JANUARY 2017
EMPRESARIO
  Presented by:

 THIS COULD BE YOUR COMPANY!
  www.yourcompany.com

 Your company's name, logo and website can reach our        members and community at the top of our monthly  newsletter! Please email Nicole Antonini for more information.
A MOMENT WITH THE PRESIDENT
From the Desk of John Hernandez, President of the FWHCC
The beginning of each new year provides us with a few moments to reflect on our previous 12 months, on our many accomplishments and gives us the opportunity to plan out an even more extraordinary year to come. If you're like me, I find myself surrounded by a long list of tasks, plans, checklists and pages and pages of brainstorming notes I've accumulated throughout the past year. 
 
As I sit here and contemplate, it leads me back to the age old saying, "Keep it simple." For me, that means following what I feel are the three basics: identifying your immediate needs, formulating your execution plan and ultimately visualizing your success. For the Chamber, that means focusing on our top three initiatives for 2017, which are ROI for our members, building capacity and community development. 
 
Many of you have your own ideas on how to plan for a new year, but I'd like to conclude my first Moment with the President for 2017 with this: for those of you who are in the midst of this annual crossroad, just remember: keep it simple. Identify your immediate needs, formulate your execution plan, and most importantly, visualize your success. 

"There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure."
- Colin Powell
EVENTS CALENDAR Calendar
Chamber Calendar
The Art of Storytelling
The amount of time you have to capture the attention of your audience is dwindling. Only individuals and teams that have something interesting to say are the ones that win over new teams, influence others, and engage your clients. On January 12th, l earn how you can leverage the power of storytelling to attract and hold attention while delivering key messages and takeaways that will prompt others to action.  Register online and use code FWHCC for a 50% off member discount.
Maximize Your Membership
NEW from the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber! The FWHCC will hold quarterly meetings for all members starting on January 13th. Whether you're new to the Chamber family or have been a member for many years, join us to network with other members, l earn about the Chamber's history and new initiatives, upcoming programs and events and how to best take advantage of your new or existing membership with the FWHCC. Free to attend. Please register  online.
34th Annual Fiesta Night at the Rodeo
We are nearing our first fundraiser of 2017! Join us at the Will Rogers Coliseum on  January 20th  for a night of fun at the 121st Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo. We will serve a BBQ dinner at the Round Up Inn prior to the rodeo and will host a dance with live music from Latin Express afterwards. All proceeds from our silent auction will benefit the FWHCC Scholarship Fund. For more information or to purchase tickets, click  here .
Community Calendar
Multi-Chamber Mixer
Join chambers from all around the Fort Worth and Arlington area at a Multi-Chamber mixer on January 5th at the Austin Event Center. Enjoy refreshments, door prizes and hear an update from the honorary event host, Fort Worth City Manager, David Cooke. Stay afterwards for great entertainment featuring comedy and live jazz music! Free to attend but RSVP required.
FWSSR Annual All Western Parade
Don't miss the tradition of the Fort Worth Stock Show's "All Western Parade" and a chance to see the FWHCC wagon on January 14th in preparation for Fiesta Night at the Rodeo 2017! More than 100,000 spectators line the streets of Downtown Fort Worth to watch the world's largest all western parade. More information can be found online.
Breakfast at the BAC
Taxes are not something most payers think of humorously. Just thinking about taxes is a downer. Susan Roberts, Principal at CliftonLarsonAllen, will brighten your breakfast hour on January 19th with her wit and wisdom and answer your questions about tax law. With a free breakfast table, this educational networking event is anything but taxing! Register online.
CHAMBER Chamber
Our Responsibility to Our Members
Despite facing major challenges, this past year has proven to be a sound learning and evolving experience for our Chamber.  As we stand, now able to see above our original footing, we have taken a moment of pause. While here, we are analyzing our 2017 strategies, reminded that our members must be at the forefront of our efforts. We are asking ourselves: how can we best utilize our newly reached foundation to ensure that all our members, supporters and the community can stand proudly with us?

This profound analysis provided us with a multi-angular view of our organization. While the answers to this complex question will never be straight forward, we are proceeding with a stronger understanding of our true objectives. We stand with a reinvigorated inclination and better illuminated direction. We thank you all for standing by us through this evolution.

It is with gratitude that we ask you to again stand with us as we move enthusiastically into a new year filled with opportunities, innovation and a genuine love for the community we serve.
 
"One of the greatest mistakes is to judge policies and programs by their intentions rather than their results." - Milton Friedman
Fiesta Night at the Rodeo Special Announcement


The Chamber is excited to announce that it will donate 100% of the funds raised at the 2017 Fiesta Night at the Rodeo's silent auction to our scholarship program. Join us on January 20th to contribute to this wonderful program. You can purchase your tickets to Fiesta Night online or by calling (817) 625-5411.

In 1998, the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce created a scholarship program designed to target minority high school students in Tarrant County. Since its foundation, we have awarded hundreds of scholarships to deserving students through our 501(c)3 scholarship fund. We firmly believe that education is one of the most important tools that can sustain and reinforce our nation's future innovative, exemplary and powerful thinkers and leaders.
 
