Carlos Lara

Mr. Lara is the founder and President of Lara & Associates LLC, a company he formed in October 2000 and which is dedicated to providing strategic analysis, advice, and business plan implementation to private companies, organizations and government agencies in all matters related to investment and business opportunities in the U.S.-Mexico marketplace. Recent accomplishments include the facilitation of OPIC's (Overseas Private Investment Corporation) first financial operation in Mexico.

Mr. Lara is a Director on the Board of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and a member of the Advisory Board of the Texchange Houston.

Accomplishments/activities

" August 1999 - August 2000. President of To2 Corporation, the Houston, Tx. based U.S. affiliate of Infoaccess/To2 Mexico S.A de C.V., Mexico's fist internet provider and portal. In this capacity, Mr. Lara was responsible for the creation and launching of a portal that provided information about the Hispanic market in the U.S. and featured specific news and economic information on Mexico.

" March 1995 - August 1999. Held the position of Counselor for Business Development, SECOFI-NAFTA Office at the Embassy of Mexico in Washington, DC. In this capacity he traveled throughout the United States making US companies aware of the business opportunities in Mexico. He developed and implemented programs to assist US companies to identify and create partnerships with Mexican companies. In addition to many other activities, Mr. Lara also served as liaison and coordinator of official visits to the U.S. by high-level Mexican Government officials, including the President of Mexico, and the Secretary of Commerce.

Mr. Lara was instrumental in the creation of the NAFTA Internship Program for the Washington Center. He has been the Chairman of its Advisory Committee, since 1996. To date the NAFTA Internship Program has schooled over 600 young people in the workings and opportunities of tri-lateral trade under NAFTA.

" 1991 - 1999. Mr. Lara founded and was the Chief Executive Officer of the Mexican Council for Hispanic Business Affairs in Mexico City. The Council consists of high-level representatives from the government, industry and economic development banks. In this capacity Mr. Lara was involved in the Council's strategic planning, and responsible for the execution of the annual program developed by the Council. The annual program involved organizing trade missions to and from Mexico, publishing a monthly newsletter, and creating financial programs that fostered alliances between Mexican and US businesses.

" 1991 - 1995. Consultant to the Mexican Ministry of Trade and Industrial Development (SECOFI) with offices in both Mexico City and Washington DC. During this time he created the 'Hispanic Desk' for the purpose of assisting US companies to do business in Mexico. In addition, he created the Program for Investment Promotion throughout Mexico, which consisted of individual programs for each state. Mr. Lara was also actively involved in all NAFTA related matters, including public relations efforts, and business promotion road shows both in the United States and Mexico.

During this period, Mr. Lara was the Hispanic Affairs Liaison for the Mexican Investment Board. In this capacity, Mr. Lara was the conduit for U.S. medium and small size companies investing in Mexico.

" 1990- 1991. Director of Business Affairs for the Presidential Program for Mexican Communities Abroad at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (SRE). In this capacity Mr. Lara was responsible for the development of programs and projects that strengthened relations between Mexico and the US Hispanic Community. Mr. Lara traveled throughout the United States developing a network of Latino companies and organizations for the purpose of establishing cross border business relationships. At the same time, he created an awareness of the need for the Mexican public and private sectors to interact with the US Hispanic Community. He was a pioneer in Mexico in developing the knowledge and expertise about the US Hispanic business community and its relationship with Mexico. He made many US Hispanic owned businesses aware of the opportunities for doing business in Mexico, and assisted them in penetrating the market.

Education

Masters Degree in International Management (MIM) from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM). His thesis was title: "The US Hispanic Community: a link and a support to Mexico."

Mr. Lara has a BA from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM), where he majored in International Marketing and Finance, and wrote a thesis title: "Financial Mechanisms to Promote Exports.

Mr. Lara also has Certificate Degree in Business Development from the Instituto Tecnológico Autónomo de México (ITAM).