T H E O F F I C I A L M A G A Z I N E O F T H E H I S PA N I C C H A M B E R O F C O M M E R C E O F M E T R O P O L I TA N S T. L O U I S
S P R IN G 2013
pg.
4
Don’t Lose
Your Business to Cybercriminals
S p on s or e d by E n te r p r is e B a n k & T rust
pg.
6
AT&T’s Sustainability
Efforts to Build a Brighter Future
pg.
8
Spotlight:
Astrid Garcia
The Hispanic Chamber is committed to creating a better region for all who live and work here, and with your involvement we can continue to help shape the future! Dear Member /Readers, The Hispanic Chamber has been busy to say the least! Already this year, we have held a successful Job and Business Fair that connected job seekers with area employers, celebrated our communal impact on helping shape the future for the St. Louis region at our Adelante Awards, and saw another class graduate from our Latino Leadership Institute! This year one of our programs, the Latino Leadership Institute, (LLI), was recognized by FOCUS St. Louis at their What’s Right with the Region Awards, winning the award for its role in improving racial equality and helping ensure social justice. I would like to reiterate my gratitude towards all of our members for not only helping us grow the LLI, but for helping us make all of our events and programs a great success. The Hispanic Chamber is committed to creating a better region for all who live and work here, and with your involvement we can continue to help shape the future! But our work for the year is not done! We have several noteworthy upcoming events. Please be on the lookout for our Hispanic Speaker Series which will be held this summer. The keynote speaker for this event is sure to be a dynamic
2
spring 2013 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
one, as the past speakers at this event have included Consuelo Madere, Senator Martin Sandoval (D-IL), George Paz and Linda Martinez. We will share details as this event is planned. Also, the HCC STL Foundation Golf Classic will be held on Thursday, September 12 at the Norman K. Probstein course at Forest Park. As anyone who has played in this tournament before can attest, this event is a lot of fun- one you will not want to miss! In addition to our special events, we also have our monthly Educational Forum series as well as our Business After Hours events. All of the information for these events is listed on our website – www.hccstl.com. I encourage you to participate in these, as they are a great way to take advantage of your Hispanic Chamber membership and connect with business leaders in the community. Thank you for your continued support, Karlos Ramirez Executive Director
Welcome New Members! By joining, the following individuals and companies have decided to make an investment in the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and our community at large. We encourage you to find out more about them and, whenever possible, to use their services. If you would like more information about any of these individuals or organizations, please contact us at: 314.664.4432
S P R I N G 2013
4
Don’t Lose Your Business to Cybercriminals
6
AT&T’s Sustainability Efforts to Build a Brighter Future
8
Spotlight: Astrid Garcia
9
The Importance of Networking
10
Is Your Company Message Missing the Mark?
12
Social Media: Fun for fans… Serious for business
13
Defending Elders Against Financial Crimes
14
The American Dream and the New Real Estate Market
15
Welcoming the Stranger
©
Alberto del Pilar
©
AMDOCS – Friend Level
©
American General Life & Accident Insurance
©
Amigos Cantina
©
Betsy Cohen
©
Boy Scouts of America – Greater St. Louis Area
©
Brydie Construction
©
Don Carlos Restaurant
©
Edward Jones - Bronze Level
©
El Torito Supermercado y Restaurante
©
Elizabeth “Lyzi” Ramirez
©
English Tutoring Project
©
Facilitec Corporate Furnishings – Friend Level
©
Guarantee Electrical Company – Friend Level
©
Jaime Levy Moreno
©
La Cantina
©
Laredo on Lafayette Square
©
Lowe’s Home Improvement - Friend Level
©
Ministerio Apostolico Plantio del Señor
©
Pepsi Beverages Company – Silver Level
©
Purk & Associates PC
©
Republic Services - Friend Level
©
St. Louis Association of REALTORS
©
Tania Interian Agency LLC
©
Teresa Allgeyer
©
The Salvation Army
©
Voices for Children
©
YWCA Metro St. Louis
3
Don’t Lose Your Business to Cybercriminals Partner with your business bank to protect your company’s assets
By Enterprise Bank & Trust —Rich Watson
A
s a business owner, you are faced with taking risks in order to create a successful organization. Often times, financial challenges are at the top of the list. In today’s world, this includes combating cybercriminals. According to cyber security firm Symantec, “31 percent of all targeted attacks are now directed at those with 250 employees or less, a threefold increase from 2011. Cybercriminals are attacking smaller businesses because they often lack sufficient protection, writes Symantec expert Andy Singer on the company’s blog.”1 Finding a progressive banking partner who can give you the tools and knowledge to help you combat cybercrime can be critical to your financial success.
