HispanicBusiness

Moctesuma Esparza Producer Esparza/Katz Productions, Los Angeles, CA

The long-time producer has received more than 100 honors, including an Academy Award nomination, an Emmy, a Clio, and a Cine Golden Eagle award. He has produced such Hispanic-themed hit films as Selena, The Disappearance of Garcia Lorca, The Ballad of Gregorio Cortez, and The Milagro Beanfield War. For television, he has produced "The Cisco Kid" and "Selma, Lord, Selma." Upcoming theatrical releases from the Esparza/Katz team include Carlos Avila's Price of Glory, starring Jimmy Smits.



Fernando Espuelas CEO StarMedia, New York, NY

With nearly $100 million in private venture capital, Fernando Espuelas plans to make StarMedia "the Coke of the Internet in Latin America." The Web portal is working to reach Internet users in English, Spanish, and Portuguese throughout the Americas and in Europe. Mr. Espuelas comes to the World Wide Web with experience as managing director of marketing communications for AT&T in Latin America and the Caribbean. Previously, he worked as an executive at advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather in the U.S. and Latin America.



Juan Esteban CEO LaMusica.com, New York, NY

With more than three million hits per month, LaMusica.com was the only Latin-oriented site to win Home PC Computing Magazine's Top 500 of the Web award. By specializing in the hot Latin music market, the e-commerce site has attracted major investors. Spanish Broadcasting System bought a stake, ensuring that LaMusic.com will have on-air access to 85 percent of the U.S. Hispanic market through SBS radio stations. In recognition of his success, Mr. Esteban earned the "Betances Award" from the National Puerto Rican Parade.



Emilio Estefan President/Producer Estefan Enterprises, Miami Beach, FL

He is viewed as the highest-profile producer in the Latin music industry. Recent collaborations with Ricky Martin, Jennifer Lopez, and Shakira have proven that his skill at picking talent outshines his legacy from the 1970s band Miami Sound Machine. Apart from his work in the studio, Mr. Estefan is a successful entrepreneur with a string of profitable businesses: Bongos Cuban Café, the Cardozo Hotel, and his own Crescent Moon Records. He is poised to expand his influence in the entertainment industry through partnerships with Sony Music Entertainment and Universal Television Group.



Giselle Fernandez News Anchor/Reporter Café Ole, Los Angeles, CA

One of television's most seasoned young journalists and the winner of five Emmy Awards, she successfully made the switch from hard news to entertainment with the Galavision show "Café Ole with Giselle Fernandez." Now she is taking the show to English-language stations in an attempt to bring more Hispanic-themed programming to mainstream TV. As president of her own production company, Skinny Hippo Productions, the news veteran is busy developing documentaries for television.



Dennis Garcia CEO, President Potomac Management Group Inc., Alexandria, VA

This entrepreneur provides information technology and communications support for government and corporate clients. His company earned recognition when it rescued from permanent loss more than $3 billion worth of scientific data as a contractor for the U.S. Geological Survey. The efforts won PMG the honor of U.S. Geological Survey Contractor of the Year. The company has doubled its revenue every year since 1992 and ranks number 25 on the 1999 Hispanic Business Fastest-Growing Company directory. PMG has completed work on more than 100 Navy and Coast Guard ships.