JULY 2017
EMPRESARIO
Presented by:
A MOMENT WITH THE PRESIDENT
From the Desk of John Hernandez, President of the FWHCC
On behalf of the FWHCC team, we wish everyone a happy and safe Fourth of July! Please note that our offices will be closed on Monday, July 3rd and Tuesday, July 4th. We will reopen on Wednesday, July 5th at 8:30 a.m.
EVENTS CALENDAR Calendar
Chamber Events
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Coffee with the Chamber
The FWHCC invites you to attend our first ever Coffee with the Chamber on July 7th. We are very excited to host this networking event that will provide insight to our local businesses, both large and small, for our members and prospective members alike. Coffee with the Chamber is a great opportunity for you to meet leaders within our community as they share some of their amazing stories. Free to attend, please register online.
Five Pillar Lecture Series: Education
On August 16th, join the FWHCC and Dr. Eugene Giovannini, Chancellor of Tarrant County College District, for the next installment of our Five Pillar Lecture Series. Network with Chamber and community members and hear  Dr. Giovannini speak to attendees about his conclusions and impressions after approximately one year on the job, as well as discuss TCCD's most pressing needs. Register online.
Business After Hours Mixer
Join the FWHCC on August 17th for our next Business After Hours Mixer. Enjoy refreshments and the opportunity to meet and mingle with Chamber members and prospective members alike! Don't forget to bring your business cards for networking! Location is TBD - please let Sandra Garcia know if you are interested in hosting this mixer or a future mixer! Free to attend, please register online.
Community Events
Fort Worth's Fourth
at Panther Island
Celebrate Independence Day at Fort Worth's Fourth at Panther Island Pavilion on Tuesday,  July 4th. Gates open at 2pm and the largest fireworks show in North Texas begins at 10pm. There are plenty of family-friendly activities.  Spend the day tubing while live music plays along the river all day long. General Admission is free; VIP is available for purchase. Visit fortworthsfourth.com for more information.
DFW Airport Capacity Building Series
DFW International Airport, in partnership with LiftFund, is proud to announce its  Capacity Building Program Series. Participate in workshops throughout July including: What to Expect from a DFW Audit on July 6th, Customer Relationship Management on July 13th, Soft Skills for Business Leaders on July 20th and The Art of Networking on July 25th. Please register online.
2017 Tour de Fort Worth
Join Mayor Betsy Price and FitWorth for a free community cycling event that challenges cyclists to ride 21 miles or more each day for 21 consecutive days from June 25th - July 16th. Come with us and see some of the great routes Fort Worth has to offer. Please visit FitWorth's website for ride schedule and locations, safety waiver and other important information.
CHAMBER Chamber
Seeking Business After Hours Mixer Host
We are seeking a member to host our upcoming BAH Mixer on August 17thOur mixers are networking events for members and prospective members alike. We invite our business members to host a mixer as an opportunity to showcase their products, services, and facility. Hosts to provide food, beverages, and door prizes. The Chamber provides social media advertising to promote attendance from FWHCC membership, facilitating the opportunity for prospect and introduction networking. Please contact Sandra Garcia at sandra.garcia@fwhcc.org or 817.625.5411 if you are interested in hosting a mixer. 
First Annual Clay Shoot
The Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber is excited to announce its First Annual Clay Shoot to be held on September 29th at Alpine Shooting Range. This event will attract shooters from all industries by providing them a fun time out of the office to network and make connections while benefiting the non-profit initiatives of the Chamber.

Your Chamber continues to make positive impact on Fort Worth's business landscape through its programs including one-on-one bilingual business counseling, bilingual business program with Tarrant County College, educational lecture series and networking opportunities within the Fort Worth business community. Proceeds from the shoot will fund these programs.

We encourage you to sponsor this year's clay shoot, register a team and/or make donations - prizes, raffle items and door prizes are very-well received by our 100+ shooters and are a great way to give your company exposure among the Fort Worth Hispanic business community and Chamber members. Participation from companies like yours has a definite impact on the community in which we are all so fortunate to live and work.

Please contact our Director of Events, Nicole Antonini, at nicole.antonini@fwhcc.org or (817) 625-5411 for further information regarding sponsorship, registration and donations or click here to view our partnership opportunities guide.

The Chamber is sincerely grateful for your ongoing support of our efforts to increase business activity in Fort Worth.
COMMUNITY Community
Chancellor Eugene Giovannini, Tarrant County College District
The FWHCC is honored to host Dr. Eugene Giovannini, Chancellor of Tarrant County College District, at our Five Pillar Lecture Series luncheon focusing on the topic of education this fall. We were very excited to welcome Dr. Giovannini when he joined TCCD around this time last year and we are looking forward to hearing his conclusions and impressions of the district after his first year on the job. 

