Hispania Capital Partners announced today it's investment in Rossi Publications, Inc. (RPI), the publisher of La Raza, Chicago's leading Spanish language newspaper and the largest circulated Spanish language Sunday newspaper in the nation. Under the new partnership, the name Rossi Publications, Inc. was changed to PrensAmerica Corp. The new entity will remain Hispanic owned and operated. The terms of the transaction were not disclosed. Duff & Phelps is a general partner of Hispania Capital Partners.

Hispania's investment will enable the 33-year old company to accelerate its ongoing expansion in Chicago's suburban areas where the Hispanic population has grown by close to 70% over the past 10 years. Hispania will also assist the company in expanding the distribution of La Raza Paginas Amarillas; a rapidly growing Spanish-language telephone directory geared to Latino consumers in the greater Chicago area. Other acquisitions are being planned as the company has its sights on expanding well beyond the Chicago market.

Carlos L. Signoret, a Partner at Hispania Capital Partners, commented, "Our investment will assist La Raza in maintaining market leadership in Chicago, as well as expanding its reach to other markets."

Chicago's Hispanic population, currently estimated at 1.6 million, is the nation's fourth largest and is experiencing the fastest growth rate among the top five Hispanic metropolitan areas in the U.S., which includes Los Angeles, New York, Miami and Houston. Hispanics account for nearly 25% of Chicago's metropolitan population and are responsible for over 66% of the total population growth in the state of Illinois over the past ten years.

Victor L Maruri, a Partner at Hispania Capital Partners, noted, "As our first major investment since the Fund closed five months ago, La Raza meets practically all of our criteria which include attractive growth potential for our investors, a valuable product for our community and a significant financial commitment to inner city economic development." Maruri further noted, "The fact that our first investment is in our home base of Chicago makes it all the more exciting."

Hispania Capital Partners is a Chicago-based private equity fund focusing on investment opportunities in later-stage companies serving the U.S. Hispanic market in the areas of print and broadcasting, business services, financial sector, information technology, and food manufacturing and distribution. Hispania's general partner, Duff & Phelps, is a nationally recognized leader in advisory services to family-owned companies since 1932.