Wells Fargo Press Release
September 16, 2004
National Release

WELLS FARGO PAYS TRIBUTE TO 10 LATINA ENTREPENEURS WITH 3rd ANNUAL ANNA MARIA ARIAS AWARD

Latina-owned small businesses continue thriving across the country

AUSTIN, TX – September 16, 2004 – Recognizing the continued economic growth and influence of Latina small business owners, Wells Fargo & Company and LATINAStyle Magazine, today will present 10 Latina entrepreneurs with the third annual Anna Maria Arias Memorial Business Fund Awards. 

The presentations will be made here at this year’s United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) national conference.  Each winner receives a $5,000 cash grant and an award in the name of Anna Maria Arias, one of the foremost champions of Latina entrepreneurship and professional development. 

“This year’s winners prove that even in uncertain economic times, innovation and commitment lead to business success,” said Tim Rios, Vice President, Community Development and National Spokesperson for Wells Fargo’s Latino Business Services program.  “We received close to 100 applications this year, each with incredible stories of courage, strength, perseverance, and a sense of community loyalty.  This year’s winners truly embody the ideals championed by Anna Maria Arias, and serve as role models to all aspiring entrepreneurs.”

Recognizing the tremendous growth among Latino small business owners, in 1997 Wells Fargo created the Latino Business Services program, becoming the first major financial services provider to develop a program dedicated to Latino business owners. To help launch the program, Wells Fargo established a public goal to lend $3 billion over 10 years to Latino-owned small businesses.  Since the goal’s inception, Wells Fargo has lent $2.5 billion to Latino-owned small businesses nationwide, lending at a rate of 126% of our original objective. 

Rios, who is presenting this year’s awards, added: “This year’s recipients are genuine representatives of today’s Latina entrepreneurs, and have overcome significant obstacles, characteristic of every true entrepreneur.  Each has become a successful business owner who places extreme importance on giving back to their communities and serving as role models for the next generation.   This is the essence of this award.”

This year’s winners:

• Sonia and Sandra Alvarado – Aces TV, Studio City, Calif. – a family-run, full service video production company specializing in bilingual corporate videos.
• Amanda Rojas – Amanda’s Flower Shop, Brighton, Mass. – a full service flower shop and catering business.
• Anita Ron – BriteWorks, Inc., West Covina, Calif. – a full janitorial service provider offering 24-hour cleaning services.
• Narce Esparza – Esparza Immigration Service, Bell, Calif.  – provides assistance with immigration forms, translations and notaries for the Latino community.
• Griselda Barajas – Griselda’s Ventures, Sacramento, Calif. – owns businesses in the restaurant/food services industry - specializing in Mexican food.
• Cynthia and Lidia Perez – Las Manitas, Inc., Austin, Texas  – operates a Mexican restaurant and La Peña, a performing arts/art gallery profiling emerging Latino/a artists.
• Agnes Chavez – Logic Dream Productions, Inc., El Prado, N.M. – develops bilingual, multi-sensory educational materials about the Latino culture.
• Yolanda Garcia – Mundo Latino Newspaper, South Sioux City, Neb. – a free weekly Spanish publication that educates, entertains, and helps immigrants adjust to the American culture.
• Sarah Hernandez – Saludos Para Ti, Minneapolis, Minn. – designs and produces bilingual greeting cards that reflect the Latino culture (values, traditions, skin tones and language).
• Sara Cohen – Worldwide Language Services, Summit, N.J. – provides interpreting and translation services to government agencies, private enterprises and individuals.

About Wells Fargo

Wells Fargo & Company is a diversified financial services company with $420 billion in assets, providing banking, insurance, investments, mortgage and consumer finance to more than 23 million customers from more than 6,000 stores and the internet (wellsfargo.com) across North America and elsewhere internationally. Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. is the only “Aaa”- rated bank in the United States.

Providing financial products and services to more than one million businesses with annual sales up to $20 million in all 50 states, Puerto Rico and Canada, Wells Fargo is the #1 lender to small businesses in the United States in total dollar volume according to 2002 CRA data.

The second largest national SBA lender in dollars, and third largest in loans, Wells Fargo is an SBA Preferred Lender in 28 states, and originated 3,181 loans for $473 million in 2003.  Wells Fargo has also been ranked the number one SBA 504 lender nationally for the last two years. Speer & Associates rated Wells Fargo's online services #1 for small business and for consumers (2003). Its targeted business services programs provide outreach and education to women,

African American, Latino, and Asian business owners about financial services. Since 1995, Wells Fargo has loaned more than $20 billion to women and minority business owners.