FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact:  Jocelyn Wang
“Making IT! Minority Success Stories”
Phone: 323-460-5253               
Fax: 323-460-3907
Email: jrwang@tribune.com
Website : www.MakingItTV.com

“MAKING IT!” Celebrates 15 Years on Television

Los Angeles, CA--- January 6, 2004--- Entering its 15th season on the air, “MAKING IT! Minority Success Stories,” is the west coast’s only four-time Emmy Award winning small business show devoted to small and minority owned companies. Since its first airing in 1989, MAKING IT! has taken viewers into the lives of more than 800 minority men and women entrepreneurs, who tell their stories of major challenges and triumphs. “MAKING IT!” has seen many businesses flourish throughout the years and revisited some of the ones that have achieved success.

In 1993, MAKING IT! first visited the husband and wife team, Hector and Norma Orci, owners of La Agencia de Orci. In 1982 they both moved from Mexico to the U.S. and were employed at McCann Erickson’s national Hispanic advertising division. Knowing that the division was not going to be expanded they decided to open their own niche marketing/advertising firm. MAKING IT! revisited them in 2001. In 1999 they opened a second office in Chicago. Today they have over 80 bilingual and bicultural professionals from 16 different countries. Hispanic Business Magazine ranked them number 12 on their top 25 Hispanic Advertising Agencies for 2002. Some of their clients include Honda, Allstate, Verizon, and Washington Mutual.

“MAKING IT!” viewers first learned about the major ambition of Andrew and Peggy Cherng, owners of Panda Restaurant Group back in 1994. At that time the Cherng’s operated 114 different restaurants and only had 2,600 employees. “MAKING IT!” took viewers back inside their vision of growth for the company when they revisited the Cherngs in 2002. Their dream is to reach 10,000 locations in their lifetime. Today, Panda Restaurant Group manages Panda Express, Panda Inn, Panda Panda, and Hibachi-San. They have grown to over $400 million in sales, 6,000 employees, and 500 locations throughout 35 states in the U.S, Puerto Rico, and Japan.

URB Magazine, which stand for “Urban”, is a music magazine that thrives on the sound of the street, the vibes of warehouse parties and the fashion of the city. “MAKING IT!” looked in on Raymond Roker publisher of URB back in 1998. Roker was a graffiti artist that turned his raw talent and passion for music into launching the first issue of URB in 1990. In 1996 the magazine became the largest national voice for dance music culture, and grossed about $700,000. In the year 2000, URB celebrated its 10th anniversary. The magazine has branched out in starting a record label, a marketing company, party promotion business and a radio program. The revenue projected was $2.4 million with 17 employees, and his goal is to become an essential source of information about the alternative music scene.

During its years on the air, “MAKING IT!” has received four Emmy awards, along with 30 other awards from all levels of the community, business and government, including the U.S. Small Business Administration, the Department of Commerce and the National Association of Women Business Owners.

Produced by Nelson Davis Television Productions, a minority owned production company, “MAKING IT!” is broadcast on KTLA in Los Angeles, KKPX in San Francisco, KSWB in San Diego and KSPX in Sacramento. It is also available on Direct TV, reaching over 5 million homes around the country. “MAKING IT!” sponsors include Boeing, California Lottery, Hilton Hotels, Honda, Sempra Energy, and The Walt Disney Company.

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