Identifying the Cyber Criminal
4
So who are these cyber criminals? Today’s cyber criminals who are trying to “hack” or obtain unauthorized access to your accounts are purely motivated by financial gain. These criminals have the organization and funding necessary to execute a well-orchestrated attack. Businesses have a “bulls-eye” on their accounts. Cyber criminals are electronically initiating fraudulent transactions by using stolen online credentials. These activities are described as corporate account takeovers (CAT). According to the 2013 Symantec Incident Security Report, “Computer security specialists say these crimes, called “corporate account takeovers,” have become increasingly common, and small businesses are especially easy prey because many lack firewalls and monitoring systems.”2 Unfortunately, social engineering or “people hacking” techniques such as “phishing” or tricking someone into opening up
spring 2013 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
malicious attachments or clicking links are still effective as the “human being” has always been the weakest link in the security chain. One misstep by a single employee at a business can be the path where the cyber-thief enters an organization, installing malware surreptitiously, and remotely capturing every keystroke by the employee. Companies are vulnerable to “phishing” as employees are curious and/or often fail to take the time necessary to recognize the bait in the ruse. If an employee clicks a phishing link or opens an attachment, malware may be installed, particularly if the employee’s software is outdated. An organization can reduce the likelihood of malware infections by regularly patching operating systems, applications, browsers, and other helper applications and browser add-ons. However, patching requires frequent attention and can be overlooked — especially by businesses that either have no IT department or rely on a third party. Ways to Partner with Your Business Bank
By joining forces, you and your Bank can work together to combat cybercrime. For example, the Bank can implement certain controls for clients with a higher risk of fraud, such as commercial clients with ACH/wire capabilities. One such control involves requiring two ways to authenticate users within online banking. Relying solely on a user login and password is no longer sufficient in the internet banking world. A login/password is considered single factor authentication — “something you know”. Multi-factor authentication includes a second factor —“something you have” — such as receiving an out of band (OOB) code. Out of band is defined as receiving information or a code using a different method of communication. Instead of receiving it via an internet medium such as email, the code is sent to your phone by text or voice message. Linking your phone with online banking has proven to be effective in reducing the likelihood of corporate account takeovers. An analogy to multifactor
something you know
+
something you HAVE
Multi Factor Authentication authentication is using an ATM. Something you have — your debit card and something you know — your PIN. New monitoring technologies are available to banks to help combat fraud. These systems help detect unusual login behavior or suspicious transaction details. For example, if the typical behavior of a user is to login from St. Louis using a Windows 7 pc with Firefox and suddenly 30 minutes later, a login is noted from the Ukraine using Windows XP pc with Internet Explorer, the system can alert the bank to a potential problem. Or if most wires are sent within the United States during Central Standard Time business hours and an overnight wire is initiated to be sent to the Ukraine, the bank can be notified of that unusual activity for further confirmation. These types of monitoring tools are just another layer of defense in the battle against electronic fraud. Ways to Protect Your Business Against Cybercrime
As banks implement new controls to combat ever more sophisticated threats, the other half of the equation is based on the controls you establish at your workplace. One additional layer may be dual authorization. Dual authorization requires two separate employees to be involved in drafting and confirming an ACH or wire. This reduces risk to the organization from
an outside attack or insider threats. With dual authorization, two users of two different devices must touch the transaction. Typically, the first user drafts the transaction; the second user authorizes or confirms the transaction. Another way to reduce the risk of cyber-attacks includes setting daily limits on transactional amounts based on your normal activity. If you don’t anticipate ever transacting more than $40,000 in ACH per day, then have a limit set at that amount. You can also do this for daily wire activity. Setting alerts, whether email or text, on sensitive security functions will keep you in the know about activities within your online banking environment. For example, you can set up an alert to receive a message when an incorrect password has been entered. Or you can receive an alert when a new user has been created in your online banking platform. Finally one of the best ways to combat cybercrime is to use a dedicated computer to perform your financial activities. This computer should be restricted to only access your banking websites — no email, web surfing or other activities. This reduces the risk of phishing or visiting a “drive by download” malware website. In summary, cybercrime is a real threat to the financial success of
your business. You should expect a banking partner who works with you to mitigate cyber risks. Most banks offer products that follow regulatory guidance for high-risk transactional systems such as online banking. Out of band at the login and transactional levels helps reduce the risk of fraudulent activity occurring. Within your workplace, consider adding additional layers such as setting limits, configuring alerts, employing dual authorization and even using a dedicated computer for banking. Banding together, you and your Bank have a better chance of stopping fraud in the ever changing world of cybercrime. For additional resources, please visit the security and/or fraud section on your bank’s website. “The views expressed in this article are those of the author personally, and do not necessarily represent the views of, and should not be attributed to, Enterprise Bank & Trust.” 1
http://www.symantec.com/connect/blogs/ smbs-no-longer-invisible-bad-guys
2
http://www.symantec.com/content/en/us/ enterprise/other_resources/b-istr_main_ report_v18_2012_21291018.en-us.pdf
Rich Watson is Vice President of Information Security for Enterprise Bank & Trust. He manages the information security for banks’ locations in St. Louis, Kansas City and Phoenix. Rich can be contacted at rwatson@enterprisebank.com.
