The United States Small Business Administration's Los Angeles District Office has selected Patricia Gracia, founder and president of the advertising agency Power Media Group, as the Minority Small Business Champion of the Year

During National Small Business Week 2010, Patricia Gracia, founder of Power Media Group, was honored for her commitment to support minority entrepreneurship through the creation of Power Woman Business Center, a business incubator, in Santa Clarita. Gracia was awarded during a luncheon and ceremony.

Gracia, who grew up in Peru, migrated to the United States by crossing the Mexican Border from Tijuana illegally. At age 18, alone and full of goals and dreams, the Peruvian native started her new American life in the San Fernando Valley and quickly mastered the English language.

In 2001, Gracia launched Power Media Group from her small living room in the San Fernando Valley. Today, she and her husband, Tony Gracia, manage a successful advertising agency that specializes in creating Spanish language media campaigns for high-profile clients seeking to reach the growing Hispanic market, which experts indicate will exceed a buying power of $1 trillion in 2010.

Recently, the Gracias founded the business incubator, Power Woman Business Center (PWBC), to help minority entrepreneurs start or grow their businesses despite difficult economic conditions. The Center provides low-cost office facilities as well as training and resources to guide entrepreneurs towards professional success, and it is the culmination of Patricia's dream.

PWBC - The Center operates in the 11,000 square-foot Spanish style multi-story house, which became the agency's new headquarters in 2008 with purchasing help of an SBA 504 Loan.

Small Business Champion awards are made to individuals or organizations dedicated to supporting small businesses, and the National Small Business Champion awards are selected from the State winners.

The nation's top entrepreneurs were honored at the U.S. Small Business Administration's National Small Business Week events held on May 23-25, in Los Angeles. A series of events and educational forums marked the 57th anniversary of the agency and the 47th annual proclamation of National Small Business Week.

About SBA

The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) was created in 1953 as an independent agency of the federal government to aid, counsel, assist and protect the interests of small business concerns, to preserve free competitive enterprise and to maintain and strengthen the overall economy.

About Power Media Group Inc. (http://www.powermediagroup.com)

Advertising agency Power Media Group, led by Patricia Gracia and Tony Gracia, has achieved recognition from organizations such as the Latin Business Association (2008 Sol Award as Business of the Year), Addy Awards (2009 Excellence in Creativity for a TV ad in the General Market - Catalog Sales, three 2010 ADDY Awards), and San Fernando Valley Business Journal 50 Fastest Growing Private Companies of 2009. Patricia has been named United States SBA Minority Small Business Champion of the Year 2010.