"The scholarship that the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce gave me has helped me to achieve a life-long dream: going to college. This semester has been amazing and filled with so much learning and new experiences that I would not have been able to enjoy without the help of the scholarship. With the scholarship, I am able to create a good financial and educational base that will help me to succeed in the future. I implore you to help make others dreams a reality. By being a donor you create an investment in your future, someone else's future, and the future of our community. Help make somebody else's dream a reality, just like somebody helped me."  -Alejandra Lopez, TCU
COMMUNITY Community
Lupe Medina, Comerica Bank
We would like to take a moment to share a recent challenge one of our beloved Ambassadors, Guadalupe "Lupe" Medina, faced this holiday season. Some of you may have the honor of knowing Lupe. If you do not, know that she embodies a highly dedicated professional and equally great human being.

About a month ago, Lupe was presented with perhaps one of the most difficult situations any one of us can face: she had to undergo a double mastectomy in order to save her life. While this situation was difficult enough, the challenge was compounded by the fact that she is singlehandedly raising two teenage boys and her brother simultaneously had to undergo brain surgery. Undoubtedly, Lupe and her family had a challenging holiday season. We rallied together to show her our love and support, however, what stood out through this experience, aside from Lupe's strength, was the way in which her company, Comerica Bank, helped her through this difficult time.
 
While Comerica has been an active member and supporter of our Chamber for many years, today we highlight this company for an unwarranted reason. As we visited Lupe on her first day back to work, she shared with us how wonderfully understanding, compassionate and supportive Comerica has been through this difficult ordeal. It is for this reason that we would like to publicly honor our member, Comerica Bank. Thank you for providing our community with a great example of silent, responsible and genuine compassion.
 
"Human greatness does not lie in wealth or power, but in character and goodness."
- Anne Frank
Friends of Northside

ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT ED
by Cintya Segoviano, Director of Administration

"Economic growth without social progress lets the great majority of people remain in poverty, while a privileged few reap the benefits of rising abundance." - John F. Kennedy

While our nation has made irrefutable progress since the 1960's, data continues to force us to acknowledge our fundamental social weaknesses. Please consider the following few examples, which are not only corroborated by data but are also startlingly evident nearly everywhere you look.

* There is a massive and continued growth in American income inequality. 
* Boosting productivity has proven insufficient for true wage growth.
* Retirement savings are lessening, as fewer people are investing in this critical safety net.
* Manufacturing problems are not caused by technology advancement, rather, data shows them to directly interact with our trade balance.
* Black children are most affected by wage discrepancies and the criminal justice system; data shows us that over 67% of incarcerated juveniles are black.
* The United States houses the largest criminal prison systems and ranks lower each year academically; it once ranked number one. 

Please remember numerical data is unbiased and while these are only a few of the indisputable flaws in our current economic systems, they  substantiate  this truth. Sustaining poverty alone will not encourage economic stability or foster the vibrant economic environment our community should be. We must work to eradicate poverty from its fundamental roots including the lack of both personal responsibility and true individual freedom. We must diminish barriers to entrepreneurship, business and all forms of education. We must use altruism intelligently and only as a tool for navigating our society towards undeniably evident and exemplary progress.
MEMBERS Members
Member Spotlight







 
North Texas Community Foundation  CEO, Nancy E. Jones, believes in building the future of Fort Worth and North Texas, and in the last 8 years since Nancy took the helm of the North Texas Community Foundation, the Community Foundation has been growing by leaps and bounds. Recently, Paul Harral, Editor of the Fort Worth Business CEO magazine, interviewed Nancy at length to better understand the state of philanthropy here in the Fort Worth and North Texas region and how the Community Foundation can help make a difference for our community and fundholders who have permanent funds established with the Foundation. Read the full article here
Ambassador Spotlight
Ross Perez, Edward Jones

As the son of a Hispanic business owner, I grew up working in a growing  business, learning about the MBE/NCTRCA/ISO9000 certifications.  I understand the needs of a business as it scales from a small business
to an industry leader.
 
As an Edward Jones financial advisor, I believe it's important to understand  what you're working toward before you invest your money. Working  closely with you and your CPA, attorney and other professionals, I  can help determine the most appropriate financial strategy  for you and your family or business
 
I earned a degree from Texas State University. In addition, I  received the professional designations, CRPC®, AAMS®, and CRPS® from the College for Financial Planning.
 
CRPC® - Chartered Retirement Plan Counselor: This advanced training  Program focuses on the pre- and post-retirement needs of individuals.  Topics include retirement planning, sources of retirement  income, deferred compensation plans,  and planning for  incapacity, disability and long-term care.
 
AAMS® -  Accredited Asset Management Specialist: This  advanced training course examines various investment strategies that  are crucial in the asset-management process. The course includes  in-depth study of investments and insurance, tax, retirement and estate planning.
 
CRPS® - Chartered Retirement Plan Specialist: Because of the ever-increasing  client demand for financial advisors who are knowledgeable in the  administration of retirement plans for businesses and their employees,  this advanced training focuses on design, installation and maintenance  of business retirement plans.
 
My senior branch office administrator, Shelley, has 15 years of experience  and is dedicated to providing you with the highest level of service  possible.
Interested in a Ribbon Cutting?
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/ 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
A Special Thanks to Our Corporate Members