5
AT&T’s Sustainability Efforts to Build a Brighter Future for St. Louis and Missouri
By John Sondag, President — AT&T Missouri
R
ecently, AT&T was humbled to learn that it ranked No.1 in CR Magazine’s 2013 annual list of Top Corporate Citizens. This recognition honors AT&T’s progress and comprehensive approach to sustainability; and, it recognizes that our efforts are most effective when they’re integrated across company operations, benefitting both the community and our shareholders. Our company has been serving communities for over 130 years, and we understand the interconnectedness of the success of our company and a strong society. At AT&T, dedication to citizenship and sustainability is a way of doing business that fully appreciates our company’s impact on society, and the impact that social issues have on our business. How we integrate the concerns of our communities into our business strategies helps strengthen and create shared value among us. Sustainability can’t be defined as a single program or token initiative. It’s an explicit and defined aspect of who we are as a company and how we run our business. It’s an obligation to operate better and smarter — and to run our business in a way that makes sense for both our company and our world. AT&T organizes its sustainability initiatives into three focus areas, which reflect the issues we feel embody our commitment: people and community, environment, and technology. I’ve included at least one example of each below. Please visit www.att.com/sustainability to learn more. People and Community
6
People matter — to each other, to our communities and to our company. This has been one of our core beliefs for 136 years and always will be. Our
spring 2013 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
workforce, our business and the communities that we serve are all stronger because of it. AT&T has a strong legacy with organizations focused on community empowerment. In 2012 alone, we invested $23.9 million in organizations across the country that serve the Hispanic community. In that same year, AT&T contributed more than $939,000 to the Saint Louis community. More than one million high school students (25 percent) fail to graduate with their class. Through AT&T Aspire — our signature education initiative specifically focused on high school retention and workforce readiness — we are working to reverse this trend. We launched Aspire in 2008 with an initial $100 million commitment to the program. We met this commitment in 2011, and a few months later we announced an additional $250 million commitment to the program. AT&T Aspire has already impacted more than one million students in Missouri and the other 49 states. Additionally, AT&T’s commitment to diversity was recognized by DiversityInc.’s Top 50 Companies for Diversity survey. We ranked #1 for supplier diversity and #3 for Latinos. AT&T and its predecessor companies have been recognized every year since the survey’s inception in 2001. In St. Louis, AT&T is proud to have been recognized as the 2013 Hispanic Business Advocate of the Year. Environment
At AT&T we take pride in our environmental sustainability initiatives. We are committed to responsible business practices—whether by recycling your used devices, working with suppliers
AT&T has a strong legacy with organizations focused on community empowerment. In 2012 alone, we invested $23.9 million in organizations across the country that serve the Hispanic community. In that same year, AT&T contributed more than $939,000 to the Saint Louis community.
to develop a more eco-conscious supply chain, or investing in alternative energy sources. Finding cleaner, more efficient methods of powering our vehicles is important for this country’s economy, security and environment. With one of the largest commercial fleets in the U.S., AT&T knows that we need to be part of the solution. In 2009, AT&T made a commitment to invest up to $565 million to deploy approximately 15,000 alternativefuel vehicles over a 10-year period through 2018. To date, we have 213 alternative fleet vehicles in Missouri, 50 of which are in Saint Louis. Technology
We are dedicated to empowering our customers to use our technology in a safe and responsible manner, and that’s why AT&T launched our It Can Wait campaign in 2009. Texting while driving is involved in more than 100,000 vehicular crashes each year. The It Can Wait campaign is based on one simple yet vital message: When it comes to texting and driving, no text is worth a life or injury. It can wait. More than 1.3 million no-texting-while-driving pledges have been logged through ItCanWait. com, social sites including Facebook, text-topledge and events. The AT&T DriveMode app has been downloaded more than 125,000 times. We encourage you to join the movement and visit www.ItCanWait.com.
program. DOT is an invitation to employees to think about their daily actions and pick one change they can make that will have a positive impact on themselves, their community and/or the company. It breaks that scary “s” word (sustainability) down for employees to a simple action, like turning off their computer screen when logging off at night, recycling soda cans, volunteering once a month, exercising or signing up a customer for paperless billing. But the real beauty of DOT is its ability to create culture change. After all, once you start engaging your employees to change behaviors, they will push the company to do the same. The simplicity of DOT allows it to stir up a little counter programming while respecting the boundaries of your company’s current culture. From announcing a quarter-billion-dollar expansion of AT&T Aspire, to working with the Environmental Defense Fund to reduce our water use, to breaking a Guinness World Record for cell phone recycling — 2012 was a busy year for AT&T. But we know that to make real progress on sustainability, we need others and we need to engage a global community to be part of our sustainability efforts. Therefore, we hope you will take the time to consider citizenship and sustainability initiatives within your own companies and communities and join us in our efforts to build a brighter future for St. Louis and Missouri.
