LAS CRUCES, N.M. -- Dozens of leads were generated, future appointments made and valuable information was distributed to the entrepreneurial public during the 2011 Small Business Lending Fair, presented by the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces and City of Las Cruces. The fair took place Friday, Aug. 5, at the Las Cruces Convention Center.

More than 250 members of the public came out to the Convention Center to find the capital they needed to start or expand their small businesses. Attendees ranged from those looking to find capital to add or increase their current stores' inventory, those looking to expand their physical business location and those who came to learn the basic steps to start their business in Las Cruces or southern New Mexico.

"Many of our community's entrepreneurs came to learn about the existing resources to grow their businesses and really took advantage of the vast resources present at the fair," said Gabe Vasquez, Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces executive director. "Thanks to the partnership of the city and the fair vendors, we were able to contribute to small business growth in our community, which will translate to added jobs and growing the economic base of Las Cruces."

The Small Business Development Center held three busines startup workshops during the event.

"Excellent fair. Have already seen one client and have prospects for more, thank you for all your help," said Mike Levine, a business advisor at the Small Business Development Center.

Also at the fair, Jose Luis Mauricio, founder of La Red and Publisher of Ser Empresario Magazine in El Paso, announced the expansion of his business development organization, La Red, into the Las Cruces market.

"Las Cruces has proven to be very business friendly and we are excited about the opportunity to expand La Red into New Mexico," Mauricio said.

La Red is a nonprofit organization dedicated to facilitating the expansion or relocation of Mexican-owned businesses into the United States.

Media sponsors for the event were Bravo Mic Communications and the Las Cruces Sun-News.

Vendors who participated in the 2011 Small  Business Lending fair include:

AAA-New Mexico
ACCION New Mexico
Applied Capital
Arrowhead Center
Bank of the West
Bank of the West - SBA
BBVA Compass Bank
Citizens Bank of Las Cruces
City of Las Cruces
Community Action Agency of Southern New Mexico
CutCo./Vector Marketing
Downtown Las Cruces Partnership
Enchantment Land Certified Development Corp.
Farm Bureau Financial Servicse
First American Bank
First Savings Bank
FirstLight Federal Credit Union
GrabitSite.com
Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce
Hernandez & Co.
Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces
In-Compasse International
La Red
Las Cruces Business Network
Las Cruces Green Chamber of Commerce
Las Cruces Workforce Connection
Masterminds LLC
Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance
Pioneer Bank
Pre-Paid Legal Services
Primerica
Small Business Administration
Small Business Development Center
SCORE
ScottHulse P.C.
Sierra County Economic Development Organization
Spaceport America Consultants
Success ... Inc!
The Loan Fund
US Bank
U.S. Department of Veteran Affairs
USDA Rural Development
Wells Fargo
Wells Fargo Advisors
WESST Corp.

The Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces would like to thank the City of Las Cruces, the office of U.S. Sen. Tom Udall, Bravo Mic Communications, the Las Cruces Sun-News, the Doña Ana Community College Small Business Development Center, and all of the above-listed vendors for making this event a success. See you at the lending fair next year!