FORT WORTH, Texas (FNN NEWS) — The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce will bring its 47th Annual National Conference to Fort Worth, Texas, Sept. 14-16, 2026, convening Hispanic business leaders, corporate executives, policymakers and entrepreneurs from across the country.

The three-day conference will be held at the Fort Worth Convention Center and is expected to serve as a major national platform for business development, networking, economic opportunity and deal-making.

Nearly five decades after its launch, the USHCC National Conference has grown into what the organization describes as the nation’s largest gathering of Hispanic business decision-makers.

The selection of Fort Worth highlights the North Texas city’s growing position as a center for business, entrepreneurship and culture while providing a national stage for Hispanic-owned businesses and their economic impact.

Fort Worth Selected to Host 2026 National Conference

USHCC announced Fort Worth as the 2026 host following its 46th Annual National Conference in Atlanta.

“We are thrilled to bring the USHCC National Conference to Fort Worth in 2026,” said Jackie Puente, vice president of external affairs at Comcast and chairwoman of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “This city showcases the innovation, diversity, and economic impact of Hispanic-owned businesses nationwide. At Comcast, we are proud to support the USHCC’s mission of opening doors and creating opportunities for our community to thrive.”

Fort Worth business leaders also welcomed the opportunity to host the national gathering.

“Fort Worth is proud to host the USHCC National Conference in 2026,” said Ericka Garza, president and CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “This event highlights our city’s vibrant culture and the impact of Hispanic-owned businesses in driving economic growth.”

Connecting Hispanic Businesses With Opportunities

Connection building will be a major focus of the 2026 conference, with programming designed to bring business owners directly together with corporate executives, policymakers, industry leaders and potential partners.

Through curated networking opportunities and informal gatherings, participants will have opportunities to establish relationships that could lead to collaborations, contracts, partnerships and long-term business growth.

The conference also provides companies and organizations seeking to expand their engagement with Hispanic-owned businesses an opportunity to connect with entrepreneurs and business leaders from markets across the United States.

National Leaders Take the Main Stage

The conference’s main-stage sessions will feature influential leaders and nationally recognized voices discussing major issues affecting business, entrepreneurship and economic advancement.

Sessions are expected to provide perspectives on economic trends, public policy, market opportunities and emerging challenges facing businesses.

The discussions are designed to help entrepreneurs and executives better understand changing markets and position their organizations for future opportunities.

Breakout Sessions Focus on Business Growth

Attendees will also have access to industry-focused breakout sessions featuring subject-matter experts addressing specific business challenges and opportunities.

The interactive sessions are designed to provide participants with practical strategies, tools and information they can apply to their companies and organizations.

Topics and speakers for the 2026 conference are expected to be announced as the event approaches.

Hispanic Businesses Take Center Stage in Fort Worth

The conference comes as Hispanic-owned businesses continue to play an increasingly important role in entrepreneurship, job creation and economic development across the United States.

For Fort Worth, hosting the national conference provides an opportunity to showcase the city’s business community while connecting local entrepreneurs with corporate and government decision-makers from across the country.

47th Annual USHCC National Conference
Dates: Sept. 14-16, 2026
Location: Fort Worth Convention Center
City: Fort Worth, Texas

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. (FNN NEWS) — The Casements, the historic Ormond Beach residence where industrialist John D. Rockefeller spent the final years of his life, will host “The American Legacy,” a new exhibition by American artist Mateo Blanco opening Saturday, Aug. 1.

The exhibition brings together painting and photography to explore themes of American history, material, memory, innovation and the ideas that continue to shape the nation’s identity during its Semiquincentennial.

Public Premiere of Rockefeller Flag

The centerpiece of the exhibition is the public debut of “Rockefeller Flag,” a new oil-on-canvas painting created exclusively for The Casements.

Rather than depicting Rockefeller himself, the work examines the relationship between industry, history and artistic tradition. Executed entirely in black oil paint on canvas, Rockefeller Flag draws its conceptual inspiration from petroleum—the natural resource that transformed American industry and helped redefine the modern world.

Blanco notes that petroleum also returns to its artistic origins through oil paint, the medium that has shaped Western painting for more than five centuries, creating an intersection between industrial innovation and artistic expression.

Installed inside Rockefeller’s historic residence, the painting encourages visitors to reflect not only on one of America’s most influential business leaders but also on the broader themes of vision, enterprise, stewardship and the legacy each generation leaves behind.

“For many people, The Casements represents the final chapter of John D. Rockefeller’s life,” Blanco said. “For me, it represents the beginning of another conversation—one about legacy. Every generation inherits ideas, opportunities and responsibilities created by those who came before. What ultimately defines us is what we choose to build with that inheritance.”

Museum Exhibition Highlights

The exhibition also features paintings previously exhibited at The Butler Institute of American Art alongside a curated selection of photographs celebrating the American landscape, its people and the cultural narratives that have shaped the nation across generations.

Together, the works represent one of Blanco’s most comprehensive museum presentations to date, combining painting and photography in a reflection on the American experience.

According to exhibition organizers, The American Legacy is intended as a cultural reflection rather than a political statement, highlighting creativity, craftsmanship, imagination, innovation and the enduring ability of individuals to transform ideas and materials into lasting contributions.

By returning petroleum to the language of oil painting, Blanco creates a dialogue between one of America’s defining industrial achievements and one of the oldest artistic traditions in history.

About Mateo Blanco

Mateo Blanco is an American multidisciplinary artist whose work explores material transformation, cultural memory and the evolving narrative of American identity. Working across painting, photography, sculpture and mixed media, Blanco examines how everyday materials become symbols of history, belonging and collective memory.

His work has been exhibited by museums and cultural institutions throughout the United States, including The Butler Institute of American Art, the Orlando Museum of Art, the Boca Raton Museum of Art, the Museum of Art – DeLand, the Armory Art Center, the Cornell Art Museum and the Brick Store Museum.

His artwork is included in the permanent collections of several American museums, reflecting continued institutional recognition of his contributions to contemporary American art.

Blanco is represented by Rosenbaum Contemporary, with gallery locations in Palm Beach, Boca Raton and Hollywood, Florida.

Exhibition Information

The American Legacy: Featuring the Public Premiere of Rockefeller Flag

Opening Reception
Saturday, Aug. 1, 2026

3–7 p.m.

Location
The Casements

25 Riverside Drive

Ormond Beach, FL 32176