Do One Thing (DOT) – Sustainability Made Simple
Finally, one of the more scalable initiatives that AT&T engages in, which can be an option for businesses of all sizes is the Do One Thing (DOT)
7
Member Spotlight
Astr i d Ga r c i a
Astrid Garcia is the Vice President of Human Relations, Labor and Operations, for the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. She is responsible for the human resources function, as well as labor negotiations, the manufacturing functions and information technology. Prior to settling in St. Louis, Astrid grew up in Puerto Rico. She received her BA from Barnard College Columbia University, New York, and her JD from Brooklyn Law School, New York.
Astrid is a past president of the National Association of Minority Media Executives and a McCormick Fellow. She sits on the board of various organizations in St Louis, including the YMCA, the Urban League and the United Way.
IN HER WORDS…. What values have you picked up on the road to success? ASTRID GARCIA: The career paradigm has shifted. No longer are individuals going to school, picking out a career path, and working with the same company their entire life. Nowadays you have to charter your own path. When I went to school I didn’t think I would be working in the labor field, let alone get a law degree. All I knew was that I wanted to do something where I had an impact. The biggest value I have picked up as I charter my own path is that you need to let your work ethic speak for you. If you do your job well, are passionate about it, and always strive to do more, people will take chances on you and give you more responsibilities. When I entered the labor force, not a lot of women would do labor negotiation work. I got traditional women and minority stereotypes at first from management and unions. However, I let my work show my capabilities, and with that I proved those stereotypes wrong.
Where do you see Latinos within St. Louis 10 years from now? ASTRID GARCIA: Latinos in St. Louis are growing by leaps and bounds. I am involved with the RCGA, and we are always trying to get businesses and talented individuals to St. Louis. One of the things I have
8
realized about Latinos within St. Louis is that there are a lot of highly educated Latino professionals already here! I am really pleased with organizations such as the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce that are doing a great job in growing and helping individuals network within the community. Organizations like the HCC have been a catalyst for bringing people together. The HCC along with partnering organizations such as the Regional Business Council are doing a wonderful job at making not only Hispanics, but all professionals more visible within the St. Louis region. This visibility will only help St. Louis attract more individuals to the region, along with increase the visibility of Latinos within the St. Louis professional community.
What is some advice you have for the Latina’s out there? ASTRID GARCIA: I encourage all young people looking to make a name for themselves to stay positive. I advise you all to do the best job you can do every day and then do more, always do more, never lose the thirst for more responsibility. The key to success is to be helpful to the organization that you work for. Being helpful can mean a lot of different things, but at the end of the day if your actions make the organization thrive, then you will be noticed. Specifically for the Latina’s, I think that there are certain negative stereotypes about us that are still out there, but as the years go by there are less and less. You need to know that true business people just want to know that an individual can do the job, they don’t care whether the person is green, Black, or Latino. If you are an asset to that organization you will flourish. With that being said, you need to remember that your success relies on your preparation, flexibility, and your thirst for responsibility. I have been very impressed with the Latinas that I have met that are in the workforce or are aspiring to be in the work force. More of us are entering the workforce, and as more of us enter, now more than ever, we need to network with each other. We need to become the next generation of mentors for the younger generation.
The purpose of the “Spotlight” column is to highlight notable Hispanics that are members of the Hispanic Chamber. We want to share their stories, their history and why they love to call St. Louis home. If you have a suggestion for a “Spotlight” column, please call 314.664.4432.
spring 2013 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The Importance of
Networking By Michael Walsh — Eagle Bank & Trust
A
s a college athlete, whenever I had a bad game and found myself struggling and playing beneath my skill level, I would spend the next few practices focusing on basic skills. It’s no secret that this was, and still is, something all athletes do; and the higher their level, the more the athlete understands the value of the most basic skills of the game. This principle applies to business as well.
In business, and in life, I have found networking to be an essential skill. Recently, I spent several weeks brushing up on my networking abilities through a six-week seminar on Bob Burg’s book The Go Giver. St. Louis resident, former Anheuser Busch Executive, and certified Go Giver coach, Bill Ellis presented the seminar and challenged me to redefine my network by answering two basic questions: 1. What is a network? 2. How do I grow my network? Your network is a group of people who know you, trust you, and want to see you succeed. As well, you are invested in their success and want to see them succeed. While the definition is quite simple, the application is not. For example, in the banking industry many of us try to farm referrals from CPAs and lawyers. Generally speaking though, this methodology is flawed because it lacks half of the equation; we aren’t actively interested in seeing the CPA or lawyer’s business succeed. We’re asking for business when we should be asking how we can improve theirs. As a result, the relationship is one-sided and unstable. To successfully grow our network and ultimately our business, we need to switch our focus.
