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A MOMENT WITH THE PRESIDENT
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From the Desk of John Hernandez, President of the FWHCC
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Approximately one year ago, I proudly joined the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as its president and CEO. I had served as a board member of the organization on and off over the past 10 years. I felt that I was the right fit to lead this organization not only because of my diverse background, but also because I was already familiar with the great things that the Hispanic Chamber did and stood for. However, as I shared at our Evolution luncheon this February, the Chamber had hit an unfortunate lull and we had to find a way back to the basics.
My initial priorities for the first year were as follows: reengage the community, improve our financial standing and focus on membership. We called and met with anyone who would give us their time. We were also very fortunate to have a board of directors and longtime members/supporters that reengaged and offered their assistance. The plan worked: we are more visible than ever and as a result, have greatly improved the Chamber's financial standing and have added an incredible 103 new members.
In the midst of all this, we decided it was prime time to revamp the Chamber. I'm proud to announce that we have introduced the following: a new logo, new mission statement, new website, new programs and events, and a new staff. This rebranding effort could not have been possible without a very involved and progressive board of directors and the invaluable partnerships we formed with
J.O. Design,
Ardent Creative,
Fort Worth Business, and the many prominent Fort Worth organizations that offered their resources and cooperation.
Finally, although I am a very big proponent of celebrating wins, I also want to acknowledge that we still have a lot of work to do. With one year under our belt, we need to reflect on
what worked and what didn't over the past 12 months and adjust accordingly. We also need to fine-tune our efforts to add value to our community. In my opinion, there is no better way to do so than to constantly improve our relationships with the entire Fort Worth community by partnering, collaborating and encouraging inclusiveness. Only then can we offer the coveted ROI that our members, partners and community expect and deserve.
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EVENTS CALENDAR
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Five Pillar Lecture Series: Education
On August 18th, join the FWHCC and Dr. Kent P. Scribner, Superintendent of the Fort Worth Independent School District, for the next installment of our Five Pillar Lecture Series.
Dr. Scribner will speak to attendees about his conclusions and impressions of our educational system after approximately one year on the job and will discuss FWISD's most pressing needs. Register online.
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New Member Orientation
Put together the pieces of your FWHCC membership! We invite all new members to attend our New Member Orientation on August 19th. This orientation informs new members of the Chamber's history, promotes upcoming programs and events, and educates new members on how to best take advantage of their membership with the FWHCC. Free to attend. Register online or call (817) 625-5411.
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Business After Hours Mixer
Frost Bank is hosting our next Business After Hours networking event in the lobby of their Downtown location on September 8th. Enjoy appetizers and refreshments catered by Grace. Be sure to bring your business cards for networking opportunities and the chance to win door prizes! Free to attend and free valet parking (valet entrance on Commerce Street). Please register online.
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18th Annual North Texas Wellness Fair
All are invited to join the Hispanic Wellness Coalition on August 6th for the 18th Annual North Texas Wellness Fair! This event offers a wide range of free medical screenings, exercise and cooking demonstrations and more. The NTWF is designed to provide access to health care prevention services and information to those who cannot afford it. The objective is to break the barriers of communication by building trust among providers and those in need. Please click
here
for event information and a list of the services that will be provided.
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4th Annual Equality Through Strength Luncheon
Join Plaid for Women on August 26th to h
ear from like-minded women who want to see one another succeed in both business and in life, including
Nancy E. Jones of the
North
Texas Community Foundation,
Sharen Wilson,
Tarrant County
Criminal District Attorney,
Jennifer TreviƱo of the
University of North Texas
Health Science Center,
Yolanda Roberts of the
FW Metropolitan Black Chamber
of Commerce, and moderated by Shivaun Plamer, CEO & Co-Founder of Plaid for Women, Inc. Please register online.
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The CVB also invites you to attend the following community events:
If you have family in town this summer, take advantage of these fun activities:
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CHAMBER
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The FWHCC had the honor of participating in Upward
Bound's End-of-Year program. Upward Bound is a
pre-college program for at-risk, low-income and
first-generation college students. This amazing program offers students a support system and empowers them through the use of competitions, rigorous work, internships and immense compassion. We were not only impressed by the passionate staff and inspired young minds, but were most impressed by the success rate of the program.
100% of students going through this program apply and are accepted to our local universities and beyond. Supporting this program has been such an honor. These young minds are our future; we are honored to help encourage them to grow into educated, socially-conscious and passionate young adults!
