Philadelphia, PA (December 2nd 2011) — The Delaware Valley's Most Influential Latinos Foundation honors the 2011 Delaware Valley's 50 Most Influential Latinos on Thursday, December 1st at the Hyatt Regency Philadelphia at Penn's Landing.

Leaders within several industries are recognized during the awards ceremony in front of an audience of more than 300 of the region's key influencers. Some of Philadelphia's household names among this year's honorees include: Ruben Amaro, Jr., Philles General Manager; Maria Quiñones-Sanchez, Philadelphia City Council; Kenneth Trujillo, founding member of Trujillo Rodriguez and Richards LLC; Iron Chef Jose Garces; Sara Manzano Diaz, Director of the Labor Department's Women's Bureau; Romulo Diaz, Vice President Governmental and External Affairs at PECO; and Rudolph Garcia, Chancellor at the Philadelphia Bar Association; among others. 6 ABC's Action News reporter, Walter Perez is the awards dinner and ceremony emcee.

For the past six years, the Delaware Valley's Most Influential Latinos Foundation has recognized individuals who have made great contributions to the Philadelphia's Latino community and the community at large. 

“We are excited to have the opportunity to recognize outstanding Latinos in our community. Their accomplishments, leadership and commitment to the community speak loudly,” says Napoleon Garcia, publisher of Impacto Latin Newspaper. 

The evening includes a cocktail reception, sit-down dinner, musical performances and much more. As part of the recognition, an annual magazine supplement is published that has become a “who's who” guide to the Delaware Valley's Latino community, purposed to extend an informational bridge between mainstream society and the fastest-growing minority in the country. 

The magazine supplement was jointly developed by Impacto Latin Newspaper and the Philadelphia Multicultural Affairs Congress (MAC), a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau (PCVB), to promote Philadelphia and the region to Latino multicultural convention planners and visitors.

“Since the inception of the Delaware Valley's Most Influential Latinos publication in 2005, it has become an invaluable tool used by the PCVB to attract and book Hispanic meetings and conventions,” says MAC executive director, Tanya Hall. “As a reflection of the contributions that Latino leaders have made to our region, it showcases and increases the appeal of Philadelphia to meeting planners and organizations who seek engagement with a city that embraces diversity.”

In addition to the supplement, as part of this year's celebration, The Most Influential Latinos Foundation produces a commemorative book, containing a collection of photographs and biographies of past recipients, as well as highlights of past events. 

The PCVB has used the Most Influential Latinos publication to aid in booking groups like the National Association of Latino Arts & Culture, the Pennsylvania Statewide Latino Conference, The Portuguese Continental Union, The National Puerto Rican Coalition, the Society of Hispanic Engineers, the National Council of La Raza and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, among others.

According to recent US Census Bureau numbers, Latinos in the Philadelphia region are increasing in number as well as their buying power. The Latino population rose 45.5% in Philadelphia since 2000, representing the state's fastest-growing minority with an estimated $4.2 billion purchasing power and contributing to Philadelphia's status as one of the leading destinations for multicultural tourism.

Please visit www.impactolatin.com or call 215.922.6407 for more information. 

The Philadelphia Multicultural Affairs Congress (MAC), a division of the Philadelphia Convention & Visitors Bureau, was formed in 1987 as the first multicultural division of a Convention & Visitors Bureau in the nation. MAC is the official multicultural Tourism Promotion Agency for the City of Philadelphia. MAC maximizes opportunities for the region by promoting Philadelphia as an ethnically diverse visitor destination, encouraging multicultural business and social responsibility that contributes to and benefits from the varying multicultural communities that enhance our region's hospitality and tourism industry. For more information, log onto www.philadelphiamac.org.

Most Influential Latinos Foundation prides itself in recognizing the accomplishments of outstanding Latinos across the region.  With their continued commitment, leadership and passion, these individuals have made great contributions to the Delaware Valley's Latino community and the community at large. 

IMPACTO Latin Newspaper is a weekly Spanish-language publication, with a very large readership among the near 600,000 Latinos living in the region that comprises Eastern South-Central Pennsylvania, South Jersey and Northern Delaware. This publication is the fastest growing Hispanic newspaper in the area, and is currently distributed in 17 counties across the region, including places like Philadelphia, Allentown, Reading, Lancaster, Harrisburg, Wilmington, Vineland, Camden and Atlantic City, among other locations. - See more at: http://www.discoverphl.com/media-room/press-releases/multicultural-affairs-congress/the-delaware-valleys-most-influential-latinos/#sthash.zeUfZwfz.dpuf