Dr. Eugene Giovannini joined the Tarrant County College District as Chancellor on August 22, 2016. Chancellor Giovannini brings to the post 33 years of professional experience at community colleges, including his most recent tenure as the founding President of Maricopa Corporate College in Scottsdale, Arizona, and 11 years as President of GateWay Community College in Phoenix, Arizona.

He currently serves as the Board Chair for the National Association for Community College Entrepreneurship and has previously served on the board of the American Association of Community Colleges. His extensive experience with workforce development and industrial and economic development programs and services enabled him to lead the creation of the Center for Entrepreneurial Innovation (CEI).

In addition to his professional accomplishments, Dr. Giovannini has made community service a priority throughout his career, as evidenced by his service on numerous boards of directors for community organizations.

Dr. Giovannini earned a doctorate in Community College Education from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University and his Bachelor of Science in Business Education and Master of Education from Bloomsburg University of Pennsylvania. He and his wife, Marina, have been married 33 years and have three children. 

We hope you will join us on August 16th to hear more from this incredible community leader. Please register online.
Latina STEM Fellowship at TCC
This summer, from July 10th-20th, Tarrant County College will be hosting a 2-week STEM focused summer camp and college tour at TCC's Trinity River Campus. The camp is for female students, 15 to 21 years old. The mission of this program is to support young women interested in STEM through skill building, education and career planing, and mentorship.

According to the research of Dr.
Sophia Garcia, TCC's Biology Department Chair, Latinas are currently behind in obtaining STEM-based degrees compared to their African American and Caucasian counterparts. We support and encourage the importance of TCC's faculty and staff to seek out and identify needs such as this. 

This year's camp program will feature
two tracks: Biotechnology and Anatomy. To aid in the advancement of Latinas in the STEM fields, this camp will allow participants actual experience in labs and to tour college research facilities.

If you or someone you know is interested in applying to participate in the camp, please contact Dr. Robert Muñoz, Vice President for Community & Industry Education, at 
(817) 515-1004 or  robert.munoz@tccd.edu.
MEMBERS Members
Member Spotlight
Jim Austin, 
The Austin Company

James N. Austin, Jr., ("Jim"), is the owner/founder/broker of The Austin Company Commercial Real Estate in Fort Worth, Texas. The Austin Company was established in 1981 and serves the Fort Worth/Dallas metro area with commercial real estate and property management services. He and his wife, Gloria Reed Austin, founded the National Multicultural Western Heritage Museum (formerly National Cowboys of Color Museum and Hall of Fame) in February 2001. One of Jim's strengths is his ability to network with people. His involvements include networking with business associates, social and fraternal friends and non-profit boards. Through this experience, he found that although he interfaced with diverse people with diverse interest, there were a great number of common interests and goals. Gaining a reputation for his appraisal and auction work, Austin made headlines as one of three members of a court-appointed commission that settled a land condemnation case for Santa Fe Pacific Corp.'s giant intermodal facility at Fort Worth Alliance Airport. He is a past president of the Commercial Investment Division of the Greater Fort Worth Association of Realtors. He has worked for financial institutions including Woodhaven National Bank, Bank of North Texas and Team Bank as well as area hospitals. Jim also offers tickets to various theatrical, music and sporting events held at event venues such as Verizon Theatre and the Dallas Cowboys Stadium. Jim Austin Online recently launched an updated website with additional content including Entertainment, Business, Dining, Community and Sports. Visit www.jimaustinonline.com for more information.
Ambassador Spotlight
Chris Duran, 
Sente Mortgage

When Chris Duran joined the Downtown Fort Worth office of Sente Mortgage, he added tremendous strength and knowledge to an already thriving team. With more than ten years of banking experience and a strong emphasis on mortgage transactions, Chris understands the importance of up-to-the-minute information, attention to detail and consistent communication. That's a good fit with Sente Mortgage, which exists to create financial possibility. Home ownership is one of the most important elements in building significant net worth. According to the Federal Reserve's Survey of Consumer Finances, a homeowner's net worth is 36 times greater than that of a non-homeowner. Home ownership has the ability to empower millions of Americans to strengthen their financial foundation. Chris Duran considers it an honor to help home buyers as they pursue this dream. "Borrowing is a step-by-step process," Chris says. "and it's important that each step is complete and understood by the customer before we move ahead. There are no silly questions in mortgage banking. I want my customers to be successful homeowners, so I'm there for them every step of the way." A family man and a sports and exercise enthusiast, Chris says his proudest moment was when he became a father-quickly adding that he's "really proud" to be a member of the Fort Worth Sente Mortgage team, where he helps borrowers achieve their dreams of homeownership.
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 Sandra Garcia at (817) 625-5411 or  sandra.garcia@fwhcc.org
A Special Thanks to Our Corporate Members