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BNSF Hispanic Leadership Council
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This month, a group of FWHCC representatives had the great opportunity to meet and brainstorm collaborative efforts with the BNSF Hispanic Leadership Council. This meeting was extremely enlightening and positive in terms of coinciding ideals and goals. The following topics were discussed at the meeting: the state of underserved students and schools, workforce needs and best resource allocation for long-lasting change. Attendees shared personal stories and struggles as well as what could be done to encourage students to build their own inspiration, drive and self-belief. The meeting ended with the proposition for a follow-up meeting to discuss specific collaborative initiatives. We look forward to sharing more developments as this partnership and collaboration grows and comes together to serve those in need and to benefit our society now and in the future.
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Entrepreneur Hall of Fame
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The FWHCC would like to congratulate past-president Rosa Navejar who was honored as one of Fort Worth's great innovators and initiated into the Fort Worth Business Press Entrepreneur Hall of Fame this month. The following is an excerpt from article about Ms. Navejar, published in the Fort Worth Business Press (Vol. 29, No. 24). The full article is available online.
Rosa Navejar is the definition of self-made businesswoman.
Navejar took to heart her father's advice, "Conganas puedes hacer todo", meaning "with enthusiasm, you can do anything" and set out to prove that she could.
Navejar grew up in Fort Worth's Northside as the youngest of 10 children. After graduating from Diamond Hill High School in 1974, she was determined to become successful even though college was not within her grasp.
Her search for a downtown job led to an entry-level position in the proof transit area with First of Fort Worth, now Bank of America. That step led to a 25-year career in banking that spanned multiple banks. Along the way, she gained experience in corporate trust, retail, operations, lending and mortgage banking. "Some people say I've worked for every bank in Fort Worth, twice," Navejar told the Business Press. "I was being pulled every which way because I was bilingual."
Navejar's plans to retire were nixed when she was recruited for the position of president and CEO of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Her banking experience and a position on the chamber board made her a natural choice for the position. At first she balked but then reconsidered due to advice from two mentors.
In her 11 years as president of the Hispanic Chamber, Navejar was able to have an impact on the community in several ways, including the creation of a mentoring program to engage recent college graduates in civic and nonprofit leadership. Her innovative style helped the organization and its members increase their impact in the city and the business community.
Since then, Navejar has been owner, president, and CEO of The Rios Group Inc., a company that specializes in locating buried utility lines before construction of a major capital project such as a road or hospital addition. And she remains a familiar figure in the city's business community.
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COMMUNITY
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Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans
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Texas is home to more military service members and veterans than almost any other place in America. It is a state that proudly breeds dedicated public servants. In Tarrant County alone, there are more than 125,000 military veterans. They are our family members, our co-workers, our employees, and our employers. There will likely come a
time in each veteran's life when they need legal advice.
When a veteran close to you has such a need, there's a program you should be prepared to tell them about.
Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans (TLTV) was created with one simple premise - provide legal assistance to veterans here in Tarrant County. It was established in 2010 as a program of the Tarrant County Bar Association and has provided legal advice to thousands of local veterans since its inception.
TLTV holds a free legal clinic for veterans almost every month. Any veteran who attends may receive legal advice at one of the monthly legal clinics. For those who qualify due to the financial obstacles they face, TLTV tries to arrange a pro bono lawyer who can continue to provide representation until the legal challenge is resolved.
We would like to encourage you to learn more about TLTV - visit one of the legal clinics, contact the author to discuss the program, refer a veteran with legal questions, or become a sponsor. There are thousands of veterans in this community in need of legal services. Please help them find their way to Texas Lawyers for Texas Veterans at www.txltxv.org.
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Sal Espino: Well-Being Powered by Blue Zones Project
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Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce member, Sal Espino, has a secret weapon for well-being. As Fort Worth's District 2 City Councilman, Espino has many things competing for his attention. But the father of four (and 2015 FWHCC Government Advocate of the Year) says his priority is "Family First" - one of the key principles of Blue Zones Project, a well-being improvement initiative aimed at making healthy choices easier for Fort Worth.
This is especially important in the Hispanic community.
