Laura Sonderup
Managing Director and Senior Strategist, Hispanidad

Laura Sonderup is the Director of U.S. Hispanic Marketing at HeinrichMarketing, Inc., a full-serviceadvertising agencyheadquartered in Denver, Colorado.  Laura’s division, Hispanidad, focuses on helping companies communicate with Hispanic consumers via culturally relevant marketing, advertising and messaging.

As Director, she determines optimal multicultural communication strategies and manages the development and execution of marketing messages targeting domestic Hispanic consumers, as well as those in Mexico and Latin America. In addition, Laura coaches a number of regional and national organizations in cultural competency curriculums, including the Colorado State Patrol; Colorado Department of Transportation; Utah Highway Safety Office; National Highway Traffic Safety Administration; and the U.S. Army National Guard.

Laura is a recognized ethnic marketing expert and is frequently featured as a speaker at national and international conferences.  Her writings on the subject have been featured in USA Today, US Industry Today, IFA Franchising World, ColoradoBiz, Advertising & Marketing Review and DirectLine.  In 2007, the American Bar Association published her white paper, “The Business of Immigrant Markets: Providing Access to Financial Services” — a guide to understanding the legal ramifications of serving undocumented individuals within the financial services industry.  

She serves as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of The Chamber of the Américas and sits on the Board of Advisors of U.S. Travel Professionals of Color. She is an active member of the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, National Council of La Raza (NCLR), Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA), The Rocky Mountain Direct Marketing Association (RMDMA) and the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies and mentors an at-risk Latina with Save Our Youth.

George Heinrich
Chairman EmeritusWith a vision for building a company that would take direct response marketing to a new level of excellence and international respect, George Heinrich founded Heinrich Marketing 25 years ago. Today, the company is an internationally acclaimed, full-service direct marketing and advertising agency specializing in customer acquisition and retention for its clients. With deep roots in financial services direct marketing, Heinrich is master of a broad spectrum of advertising disciplines and serves clients across many industries and international borders. Heinrich Marketing’s services include strategic and creative development, marketing research and response analysis. The agency’s exceptional work in direct mail, print advertising and Web development has earned relationships with some of the best-known companies in the Western Hemisphere including First Data Corporation, Wells Fargo, Federated Department Stores, Visa®, Banorte Bank of Mexico, Citibank Puerto Rico, GE Capital and many others. Heinrich Marketing developed this Web site for the Chamber of the Americas.

The headquarters for Heinrich Marketing are in Denver, Colorado, and the company has a satellite office in Mexico City. This office assists clients in Mexico and throughout Latin America with marketing in their own countries and with efforts that extend beyond their borders. Heinrich’s United States Hispanidad division specializes in marketing to the Latino population in the United States, which has grown by an incredible 60% in the past decade alone. Equally important, Heinrich Hispanidad assists Western Hemisphere companies outside the U.S. that wish to market their products and services in the United States. In addition to his role as President and owner of Heinrich Marketing, George Heinrich is also the founder and Chairman of the Board of the Chamber of the Americas.

Click here to learn more about Heinrich Marketing or call 1-303-239-5216.

Gilbert (Gil) Cisneros
President and CEOGILBERTO (GIL) M. CISNEROS is president and CEO of the Chamber of the Americas, Denver, Colorado, responsible for day-to-day operations. Gil is also President of the Chamber of the Americas Foundation.   He co-founded the Chamber of the Americas In 2001.   In 1993 he co-founded the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Rocky Mountain Region, and was first president and then executive director up until April 30, 2001.  As president of Grupo Cisneros Internacional, Denver, Colorado, an international consulting firm, Cisneros helps U. S. companies develop Latin American markets.  With his broad range of contacts on both continents, he is also able to assist foreign firms wanting to export to the United States. Hispanic Magazine in August of 2002 recognized Gil with the 2002 Hispanic Achievement Award, “U. S.-Latin American Friendship Award”.   The Mexican Government honored him as Businessman of the Year for the Rocky Mountain Region, 2000.  In 1991, Hispanic Business Magazine honored Gil as one of the most influential Hispanics in the United States.  In 2007, the Institute of International Education presented Gil with “Global Colorado Award”.  Prior to his position with the U.S.-Mexico Chamber, Cisneros enjoyed a seven-year term as regional administrator, United States Small Business Administration, Rocky Mountain Region serving both presidents Regan and Bush 41. Previously, he was community relations field manager, Rocky Mountain States, Adolph Coors Company, Golden, Colorado, and executive director, Denver Minority Business Development Center.  Cisneros also co-founded the Chicano Education Project in 1972 and was its co-director for ten years. Gil is the former Vice Chairman of the board of directors of the North American Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico.  He serves on the advisory board of the BNSL (Bi-national Sustainable Laboratory), based in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, which promotes economic development on the U. S. Mexico Border. Gil also serves on the board of directors of the Colorado Commity Colleges Foundation and the Ports to Plains Trade Corridor. He was recently appointed to be a director of the
Institute of Mexicans Abroad working with the Economic Development Commission.   He is currently an ad-hoc member of the District Export Council for the Colorado/Wyoming Office of the U. S. Department of Commerce.  He is a member of the International Development Committee, World Trade Center, Denver;  former state chairman,  Colorado Republican National Hispanic Assembly, Denver, and was a vice-chairman of the John McCain campaign for president in Colorado, and a former member of the board of directors, Latin American Management Association, Washington, D.C.Gil received his BA from Adams State College in 1970 and his MA from the University of Colorado in 1972.  Gil is a Vietnam veteran having served in the
U. S. Navy from 1962-1966.  Gil and Rosie Cisneros reside in Golden, Colorado.

Gilberto (Gil) M. Cisneros
720 Kipling Street (Office)
Suite #13
Lakewood, CO  80215 USA
gil@chamberoftheamericas.com