Prospera will recognize local, small, Hispanic-owned businesses

Prospera's traditional Hispanic Heritage Month celebration is returning in person with a new schedule and format after two years of virtual programs. Presented by Duke Energy, the 2022 Prospera Success Stories event was postponed from its original date due to Hurricane Ian, and will now take place on Thursday, October 20 from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Armature Works in Tampa. It will gather local government, corporate executives, small business owners, key partners, and volunteers of Prospera.Five successful small businesses from Florida's West Coast region will be featured, selected among Prospera's local clients based on their demonstrated success and growth. Representing various industries, they have received Prospera services for several years and, despite pandemic-related challenges, come out stronger than before—the theme for this year's event. The program will be led by Prospera Regional Vice President Fabian Yepez and will also highlight some of Prospera's funders, volunteers, and partners. To learn more, visit the event website. Along with Presenting Sponsor Duke Energy, the event is sponsored by Hosts City Furniture, TECO, Truist, Visit Tampa Bay, and Wells Fargo; Champions Hill Ward Henderson, JPMorgan Chase, Nielsen, and Suncoast Credit Union; and Leaders Bank of America, GTE Financial, Tampa Bay Rays & Rowdies, and TD Bank. Prospera is an economic development, nonprofit organization that since 1991 has specialized in providing bilingual assistance to Hispanic entrepreneurs who want to start, sustain, and grow their business. In the last five years alone, Prospera has facilitated over $61 million in loans, trained over 18,000 entrepreneurs, and helped consulting clients create or retain over 16,000 jobs. It currently serves Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia. For more information, visit prosperausa.org.