Patti Perez, CEO of Puente Consulting, Honored as 2007 Woman Business Owner of the Year by NAWBO...

Prominent NAWBO BRAVO! Award Presented to Perez for Her Business Success and Contributions to the Community

SAN DIEGO -- The National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO) San Diego Chapter named Patricia "Patti" Perez, founder and president of Puente Consulting, Inc., the 2007 Woman Business Owner of the Year at its annual BRAVO! Awards ceremony last Wednesday.

The BRAVO! Awards celebrate outstanding San Diego women business owners for their accomplishments, leadership, innovation and integrity, and this year benefited the Armed Forces YMCA. Top honors included Woman Business Owner of the Year, Advocate of the Year, NAWBO Supporter of the Year and NAWBO President's Award.

"Patti is so deserving of NAWBO's Woman Business Owner of the Year award," said Oreda Chin, president of NAWBO's San Diego chapter. "She has done amazing things with Puente, within her industry, and for the San Diego community as a whole. She is the absolute epitome of what NAWBO stands for."

With more than 15 years practicing employment law and human resources (HR) management, Perez founded Puente Consulting in 2001. She has grown the company to an impressive 100 active clients, including several in the Fortune 500. The San Diego-based firm also offers HR and employment law consulting to companies with English- and Spanish-speaking executives and workers. Puente's fully bilingual trainers and uniquely tailored services help clients to bridge the gap between employees and employers to foster more harmonious and productive work environments.

Through her significant community involvement, Perez met another requirement for NAWBO's Woman Business Owner of the Year as she is very active in both community and professional organizations. Perez serves industry organizations such as the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), American Bar Association's Labor & Employment Law Section, Labor & Employment Law Section of the California State Bar and San Diego County Bar Association.

A strong proponent of mentorship, Perez serves as a mentor and teacher for MANA, a national Latina organization, and the San Diego La Raza Lawyers Association, among others. She also donates at least four hours a week teaching bilingual elementary students in Spanish.

Perez said, "I am very honored and humbled to receive the 2007 Woman Business Owner of the Year, and I thank NAWBO San Diego, my clients and my wonderful staff who make Puente the company I envisioned six years ago. I congratulate the other honorees for their accomplishments and wish them continued success."