This morning, the Pew Hispanic Center, a nonpartisan research organization devoted to understanding the U.S. Hispanic population and to chronicling its growing impact on the entire nation, released "Latino Labor Report, 2008: Construction Reverses Job Growth for Latinos." The study points to a slump in the construction industry as the primary driver behind the 6.5 percent unemployment rate for U.S. Hispanics, which compares to 4.7% for all non-Hispanics -- a gap that, only a short time ago at the end of 2006, had measured 0.5 percent.

The number of Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States is expected to grow 41.8 percent in the next six years to 4.3 million, with total revenues surging 39 percent to more than $539 billion, according to new estimates by HispanTelligence. Spurred by growing entrepreneurial trends and affluence among the nation's largest minority population, the increase is expected to come at a robust rate of 8.5 and 8.7 percent, respectfully, over the next couple years.

For the second year in a row, R. Marcelo Claure, the chairman, CEO, and president, has taken his company, Brightstar Corp. to the top of the Hispanic Business 500 companies. He's done so with verve, vision, and the ability to penetrate new markets. Despite his globetrotting schedule, we caught up with Mr. Claure this spring for a surprisingly forthright interview. He not only shared his business philosophies, he also gave us a glimpse of his early experiences that set the course for his remarkable success. Our discussion spanned a variety of issues and topics.