Celebrating Entrepreneurial Impact in Central Florida

Prospera hosts event to recognize small businesses and milestone with community stakeholders

ORLANDO, Fla., Oct. 9, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Prospera held its annual entrepreneurship celebration, presented by OUC, at the Orlando Science Center. Under this year's theme, 35 Years Rooted in Impact, the event brought together entrepreneurs, community partners, and supporters to recognize three outstanding local businesses that have benefited from Prospera's services and celebrate the organization's 35th anniversary and its continued commitment to advancing business growth and community prosperity.

The following small business owners were recognized:

• Hernán Bedoya, owner of SOS Diesel Mechanical Services
• Marivict & Mario Silva, owners of 2M Graphics 
• Elvis Torres, owner of Optimal Point Solutions

The program, led by Prospera Regional Vice President Katia Medina, brought together leaders from the public, private, financial, and community sectors to discuss the current small business landscape and the challenges facing entrepreneurs and the organizations that support them. Featured speakers included City of Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer and Orange County Mayor Jerry L. Demings. During the program, Mayor Demings received a special recognition in appreciation of his eight years of service as Orange County Mayor and his longstanding support of Prospera's mission, dating back to before his mayoral tenure.

The program also featured a panel discussion exploring the current political, economic, and social climate, its impact on small businesses and community organizations, and opportunities for continued collaboration. Participants included:

• Elisha Gonzalez, senior vice president of community affairs for Florida at Truist and Prospera Board of Directors Executive Committee member (moderator)
• Maribel Gomez Cordero, Orange County District 4 Commissioner
• Laudi Campo, Florida state director at Hispanic Federation
• Yanet Herrero, owner & CEO of Kings Service Solutions and Prospera client
• Juan Amo, senior vice president and market executive for the East Central Florida Market at Bank of America 
• Augusto Sanabria, president & CEO of Prospera

"We celebrate Hispanic entrepreneurs whose impact extends far beyond their businesses," said Clint Bullock, OUC General Manager & CEO. "At OUC, we're dedicated to supporting their journeys with energy and water solutions that save time and money, ensuring their success takes root and strengthens our community for generations."

In addition to presenting sponsor OUC, the event was supported by the following:

• Premier Sponsors: Duke Energy & Verizon
• Host Sponsors: Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Orlando Health, Orlando Magic, TD Bank, Walt Disney Parks & Resorts, and Wells Fargo
• Champion Sponsors: Comcast NBC/Universal Telemundo Enterprises, Fairwinds, Hispanic Federation, Hispanic Insurance Specialists, KPMG, Northbridge University, Plaza del Sol, Suncoast Credit Union, TSG Financial Advisors Powered by Ameriprise Financial, and VyStar Credit Union

About Prospera
Prospera is an economic development, nonprofit organization that has specialized since 1991 in providing bilingual assistance to entrepreneurs who want to start, sustain, and grow their business. In the last five years alone, Prospera facilitated $56.8 million in loans for small business clients, trained more than 17,700 entrepreneurs, and helped consulting clients create or retain more than 17,600 jobs. Prospera currently serves Florida, North Carolina, and Georgia. For more information, visit www.prosperausa.org. 

Media Contact: Katia Medina, (407) 920-4201, [email protected]

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SOURCE Prospera