According to the CDC
, Hispanics are more likely to suffer from diabetes, poorly controlled high blood pressure, and obesity. Blue Zones Project isn't a standard diet-and-exercise approach to well-being. The initiative helps individuals create lasting change through simple behaviors and actions known as the Power 9 principles, habits shared by the world's longest living people.
The Power 9 include knowing your purpose, eating with a "plant slant," moving naturally, and prioritizing family - the principle that resonates the most strongly for Espino. He often can be found at his children's activities; Espino takes his parents to breakfast, goes to church, and hosts gatherings for loved ones as well.
"Walking with my wife or cooking out with the whole family balances me and makes me happy," said Espino. "That's what Blue Zones Project is all about. I encourage all Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber members to discover which Power 9 work for them."
Learn more at
www.LiveLongFortWorth.com
- which also features other leaders' stories and a Personal Pledge for well-being.
"Blue Zones Project gives me a path to c
onvivir
and bien estar," said Espino. "It can do the same for you."
Visit the
FWHCC Facebook page
to view photos from last fall's Blue Zones Project Business After Hours Mixer.
Sal Espino, his wife, and four children.
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
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The Beck Group invites you to attend a pre-bid meeting to learn more about The University of Texas at Dallas Engineering Building project, and the available bidding opportunities. Please join us on Thursday, August 11th from 5:30-7:00pm at the Texo Conference Center 11101 N Stemmons Freeway, Dallas, TX 75229 Collaboration Rooms 1 & 2. Network with other subcontractors, vendors, suppliers and meet the Beck project team. Please RSVP by August 5th by emailing
rsvpnow@gapconsultingservices.com.
The University of Texas at Dallas Engineering Building:
University of Texas System Board of Regents approved the construction of the 206,000 square foot Engineering Building to be built on the site of the Alexander Clark Center, which will be torn down starting next month. The new facility will help the University accommodate the rapid growth in its engineering programs and increase its externally funded research capabilities. The building, which will primarily house the Mechanical Engineering Department, will contain research and teaching labs, faculty offices, student workspaces and a 300-seat auditorium that will be named in honor of Dr. Alexander Clark, a former vice president of academic affairs and one-time acting president of the University. Construction on the engineering building is scheduled to begin this fall with a completion expected by the start of fall 2018.
Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) Program:
The Engineering Building is identified as a University of Texas Systems project and therefore has Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) goal requirements that need be achieved on the project. Firms certified as HUB through the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts office and who participate as a contractor, vendor or supplier meet the requirements necessary for their participation on the project to count towards the overall HUB goal.
Additional information regarding HUB certification process and requirements on becoming certified as Historically Underutilized Business, may be obtain by contacting the office of the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts toll-free at (888) 863-5881 or visit the Texas Comptroller
website.
The Beck Group will be issuing bid invitations for all scopes of work via email. To be added to the bid invitation list or for more information on the bidding process and to locate subcontractor qualification forms, visit Beck's
website.
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MEMBERS
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Monica Serrano oversees account services for the Fort Worth Latino Market for Enterprise Holdings, operating Enterprise Rent a Car, Alamo Rent a Car and National Car Rental.
Monica began her career at Enterprise in 2007, 11 days after graduating from Dallas Baptist University. Early in her career, Monica found that Enterprise was the perfect place for her to grow personally and professionally.
Enterprise is a family-owned business that prides itself in its commitment to providing exceptional customer service, excellent opportunities for employee growth, and a steadfast commitment in giving back to the communities they serve.
Monica has managed multiple flagship stores in Fort Worth and surrounding areas over the past nine years. During this time she focused on building loyal, long-term relationships by meeting her customer's needs and earning their trust. Now, as a member of the sales and marketing team, Monica is eager to continue to assist in servicing the total transportation needs of the Fort Worth community and beyond.
Outside of her professional life, Monica and her husband have been married for five years. During their spare time, they enjoy time at their small ranch, going out to the Fort Worth Stockyards for rodeo events, and listening and dancing to country music, especially at Billy Bobs!
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Interested in a Ribbon Cutting?
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A great benefit of your FWHCC membership is that we offer ribbon cuttings for members who have started a new business, moved to a new location, or
have remodeled or
expanded an existing business. Please let us know if you are interested in scheduling a ribbon cutting by contacting Nicole Antonini at (817) 625-5411 or
nicole.antonini@fwhcc.org
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Thanks to Our Corporate Partners
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GOLD
SILVER
BRONZE
PARTNER
ASSOCIATES
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