According to LULAC President Rick Dovalina of Houston, TX, LULAC's mission is to advance the economic condition, educational attainment, political influence, health and civil rights of the Latino population in the United States. Dovalina was elected President in 1998. "LULAC supports the democratic principles of individual political and religious freedom, equal access to social and economic opportunities, and in the development of an American society where the cultural resources, integrity and dignity of every individual and group are woven into the social fabric that contribute to our American way of life," says Dovalina.

"We are pleased to have Mr. Dovalina and LULAC representatives visit Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.'s corporate headquarters," says Jose R. Gomez, Senior Manager of Corporate Affairs for Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. "It is helpful for our senior management to learn, first-hand from national community leaders, what these leaders see as priorities related to corporate responsibility initiatives," added Gomez. A highlight during the visit included a surprise $20,000 contribution from the Wal-Mart Foundation to benefit the scholarship funds of the local Arkansas LULAC councils and the national LULAC scholarship program.

The on-site visits by representatives of national community-based organizations has helped Wal-Mart establish more focused corporate efforts in the areas of employment, economic development, governance and philanthropy over the years. The Bentonville, Arkansas-based retail giant has repeatedly been recognized for its leadership in corporate citizenship efforts within the U.S. Hispanic community.

The appointment of two Hispanics to its corporate board of directors in 1998 remains a positive topic of discussion to date. Board members Roland A. Hernandez is the former President & Chief Executive Officer of Telemundo Group, Inc. the nation's second largest Spanish-language television network; while Jose Villareal is a partner in the law offices of Akin, Gump, Strauss, Hauer & Feld in San Antonio, TX and Washington, D.C., and an active board member of several national and local community-based organizations.

According to Gomez, LULAC is the cornerstone of some of the most successful Latino national organizations. "LULAC was instrumental in the formation of the American GI Forum (AGIF), which addresses the rights of Hispanic military veterans, among many other organizations in the Hispanic community," explains Gomez. "The presence of such an organization in Bentonville is sure to provide Wal-Mart and SAM'S Club with additional insights and recognition of Hispanic influences on our society-not merely by their purchasing power, but by their contributions to American society and to our nation's leadership in the future."

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.'s Hispanic outreach efforts will continue throughout the year and will be coordinated through their Hispanic public relations agency of record, Estrada Communications Group, Inc. (ECG). With offices in Texas and California, ECG continues the five year relationship, handling corporate and community outreach, media relations and crisis management responsibilities for the retail leader.

"In addition to visits by national leaders to Wal-Mart corporate headquarters, the company will also participate in several national conferences and conventions across the country, " stated Ron Estrada, Vice President, Estrada Communications Group. "Wal-Mart outreach participation will include the National Council of La Raza in Miami, the Congressional Hispanic Caucus in Washington D.C. and the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in Los Angeles, among others," added Estrada.

Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. operates more than 2,700 discount stores, Supercenters and Neighborhood Markets, and more than 490 SAM'S Clubs in the United States. Wal-Mart is the largest private employer of Hispanics in the country with more than 97,000 Hispanic associates and overall employs 1.2 million associates worldwide. In 2000, Wal-Mart associates raised and contributed more than $190 million to support communities and local non-profit organizations. FORTUNE magazine has named Wal-Mart the third "most admired" company in America and one of the 100 best companies to work for in the United States, and Americans named Wal-Mart the company they think of first in supporting local causes and issues, according to Cone, Inc.