and Education Fund (MALDEF) Excellence in Leadership Award. MALDEF is the nation's premier Latino civil rights agency, and it gives this award for outstanding business and civic leadership in the Hispanic community.
According to HispanTelligence, the number of Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States is expected to grow 55 % in the next six years to 3.2 million. An IRS report predicts that one out of every 10 small businesses will be Hispanic by the year 2007. The buying power of Georgia's Hispanic population is growing faster than any segment of the state's economy, jumping 710 % to $10.9 billion in the past 14 years. (Selig Center for Economic Growth, University of Georgia, August 2004).
Luis was presented with the award at the 17th Annual Georgia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Awards Gala on June 25. The audience of 1,000-plus attendees is considered the largest event reaching the Hispanic market in the state of Georgia.
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