CEO of Venoco to Offer Business Tips to Mi Casa Entrepreneurs

Mi Casa is delighted to welcome Tim Marquez, Founder/CEO of Venoco, Inc., on November 3, as the keynote speaker during Mi Casa's Small Business Resource Fair and Networking Event from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at 360 Acoma Street. Mr. Marquez, one of Colorado's most successful businessmen, will offer tips for entrepreneurial success and talk about the process of growing Venoco, Inc. from a small start up to a publicly traded company worth nearly $2 billion.

In a discussion titled, "Journey to Success: An Inspiring Conversation with Tim Marquez," Mr. Marquez will offer guidance and recommendations to aspiring entrepreneurs with an emphasis on the essential ingredients in his own personal success: passion and perseverance. A native of southwest Denver and a graduate of Lincoln High School, Mr. Marquez attended the Colorado School of Mines and began his career as an engineer, gradually working his way up the management ladder. He founded Venoco, Inc. in 1992, an oil and gas production company based in Denver. The company progressed from a start-up with an initial equity stake of $3,000 to a company with a total enterprise value of more than $1.8 billion. Venoco, Inc. went public in November 2006 and is now a NYSE listed company, with the trading symbol VQ.

"Mi Casa is dedicated to nurturing the natural entrepreneurial spirit of many in Denver's Latino community and also women," said Mi Casa's CEO/Executive Director, Christine Marquez-Hudson. "According to the U.S. Census, the number of Hispanic-owned businesses in increased by nearly 45 percent between 2002 and 2007, and the number of women-owned businesses is up more than 20 percent in the same time frame. Clearly women and Latinos are turning to small business ownership as a means to achieve economic success, and Mi Casa is committed to helping them access the training and resources they need to be successful."

Mi Casa hosts quarterly business resource fairs to connect aspiring entrepreneurs with each other and business resources in the community. These events are open to the public, free of charge and a fantastic opportunity for aspiring entrepreneurs and small business owners to learn business tips and practice the crucial skill of networking! Lenders, business counselors and other resource providers are on hand to help small businesses connect with financing options, technical assistance, and other small businesses in order to launch or grow operations.

Tim Marquez and his wife, Bernie, are also committed philanthropists and their foundation, the Tim and Bernadette Marquez Foundation, generously supports Mi Casa's business and youth development programs. Mi Casa also receives general operating support from the Venoco Community Partnership program. Additionally, Mr. and Mrs. Marquez are co-founders of the Denver Scholarship Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to inspire and empower Denver Public Schools students to achieve their postsecondary educational goals by providing the tools, knowledge and financial resources essential for success.

Mi Casa Youth Learn about Journalism, Visit 9News

Youth in Mi Casa's afterschool programs visited 9News this week as the culmination of their hard work in the afterschool journalism club at the Mi Casa Neighborhood Center. The students also produced a four-page newsletter called the Mi Casa Post, which features articles about Mi Casa staff, music and much more!

Spirit of Success Luncheon Photos

Thanks to everyone who came out to support Mi Casa's Southern Colorado Women's Business Center on October 6 at Pueblo Community College. The event was a tremendous success, raising more than $11,000 for training and counseling to benefit underserved entrepreneurs in Southern Colorado. Here are some photos of the event!