In the Go Giver Burg and Mann write, “your income is determined by how many people you serve and how well you serve them.” Burg and Mann’s Law of Compensation focuses on giving and serving as opposed to getting and receiving. Imagine if a banker started the relationship with a CPA or lawyer by trying to learn, understand, and improve their business or by sending them a referral instead of taking them out to lunch and asking for one! Your participation in the Hispanic Chamber is a great example as well. You have the opportunity to share your knowledge and experience with other entrepreneurs to help them learn from mistakes and improve their business. Other ways to expand your network include participating in groups like BNI, serving on the board of directors for not for profits, or even volunteering in the community. To grow our network and our business, we must serve more people with our focus on giving. We must also do this with sincerity, integrity and without the expectation of reciprocity. As you do this, you will expand your network as more people know and trust you. They will want to see you succeed. Michael Walsh is President & CEO of Eagle Bank and Trust.
9
Is Your Company Message Missing the Mark
by Martha Garcia-Kampen
Perhaps you have spent thousands of dollars on various forms of advertising; sales programs, website development and social media communications — and you are still not seeing the results you need. Are you sure your message is hitting the mark with your best prospects?
M
any times business owners and leaders invest significant resources to assure they are communicating their brand’s message through the various marketing mediums available. It seems everyone has been sprinting to the latest mobile, internet and social media marketing opportunities. But a larger question is: How much thought, objective research and preparation has gone into validating the MESSAGE that is going out? A follow-up question is: To whom is your message best suited? I like to think in terms of your “Ideal Client.”
10
We came to a client of a service firm who had spent several thousand dollars in advertising and internet marketing, but still was not getting the response he was expecting. We conducted an assessment of their leadership, their frontline staff and conducted phone surveys and a few focus groups of a sampling of their clients. We found that what they thought the customer wanted, and what the front-line customer service/sales personnel were promoting (namely “superior quality and high-end facilities”) was a completely different value proposition than what the client really wanted – which was “comfort and security.” They were completely missing the
spring 2013 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
mark with their ad and social media messages. Even their website was designed in a way that was off-target to what their clients were looking for and needing from them. When is the last time you conducted an in-depth customer survey or asked your client profile about their perception of your product, service, brand or company? In this economic climate of savvy and educated consumers, it is more critical than ever to make sure your company has fully assessed the VALUE proposition of your product/service and to WHOM that service is best suited. Brand loyalty can never be assumed. There are just too many options for your customers to consider, with competitors constantly barraging them with additional incentives to try their brand instead of yours. So how does a company assure an effective Message? Here is a quick guideline: 1. It starts with a full understanding of the Value your product/service provides to your best (“ideal”) customer. As you can see, it is both an internal and external issue. It’s one thing to think your product offers XYZ value to your customer, but if those who purchase from you (or should be purchasing from you) don’t agree, or see a
different reason to purchase, then your message will be off-target. 2. The follow-up question to #1 is: “How do I know?” It has been my experience that many business owners and leaders make broad assumptions about their customer base. They think they know why a customer purchases from them, but they do not ask to assure their hunch is accurate. Even when asked directly, customers will many times tell you what they think you want to hear, but that does not necessarily reflect their real motives and intentions toward future purchases. 3. Another question to ask is, “What is most important to my ideal customer?” What are their problems, challenges, alternatives when it comes to my product/service? Really get in their world and understand their psyche as much as possible. Remember, it’s the emotional drivers that drive a consumer toward a decision for YOUR product/ service — or not. 4. Test the Message options. If you have not done so already, please secure a group of customers or
“
How much thought, objective research and preparation has gone into validating the MESSAGE that is going out?
”
close clients who you can turn to for honest and relevant advice and feedback. This “Advisory Board” can provide great insight and perhaps a fresh, new perspective of your company’s message. They are also an excellent source for new product/service ideas, improvements to operations, distribution and effective promotion methods. All the money in the world will go to waste in flashy, sexy, high-tech communications methods IF YOUR MESSAGE IS IRRELEVANT. It is worth the time, and small percentage of your marketing resources, to first examine what is important, relevant, and emotionally engaging to your ideal customers, and then carefully develop a message that hits them in their mind, gut… and heart!
