Government & Politics

WASHINGTON, March 23 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ -- On March 31, Wal-Mart and Latino Magazine, will unite more than 125 Latino business and community leaders to discuss issues of importance to the Latino business community. Today, approximately 2 million Hispanic-owned businesses impact the U.S. economy by creating jobs and generating $388 billion in annual gross receipts.

Summit participants will dialogue with leading business and economic experts from the public and private sectors to determine business strategies that mitigate uncertainty in the new financial and regulatory environment. The Summit will reveal opportunities for Latino entrepreneurs and businesses to thrive in the midst of the ongoing economic turmoil.

Wal-Mart is sponsoring this first Latino Economic Summit to highlight its commitment to supporting the long-term and future growth of Hispanic-owned businesses and the company's Hispanic suppliers throughout the United States.

WHAT: The Latino Economic Summit

WHO: Larry Summers (Tentative), Director, the National Economic Council
Carlos Gutierrez, Former Secretary of Commerce
Augustine Martinez, President and CEO, U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
Barry Bosworth, Senior Fellow, Economic Studies, Brookings Institution
Lionel Sosa, Author on Latino Success and US Hispanic Advertising Expert
Aida Alvarez, Former Administrator of the U.S. Small Business Administration

WHEN: March 31, 2009
8:00 a.m. to 4 p.m.

WHERE: Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill, 400 New Jersey Ave., NW, Washington, D.C. 20001

To RSVP or coordinate media opportunities, contact Wanda Reyes at 210-827-3744 or info@impact-o.com

About Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT)
Every week, millions of customers visit Walmart Stores, supercenters, Neighborhood Markets, and Sam's Club locations across America or log on to its online store at http://www.walmart.com. The company and its Foundation are committed to a philosophy of giving back locally. Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) is proud to support the causes that are important to customers and associates right in their own neighborhoods, and last year gave more than $296 million to local communities in the United States. More information about Walmart can be found by visiting http://www.walmartstores.com. Online merchandise sales are available at http://www.walmart.com.

SOURCE Latino Economic Summit