La Paz Chattanooga will host the first Latino Leadership Awards, on Monday, Sept. 17, recognizing and honoring Latino leaders in the Chattanooga area. 

Since the awards banquet was first announced in June of this year, La Paz has enjoyed the overwhelming support of the Chattanooga community. Higher-than-expected table sponsor demand by area businesses drove the organization to set aside more seats than originally planned for corporate partners, and with less than two weeks remaining before the event, seat purchases by the general public have left less than thirty spots remaining for the awards banquet.

"When the La Paz staff decided to turn the Latino Leadership Awards into a reality, we believed it would capture the interest and goodwill of many people in Chattanooga," said David Martin, Development and Communications manager at La Paz. "However, we have been pleasantly surprised by the how quickly that support has materialized. Corporate sponsors and the public, alike, have rallied behind us, helping La Paz do what is necessary to make this inaugural event a success. Such support gives evidence to the fact that the Mission of La Paz - "to empower and engage Chattanooga's Latino community through advocacy, education and inclusion" - resonates with people from all points across the area."

The Latino Leadership Awards, which will be held on Monday, Sept. 17, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. at the Mountain City Club, will feature co-keynote speakers Andy Berke, Tennessee State senator, and his wife, Monique Prado Berke, vice president of Human Resources for Global Services at Unum. A "Chattanooga's Choice" award will be given to the nominee voted for by the broader Chattanooga community as the Latino who best demonstrates outstanding leadership qualities, service, and a commitment to community enrichment. There will also be one leader selected by the La Paz Chattanooga board and staff as the "Latino Leader of the Year."

"The most encouraging part of the leadership review process was the overwhelming number of responses we received following our request for nominations," said Mr. Martin. "It was a difficult task to finalize the honoree field, but we are confident that we have identified a solid collection of leaders from all points across Chattanooga. They each represent a healthy balance between professional success and community involvement."

Finalists to be recognized at the Latino Leadership Awards are:

Mariano Cebrián - Panoram Imports, LLC

Eduardo Centurion, Jr. - New City Fellowship

Juana Gamez - Entre Nosotras

Angela Garcia - Noticias Libres

Gabriela Halfin - Hamilton County Department of Education

Marisol Jimenez - Hamilton County Department of Education

Velvet Hernandez-Johnson - Unum

Gladys Pineda-Loher - Chattanooga Area Chamber of Commerce

Marta Ordonez - Entre Nosotras

David Ortiz - Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee

Dr. Carlos Parra - Southern Adventist University

Christian Patiño - Patiño Enterprises, Inc.

Pedro Pons -Chattanooga Language School

Karla Ramirez - Blood Assurance

Lydia Salva - Partnership for Families, Children and Adults