About Martha Garcia-Kampen: First-generation Mexican-American, Martha Garcia Kampen was raised bilingually and bi-culturally. Having studied in Guadalajara, Mexico, Martha launched her career in Hispanic Marketing to the U.S. With extensive experience in Marketing research, planning and implementation, Garcia Kampen provides Generational & Cultural Strategic Marketing consultation to businesses, Educational development on cross-cultural communications and trains corporate leaders and teams in the areas of Inclusion & Diversity. Contact Info: Kampen Consultants, LLC 745 Craig Road, Suite 212, St. Louis, MO 63141. 888-887-6536. Martha@kampen.com; www.kampen.com
11
Social Media:
Fun for fans… Serious for business
Social media — fun for fans, serious for business. It is now a part of the way we communicate with one another. The different platforms are integrated into most company’s marketing plans even if there is still doubt among some if the time invested really does impact the bottom line. The truth is it does make a difference. Just look at these numbers: According to a 2011 study by consultancy Bain & Co., customers who are part of a firm’s Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn or other online social fan base spend 20 percent to 40 person more than average customers. For your business, you need a plan to reach out and engage your current and prospective customers: • Know why you are using Social Media to engage customers. It’s back to the basics: When you are responding to a customer’s inquiry or live tweeting from an event, know why you are doing it. What is your goal to engage the individual? Is it to build brand know-how, encourage product sampling, list to shoppers, probe for new ideas, build a buzz, hold on to fans, etc.? Understand the reason to engage. The more focused the engagement the better online relationships that will be built with current and potential customers. • Be a source of information. Teach: Position your company as a source of information, ideas and enjoyment that goes beyond the specific products and services your company sells and provides. For example, if your company sells fishing gear, share information not only about your product or service but also about how guests can improve their skills and enhance their enjoyment of fishing by providing links to videos on how to fly fish, links to web sites with the best fishing areas in the Midwest, and information on what to pack for a fishing trip if you are new to the sport. Share your expertise. Be a source where people will continually come back for more information. • Rate it and track your results: You should be able to capture hard numbers by tracking the number of hits
12
to your company web site using Google Analytics before and after using a social media platform to monitor your company’s progress. Like other marketing tools, you’ll need to modify your strategies as you proceed and become more experienced with engaging customers. You may not see any positive immediate return on your investment until the second year. • Build a core fan base and let them do the talking: Build a strong core base of social media fans and they can create the buzz for you. It is better to have 10 actively engaged fans on Twitter with whom you interact frequently than to have 100 Twitter followers who don’t respond to any of your Tweets. For example, Lady Gaga, the influential mega-entertainer, has more than 37 million Twitter fans. It would be impossible for one person to personally engage that many followers, and she doesn’t. Instead, she focuses on the top 1 percent of her fan base because she knows that they will help communicate her message by retweeting her Tweets to their fans and commenting on her Tweets. It’s a cascading effect. • Manage your company’s social media accounts from the inside: The best way to ensure that your company’s brand and core values are consistently and effectively communicated is to keep your social media in-house. This isn’t to say that outside experts shouldn’t be consulted for strategic counsel and a fresh perspective. It is just a way to better manage your online presence when you or one of your employees is able to understand your product and service and provide the right responses required to build a following. Engaging your current and potential customer base through social media will pay off in the long run. It’s no longer a new or different way for companies to communicate with customers. Now it is expected. It doesn’t have to be complicated as long as you know what it is that you want to share to drive your business.
Ann Marie Mayuga is a partner with AMM Communications, LLC, and is a member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis. Founded in 2008, AMM Communications LLC, public relations, marketing and training agency of St. Louis, Missouri, provides PR, business development, crisis communications, content marketing, internal communications, executive training, marketing, media relations, reputation management, and search consulting. AMM Communications works with small- and mid-sized businesses nationwide. From 2010-2012, the agency was voted as one of the top 25 St. Louis public relations firms by the readers of Small Business Monthly. For more information, please navigate to http://ammcommunications.com or call 314.485.9499.
spring 2013 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Defending Elders Against Financial Crimes By Tom Lennartz, First Vice President — Investment Officer in Clayton Financial crimes against older Americans are on the rise. According to the 2010 Investor Protection Trust (IPT) Elder Fraud Survey, more than 7 million older Americans — one out of every five citizens over the age of 65 — have already been victimized by a financial swindle. What can you do to protect yourself, or to help someone in your life who may be vulnerable just because of age? Proactive Protection
Taking a few precautions now can help defend against fraud in later life:
social life or spending habits, ask about the reasons for the shift. Sidestepping Fraud with Savvy
Perhaps the most important defense is simply making yourself and those around you aware of the possibility of fraud. It can be subtle and may rely on your urge to help or provide a quick answer; for example, someone who claims to be calling from your attorney’s address to request your Social Security number may not be legitimate. Fraud snags its victims by several means — through the mail, through telemarketing, and even through social media. In particular, beware of:
