[November 13, 2009] Minority business ventures spotlighted [El Paso Times, Texas] Tweet (El Paso Times (TX) Via Acquire Media NewsEdge) Nov. 13--EL PASO -- Not yet 40 and founder of an IT staffing company with annual revenues of $200 million per year -- and growing -- Nina Vaca says she has been an entrepreneur "since I was born." Her parents immigrated to Texas from Ecuador in the 1960s and owned a series of businesses, she said, including a chain of travel agencies. From that background, Vaca graduated from Texas State University in 1994 with a degree in business and speech communications, and found work with a technology company in New York City. Two years later, she started Pinnacle Technical Resources, which outsources IT services to a number of Fortune 500 companies, including Verizon Wireless, AT&T, EDS, Pepsico, Lehman Brothers, Sun Microsystems, WellPoint and Merrill Lynch. On Wednesday, Vaca, 38, will be the keynote speaker for the Minority Enterprise Development Week Luncheon at the DoubleTree El Paso, 600 N. El Paso St. While her company may be growing beyond the small business category, she said she still identifies with entrepreneurs, the risks they take and the hard work they put into their businesses. "The message I always try to bring to all audiences, in particular small business owners, is I want them to gain perspective on who they are," Vaca said. "Small businesses always have and will continue to fuel the economy. I want them to understand how powerful they are. Alone, they might be one small business but collectively, they are very powerful." Vaca said her company is still entrepreneurial. When it started bidding on a contract for the IT work for the state of Texas' auto license plates, it saw an opportunity to do more. "The bid began as a technology bid ... then, through the years, it developed into an outsource (contract)." At the luncheon, Vaca plans to announce Pinnacle's launch Thursday of www. myplate.com, where Texas drivers will be able to order custom license plates for their vehicles. "It was an opportunity to diversify our company," she said. The MED Week Luncheon is sponsored by the Minority Business Enterprise Center of the El Paso Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The event will start at 10 a.m. with a panel presentation, followed by the luncheon and awards ceremony at noon. "The theme of this year's event is 'Energizing the American Economy with Minority Business Enterprises.' If you are a minority-owned business, or do business with any of our honorees, make plans today to attend," said Terri Reed, senior vice president of entrepreneurial development at the Hispanic Chamber and project director of the Minority Business Enterprise Center. Ed Shugert may be reached at [email protected]; 546-6352. MED Week awards --Minority Technology Firm of the Year: Von Washington, Integrated Defense Application, LLC. --Minority Supplier of the Year: Patricia Villalobos, president, Barnhart-Taylor, Inc. --Minority Service Firm of the Year: Patricia Holland-Branch, Facilities Connection. --Minority Media Award of the Year: The El Paso Times. --Minority Manufacturer of the Year: Cecilia Levine, MFI International. --Minority Construction Firm of the Year: Frank Spencer III, Aztec Contractors Inc. --Minority Advocate of the Year: Antonio Rico, president, El Paso 8a & Government Contractors Association. --Distinguished Supplier Diversity Award: Sam's Club, Local No. 8280. --Access To Capital Award -- Regional Winner: Edward Escudero, Sierra Finance. --Lifetime Achieve-ment: Richard Castro, Castro Enterprise dba McDonald's. Luncheon --What: 2009 Minority Enterprise Development Week Luncheon, sponsored by the El Paso Minority Business Enterprise Center. --When: Panel presentation begins at 10:30 a.m., followed by luncheon and awards ceremony at noon, Wednesday. --Where: DoubleTree El Paso, 600 N. El Paso St. --Cost: $35 for individuals, $270 for corporate tables with seating for 10. --Information, tickets: Terri Reed, 351-6232. To see more of the El Paso Times, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.elpasotimes.com. Copyright (c) 2009, El Paso Times, Texas Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email [email protected], call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA. [ Back To TMCnet.com's Homepage ]