Wheaton Latino business nonprofit wins award

The Maryland Governor's Commission on Hispanic Affairs awarded Erick Gutierrez, a regional housing director for Wheaton and D.C.-based Latino Economic Development Corporation, the 2009 Hispanic Heritage Award last week. Gutierrez won the award on behalf of LEDC, a nonprofit that supports small businesses in Montgomery County, for his efforts to confront the foreclosure crisis in the county and improve the quality of life for Hispanics in the state, according to a state press release.

In response to signs of an impending foreclosure crisis in Maryland in early 2007, Gutierrez spearheaded the creation of the LEDC Foreclosure Intervention Program in March 2008. The program, which has helped hundreds of families and homeowners, is designed to help families facing foreclosure in Montgomery County better understand their financial situation moving forward and how to negotiate with their lenders to reach the best possible outcome, according to a state press release.

Gutierrez received the award last week at a luncheon during the Seventh-Annual Maryland Hispanic Business Conference in Baltimore.

CEO of Wheaton disability technology firm wins award

Myrna Aiello, CEO and owner of Wheaton-based disability solutions firm TCS Associates, has received the Top 100 Minority Business Enterprise Award. In its fourth year, this program is designed to acknowledge outstanding women and minority business owners in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and the District of Columbia. Aiello, who is deaf, was chosen by a panel of judges from 1,400 nominations. She was selected for demonstrating outstanding achievement in four key areas: entrepreneurship, client satisfaction and professional and community contributions, according to a press release. TCS Associates is built upon the theory that information and technology should be accessible to all people, according to Aiello.

Aiello and the other winners will be honored at a Nov. 15 awards at the Inn and Conference Center at University of Maryland University College in Adelphi. For tickets for the 2009 Top 100 MBE ÆAwards Ceremony or for a complete listing of this year's winners, visit www.top100mbe.com.

And visit www.TCSassociates.com for more information about TCS Associates.