1. Organize your estate. No matter how old you are, it’s a good idea to update and organize all your financial • “Free” gifts. Steer away from vacations or prizes that documentation, including your will, financial powers require payment, “postage-and-handling” fees, or of attorney, real estate deeds, insurance policies, personal information in order to be claimed. pension and trust documents, birth and marriage certificates, and Social Security paperwork. Maintaining • Claims of health cures and diets. If it sounds too good an organized file, and helping others (such as a parent, to be true, it probably is. If you have any questions, ask uncle or close friend) do the same, can make it easier to your doctor. spot the inconsistencies and red flags that could signal financial abuse. • Fake contests, prizes, lotteries, chain letters, insurance deals, and franchise and work-at-home 2. Make a list of financial contacts. Bankers, insurance schemes. These can be sent from email addresses agents, attorneys, accountants, stockbrokers, and other that look familiar to you. If a message looks like a professionals should be on it. Share your list with your form letter, delete it. Financial Advisor and with family members you trust. • Social networking “friend” requests from unfamiliar 3. Keep a watchful eye. An older person could be at parties. Limit your online circle to close friends and risk for fraud if he or she feels socially isolated, has family. When in doubt, steer clear. suffered a recent loss, or has physical or mental disabilities. Be especially vigilant if the individual For more information about types of fraud, or to report a is unfamiliar with his or her finances or has family suspicious offer, contact the National Fraud Information members who are struggling financially or have Center at 800-876-7060. substance abuse problems. Look out for financial And of course, talking to your Financial Advisor can mishandling, which can include anything from the help raise your awareness of how the elderly might be use of property or belongings without permission to targeted by others. Get the information you need to help persuading someone to sign a deed, will, or power of protect the assets you and your family members have attorney through deception or coercion. If you notice worked a lifetime to earn. any sudden changes in your family member’s health, This article was written by Wells Fargo Advisors and provided courtesy of Tom Lennartz, First Vice President — Investment Officer in Clayton at (314) 726-5050. Investments in securities and insurance products are: NOT FDIC-INSURED/NOT BANK-GUARANTEED/MAY LOSE VALUE Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC, Member SIPC, is a registered broker-dealer and a separate non-bank affiliate of Wells Fargo & Company. ©2013 Wells Fargo Advisors, LLC. All rights reserved. 0113-04630 [90324-v1] 01/13
13
The American Dream & The New Real Estate Market By Anna Ramos
A
s an immigrant, I have had the opportunity to go through countless experiences, some nicer than others, but all of them saturated with knowledge. There is common ground when speaking about moving into a new country. Regardless of the reasons why you become an immigrant and leave behind countries, friends, families, traditions, culture, and habits, just to mention a few things, represents the biggest challenge ever for each member of the family. The list of challenges when arriving to a new country simply goes on and on. Patience and disposition to adapt to the new life become common factors, regardless of your country of origin. The New Year started with great news about Real Estate. A slow, solid path to recovery has started, which should also contribute to grow the challenging economy of the United States. Depressed markets, like California, Florida, and Nevada, have shown encouraging growth, bringing new investors, home owners, and fresh money to areas that have struggled for the past several years. Missouri was not impacted as other states, but the home owners still went through difficult times. Many lost their houses, and had to face a new reality; for others, the “bubble” became the first opportunity to homeownership and to start living the so called American Dream. Although Hispanics were not excluded from the list, some segments showed a lower rate of foreclosures, and even increased the percentage of new homeownership, based on the information provided by the Census Bureau, Home Mortgage Disclosure Act, and the Federal Housing Finance Agency, among other sources. Between St Louis County, St Louis City, and St Charles County, there are over one million Hispanics residing in the area, and the numbers only show growing trends for the years to come. Do we all have the same interests? Do all words have the same meaning, regardless of our nationality? Undoubtedly, the answer is no. Our community is growing exponentially, meanwhile generously opening the doors to promising business opportunities, with Real Estate and Employment as the initial steps to ensure growth and stability.
14
Hispanics tend to approach housing from a different perspective. According to the PEW Hispanic Center survey, within Latinos, 83% consider homeownership the best long term investment in the U.S. The number of Hispanic homeowners grew from 4.24 million in 2000 to 6.69 million in 2012, a remarkable increase of 58% at a time when the rest of the U.S. population saw a net increase of only 5 percent as stated in the 2012 Homeownership Report, from the National Hispanic Real Estate Professionals.
spring 2013 HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Within the many factors directly impacting Hispanic homeownership stats, culture certainly sits among the most relevant. For Hispanics, owning a house represents a symbol of success and achievement. Our parents taught us that owning a house should be one of our top priorities in life, sometimes more important than owning a business. Interesting becomes the fact that second and third generation Latinos are becoming a total new market. A dynamic segment blending into the American culture, yet attached and self identifying with their heritage, language, and culture, fitting into the new called “Echo Boomer” generation with a non-shy 20% share based on the Harvard Joint’s Center Study. Echo Boomer Generation, now passing 25 years old, is larger than Baby Boomers, and based on their birth rate, age, and share size are expected to become a significant and strong party in household growth in the years to come. If we add the so mentioned Immigration Reform, and the power Hispanic electors now have in the political scene, the impact of the Hispanic community in the years to come, can only be greater, and stronger, supporting the importance of becoming more educated, in order to make well informed decisions in the future. GET READY, SET, GO We have a say in Spanish “El que pega primero, pega dos veces” Whoever hits first, gets to hit twice. Our community needs to be ready for the primary roll we will play, and take advantage of the numerous opportunities ahead of us. Here are some tips that will not only help make your way to homeownership a breeze, but will also help you enjoy the American Dream with the Latino touch: 1. Know your area and your neighbors. 2. Set your financial goals. 3. Meet with a lender and let him/her help you build your way to homeownership. 4. Ask your Real Estate Agent to educate you about buying and/ or selling a house. 5. When looking at the big picture, buying a house is more than finding the house of your dreams and bringing stability to your life. It is possibly the biggest and most important investment of your life, affecting not only you, but your family as well. Always keep in mind there is no such thing as “a perfect house”, but undoubtedly, you can make “the perfect investment.”
