Nominate Now: 2009 Latino Business Awards

This is a great opportunity for Latino businesses to get recognition for their contributions in our community.

Our local Univisión affiliate, KUNS, and American Family Insurance have teamed up to present the 2009 Latino Business Awards!

This is a 10-week program wherein each week individuals are able to nominate a Latino-owned business and each week a winner will be chosen, for a total of 10 winners! At the end of the 10 weeks, a banquet, hosted by KUNS newcaster Jaime Méndez, will be held at Fisher Plaza to recognize the winners on July 1.

This is a great opportunity to let Latino businesses know how much we appreciate them. To nominate a business or for more information, click here. Or you can contact Rosalba Valerio Pantoja directly, at 425-223-0375 or by email at rvalerio@amfam.com.

The fine print:

• Business must be at least 51% Latino-owned. For the purpose of this award we are defining Latino as individuals of Mexican, South American and Caribbean descent. Must have at least one grandparent or parent who is Latino.
• Business must have a maximum of 500 employees.
• Applicants must have been in business for a minimum of 1-3 years.
• Nominee must be 21 years old or older.

Selection Process

• Winners will be selected by a selection committee of 7 individuals which will consist of business owners and leaders in the Latino community.
• Winners will be selected based on their level of involvement in the community as well as business acumen.
• The decisions of the selection committee shall be final.

Local Univision Affiliate ON FIRE

THIS JUST IN - we just received the Spring 2009 Media Kit from the folks over at KUNS, and the results are just stunning! Thanks to the popularity of Jaime Méndez and their local news broadcast, Noticias Noroeste, and the hot telenovela Querida Enemiga, they have ranked #4 weeknights 6-7pm and #3 and weeknights 7-8pm among network stations for the women 18-34 set.

That means that they've got a larger audience within that category than ever!

• Weeknights 6-7, they rank ahead of KIRO, KONG, KSTV and even KOMO!
• Weeknights 7-8, their rankings place them in front of KING, KONG, KSTW and KMYQ.

We are not talking about a Spanish-speaking only audience; we are talking about local women 18-34!

This is the kind of news that just makes my day.

Caoba Salon Open at La Plaza Shopping Center

Hello and Happy Monday -

I visited Caoba Salon on Saturday for their Grand Opening. This is one classy place! The owners, Jack Gamero (of the Lake City Way Caoba Salon), Mauricio Ayón and Jaime Méndez, have created an ambience much like the original Caoba Salon right in La Plaza Shopping Center in Kent-Des Moines. It's a terrific brand--these guys are really onto something!

Caoba Salon is spacious and beautifully decorated. They have private rooms for waxing, facials and massage. A really nice ambience. Jessica, the technician who performed my waxing service, was professional and caring--and we laughed a lot! Surprisingly, however, Jessica does not speak Spanish, so I'm hoping others they're bringing in will be able to converse with Latino clients in Spanish.

Unfortunately, I had another engagement so had to take off before the real party began, but I can tell you that this business is poised for big success.

Readers: If you've visited Caoba Salon during the Grand Opening or anytime in the future, feel free to comment with your experiences.

Congrats to Mauricio, Jaime and Jack on opening their new salon! We wish you the best of success!

Hispanic Business: Salon Grand Opening

Caoba Salon is now open in the La Plaza Shopping Center in Kent at 23229 Pacific Highway S. (Pac. Highway S& Kent-Des Moines Rd). Phone is (206) 824-1434.

This is another venture by the team from Nuevodirectorio.com--Jaime Méndez (yes the Univisión newscaster/Ke Buena DJ!) and our friend Mauricio Ayón, as well as Jack Gamero, seasoned stylist.

Come and check out the new salon at its Grand Opening event this Saturday, January 10th from noon until around 7 pm. The Caoba Salon team invites you to come by (bring a guest!) and say "hello," have a drink and eat some hors d'oeuvres with them!

Enhorabuena, Mauricio, Jaime and Jack!

IT'S OFFICIAL - Ke Buena goes local!

THIS JUST IN: Jaime Méndez and Mario Rodriguez (aka Zuper Mario), both longtime on-air talent over at the former Radio Sol, have been snatched up by Bustos Media's Ke Buena station on 1210 AM. This marks the first local venture of Bustos Media in our market that I'm aware of, and I am glad to see they're stepping up to the challenge! For so long, these stations have delivered music--and audiences--but their true presence in our market was lacking. This will give their AM station a big boost.

So Jaime's beloved La Voz de Washington community program will resume on Ke Buena, M-F 3-4pm. Zuper Mario will bring back his show including music, entertainment and community interaction (including a unique brand of radio classifieds) from 4-8 each evening.

ON THAT NOTE: Rebecca Lambert of Bustos Media is looking to hire! They're looking for one or two new account executives to support what should be some serious interest from advertisers. Contact her if you'd like more info on this opportunity at rlambert@bustosmedia.com.