United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to Honor American Airlines' George Carrancho with Inaugural "LGBT Business Advocate Award" at 2013 National Convention


WASHINGTON, Sept. 13, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) announced the recipient of its first-ever GLBT Business Advocate Award, by honoring George Carrancho, Manager of American Airlines' Diverse Segment Marketing. The award will be presented during the USHCC 2013 National Convention held September 15-17 at the iconic Hilton Chicago.

Each year, this special recognition will be bestowed upon an entrepreneur, corporate representative, community leader or elected official whose work contributes to a better understanding and closer cooperation between the GLBT and other diverse communities for the benefit of American business.

"We are proud to introduce this award during an auspicious year in American GLBT history. From the court room to the board room, courageous men and women are overcoming great odds, and achieving unprecedented success," said USHCC President & CEO Javier Palomarez. "The USHCC is delighted to honor Mr. Carrancho - a 19-year veteran of American Airlines, who is a tireless advocate on behalf of our nation's GLBT entrepreneurs as well as 3.1 million Hispanic businesses. We are grateful for the humble, yet elegant work he does to build bridges between our communities."

"American Airlines was also the first airline to partner with GLBT suppliers, so it is fitting for an esteemed champion of their brand to receive our first 'GLBT Business Advocate Award" added Palomarez. Today, Carrancho has responsibilities for leading American Airlines' outreach to GLBT and Hispanic partners and to support their growing travel needs.

"George has been a great innovator in engaging our diverse customer segments, which reflects our unwavering commitment to put the customer at the center of everything we do," said Virasb Vahidi, Chief Commercial Officer. "American's diverse segment efforts are a fundamental piece of our successful marketing strategy. As one of the leaders of American's marketing team, I am pleased to congratulate George on this well-deserved recognition."

About the USHCC

Founded in 1979, the USHCC actively promotes the economic growth and development of Hispanic entrepreneurs and represents the interests of over 3 million Hispanic owned businesses across the United States that contribute in excess of $465 billion to the American economy each year. It also serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local Hispanic chambers and business associations in the United States and Puerto Rico. For more information, visit www.USHCC.com

About American Airlines

American Airlines focuses on providing an exceptional travel experience across the globe, serving more than 260 airports in more than 50 countries and territories. American's fleet of nearly 900 aircraft fly more than 3,500 daily flights worldwide from hubs in Chicago, Dallas/Fort Worth, Los Angeles, Miami and New York. American flies to nearly 100 international locations including important markets such as London, Madrid, Sao Paulo and Tokyo. With more than 500 new planes scheduled to join the fleet, including continued deliveries of the Boeing 737 family of aircraft and new additions such as the Boeing 777-300ER and the Airbus A320 family of aircraft, American is building toward the youngest and most modern fleet among major U.S. carriers. American's website, aa.com®, provides customers with easy access to check and book fares, and personalized news, information and travel offers. American's AAdvantage® program, voted Airline Program of the Year at the 2013 Freddie Awards, lets members earn miles for travel and everyday purchases and redeem miles for flights to almost 950 destinations worldwide, as well as flight upgrades, vacation packages, car rentals, hotel stays and other retail products. The airline also offers nearly 40 Admirals Club® locations worldwide providing comfort, convenience, and an environment with a full range of services making it easy for customers to stay productive without interruption. American is a founding member of the oneworld® alliance, which brings together some of the best and biggest airlines in the world, including global brands like British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Iberia Airlines, Japan Airlines, LAN and Qantas. Together, its members serve more than 840 destinations served by some 9,000 daily flights to nearly 160 countries and territories. Connect with American on Twitter @AmericanAir or Facebook.com/AmericanAirlines. American Airlines, Inc. and American Eagle Airlines, Inc. are subsidiaries of AMR Corporation. AMR Corporation common stock trades under the symbol "AAMRQ" on the OTCQB marketplace, operated by OTC Markets Group. For more on American Airlines' commitment to diversity, please visit both aa.com/rainbow and aa.com/diversity.



            

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