Welcoming the Stranger By Sister Rosemary Russell
I
n 1997, a group of 17 congregations of Catholic Women Religious wanted to address an unmet education need in the city of St. Louis. It quickly became clear that the children of immigrant and refugee families faced staggering obstacles and these women could help clear at least one obstacle from their path. Acquiring the language skills necessary to function successfully in the classroom allows the children of refugee and immigrant families the opportunity to interact confidently with their peers and teachers and gives them opportunity to experience success. Classroom success translates into the increased likelihood of finishing high school. And so the English Tutoring Project was born – to welcome the stranger. The goal of the English Tutoring Project is to provide children of immigrant and refugee families enrolled in Catholic elementary schools instruction in English language acquisition so that they can develop the skills needed to break out of the cycle of poverty and develop a positive regard for themselves, their culture, and their responsibility as world citizens. It is a simple concept that produces long-term, tangible results. The ETP tutors are experienced, certified teachers who work collaboratively with principals and teachers to identify students in need of English skills. The tutor schedules the student for classes and monitors their progress. Success is demonstrated when students are progressing in their level of language proficiency. Classroom teachers measure success by better participation in class and progress in subjects taught. Typically, the students identified as in need of our service are enrolled in Catholic elementary schools in south St. Louis inner city. The families struggle financially as do the schools, however, the ETP provides tutoring at no charge to the families of students or the schools participating in the program. The ETP is a 501(c)3 organization that generates financial support through grants and gifts from individuals who support its mission. Immigration reform is part of the national and regional consciousness and is gaining support in the St. Louis business community. As our city struggles with decreasing population and slow job growth, a recent study conducted by Jack Strauss, director of the Simon Center of Regional Forecasting at St. Louis University shows that increasing immigration has the potential to reverse these trends. To do this, we must make our communities welcoming to the stranger and strangers no longer. While the governmental agencies struggle with the policy questions, the English Tutoring Project’s
tutors welcome each child into their class. Through patience and collaboration with the classroom teachers these tutors are able to increase vocabulary, strengthen reading and comprehension skills and build confidence in verbal communication. As a student’s English skills improve, so does classroom participation. Students who actively engage in classroom discussions experience less isolation and serve to break down barriers such as fear of those who are different among their peers. An interesting unintended consequence of assisting these young children is that it often encourages the other adults in the home to learn to read and write English. As the young child begins to immerse in school and English becomes the method of communication, other members of the household desire the ability to communicate in English as well – especially when siblings speak to each other in English and the parents do not know what they are saying! The English Tutoring Project has served over 1,100 students from more than 33 different countries. Currently, there are five tutors who work with 105 children in four schools in south St. Louis inner city with one of the schools located in a predominantly Hispanic community (St. Cecilia School and Academy). Enrollment at this school is projected to increase for the 2013-14 academic year. The children are tutored individually or in small groups on an average of 30 minutes per day at their school site during the school day. All tutors are experienced, certified teachers and belong to two different religious congregations. Tutors often use poetry to teach about syllables and this spring used the haiku as part of a lesson on Literary forms and Figurative language. Cesar, a fifth grade student, wrote:
A windy evening Beautiful orange sunset A time to relax Welcoming the stranger is good for the economy, good for business, good for population growth and simply the best way the St. Louis Area Women Religious found to fill an unmet education need in St. Louis while following Christ’s command to love our neighbor. There are many ways that St. Louis is already a welcoming city to immigrants and the English Tutoring Project is one shining example. Please visit our website for more information about our program www.englishtutoringproject.org
15
Membership Sponsors
PLATINUM Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Centene Corporation
DIAMOND Regional Business Council
SILVER
BRONZE FRIEND
AMDOCS, Inc. Midwest BankCentre Armstrong Teasdale LLP Missouri Job Corps AutoZone NextGen Information Services Commerce Bank Pangea Group Crown Linen Service People’s Health Centers Dean Team Prudential Emmis Communications St. Louis Ranken Technical College Enterprise Bank & Trust Republic Services Enterprise Rent-A-Car Sheraton St. Louis City Center Hotel and Suites Sheraton Westport Hotels Facilitec Corporate Furnishings Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis Stinson Morrison Hecker LLP Fifth Third Bank St. Louis College of Health Careers Garcia Properties St. Louis Community College Hospitality Staffing Solutions St. Louis Post-Dispatch Lowe’s Home Improvement UMB Bank Madrina’s Ice Cream United Way McCormack Baron Salazar, Inc. VisionIT