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Anheuser-Busch's Hispanic outreach efforts included in HAPCOA forum.

Miami Beach, FL (October 1, 1998) – Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., one of the nation's oldest supporters of Hispanic community development, shared its expertise with the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA), at its first national Hispanic Community Leader Forum. Top Hispanic corporate, community and law enforcement personnel, gathered to discuss and present recommendations on how to address concerns in the areas of: Education; Increasing the Wealth of the Community; Empowerment; Health Care; and the Criminal Justice System. Among those gathered was Jesus Rangel, Vice President, Corporate Relations, who oversees Anheuser-Busch's Hispanic initiatives.

"Anheuser-Busch's continued commitment to the growth and success of our nation's Hispanic community is a responsibility we have placed as a major component of our company's mission," said Rangel. "The Forum provided an excellent opportunity to bring today's leaders and their varied perspectives together in an effort to address potential solutions to critical issues."

Besides the Forum, HAPCOA's 25th Anniversary National Training Conference convened law enforcement executives and criminal justice officials from throughout the country for seminars, roundtable discussions and keynote addresses from: Thomas Constantine, Administrator, Drug Enforcement Administration; General Barry McCaffrey, Director, Office of National Drug Control Policy; and Eduardo Gonzalez, Director, U.S. Marshals Service.

"This year's Forum – our first – is a culmination of HAPCOA's efforts to bring together leaders from various areas of the community to discuss and develop answers to issues that plague Latinos in America." stated Joe DeLopez, HAPCOA National President and Deputy Chief of the Chicago Police Department. "We have a long standing relationship with Anheuser-Busch; our shared focus on family values and in the success of Hispanics makes us logical partners."

HAPCOA's primary objectives are to address the needs of law enforcement agencies to better improve police/community relations and foster career opportunities for Hispanic police officers. Its members represent law enforcement agencies, from municipal police departments, county sheriffs and state agencies to the FBI, ATF, DEA, Secret Service and other federal agencies.

The primary objective of the Forum was to confirm, as well as identify solutions to key issues affecting Hispanics in the U.S. Those issues were collected from a national research survey commissioned by Allstate Insurance Company. It was sent to recognized Hispanic leaders and experts from a variety of interests. The results of the HAPCOA roundtable discussions will be published and distributed by Allstate to national groups, organizations and companies.

Anheuser-Busch is consistently ranked among the nation's top corporations in its efforts to support Hispanic community development and has been recognized for its efforts in a number of key areas; especially its leadership role in the development of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund (HSF). As a recent recipient of the Hispanic Association on Corporate Responsibility's (HACR) "Corporate Vision" award, Anheuser-Busch is considered one of the pioneers in Hispanic corporate/community relations.

With over 24,000 employees world-wide and 85 independent beer wholesalers, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. is the world's largest brewer and one of the largest theme park operators in the U.S. The company is also the second-largest U.S. manufacturer of aluminum beverage containers. In 1995, Anheuser-Busch restructured its operations to focus its resources and long term strategic direction on its core business of beer, entertainment and packaging.

Anheuser-Busch's Hispanic outreach efforts included in HAPCOA forum. Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc., one of the nation's oldest corporate supporters of Hispanic community initiatives, shared its expertise with the Hispanic American Police Command Officers Association (HAPCOA), at its first national Hispanic Community Leaders' Forum. Top Hispanic corporate, community and law enforcement personnel, gathered to discuss and present recommendations on how to address concerns in the areas of: Education; Increasing the Wealth of the Community; Empowerment; Health Care; and the Criminal Justice System. Taking part in the Forum were (l-r): Joe DeLopez, Deputy Chief of the Chicago Police Department and HAPCOA President; Eduardo Gonzalez, Director, U.S. Marshals Service; Jesus Rangel, Vice President of Corporate Relations, Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc.; John C. Lopez, Chairman & CEO, Lopez Foods, Inc.; Errol Chavez, Special Agent in Charge, Drug Enforcement Agency and HAPCOA President-elect; and Maritza Astorquiza, Manager of Hispanic Marketing, Allstate.

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