UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549 SCHEDULE 13G Under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 Hispanic Express, Inc. ---------------------- (Name of Issuer) Common Stock ------------ (Title of Class of Securities) 43358F104 --------- (CUSIP Number) December 31, 2001 ----------------- (Date of Event Which Requires Filing of this Statement) This Schedule is filed pursuant to Rule 13d-1(b). The information required in the remainder of this cover page shall not be deemed to be "filed" for the purpose of Section 18 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 ("Act") or otherwise subject to the liabilities of that section of the Act but shall be subject to all other provisions of the Act (however, see the Notes). [Continued on the following pages] Page 1 of 4 Pages Page 2 of 4 Pages CUSIP #: 43358F104 --------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 1. Name of Reporting Person: (I.R.S. Identification No. of above person): First Financial Fund, Inc. 13-3341573 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2. Check the appropriate box if a member of a group: (a) ( ) (b) ( ) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 3. SEC use only: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4. Citizenship or Place of Organization: Maryland -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 5. Sole Voting Power 574,200 ---------------------------------------- Number of shares 6. Shared Voting Power beneficially owned by 0 ---------------------------------------- 7. Sole Dispositive Power each Reporting Person with 0 ---------------------------------------- 8. Shared Dispositive Power 574,200 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 9. Aggregate amount beneficially owned by each reporting person: 574,200 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 10. Check if the aggregate amount in row (9) excludes certain shares: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 11. Percent of class represented by amount in row (9): 8.23% -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 12. Type of Reporting Person: IV Page 3 of 4 Pages CUSIP #: 43358F104 --------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCHEDULE 13G ------------ Item 1(a): Name of Issuer: --------------------------- Hispanic Express, Inc. Item 1(b): Address of Issuer's Principal Executive Offices: ------------------------------------------------------------ 5480 East Ferguson Drive Commerce, California 90022 Item 2(a): Name of Person Filing: ---------------------------------- First Financial Fund, Inc. Item 2(b): Address of Principal Business Office: ------------------------------------------------- Gateway Center Three 100 Mulberry Street, 9th Floor Newark, New Jersey 07102-7503 Item 2(c): Citizenship: ------------------------ Maryland Item 2(d): Title of Class of Securities: ----------------------------------------- Common Stock Item 2(e): CUSIP Number: ------------------------- 320228109 Item 3: Type of Person Filing Pursuant to ss.ss.240.13d-1(b) or 240.13d-2(b) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- or (c): ------- An investment company registered under section 8 of the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C 80a-8) Item 4: Ownership: ------------------- (a) AMOUNT BENEFICIALLY OWNED: First Financial Fund, Inc., a registered closed-end investment company, may be deemed the beneficial owner of 574,200 shares of common stock of the Issuer. (b) PERCENT OF CLASS: 8.23% (c) VOTING AND DISPOTIVE POWER: First Financial Fund, Inc. has sole power to vote or to direct the vote and shared power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 574,200 shares of common stock of the Issuer. First Financial Fund, Inc. has shared power to vote or to direct the vote and sole power to dispose or to direct the disposition of 0 shares of common stock of the Issuer. Page 4 of 4 Pages CUSIP #: 43358F104 --------- -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SCHEDULE 13G ------------ Item 5: Ownership of Five Percent or Less of a Class: ------------------------------------------------------ Not Applicable Item 6: Ownership of More than Five Percent on Behalf of Another Person: ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Not Applicable Item 7: Identification and Classification of the Subsidiary which Acquired the -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Security Being Reported on by the Parent Holding Company: --------------------------------------------------------- Not Applicable Item 8: Identification and Classification of Members of the Group: ------------------------------------------------------------------- Not Applicable Item 9: Notice of Dissolution of Group: ---------------------------------------- Not Applicable Item 10: Certification: ------------------------ By signing below I certify that, to the best of my knowledge and belief, the securities referred to above were acquired and are held in the ordinary course of business and were not acquired and are not held for the purpose of or with the effect of changing or influencing the control of the issuer of the securities and were not acquired and are not held in connection with or as a participant in any transaction having that purpose or effect. Signature: ---------- After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I certify that the information set forth in this statement is true, complete, and correct. Date: February 11, 2002 Signature: /s/Arthur J. Brown ------------------ Name/Title: Arthur J. Brown Secretary