Just a Thought: SA
Hispanic Chamber turns 87By Steve Walker
Over 1,600 business men and women,
elected officials and invited guests celebrated the 87th birthday
gala of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce at the Grand Hyatt Hotel
on E. Market Street last weekend.
Chartered as the Mexican Chamber of
Commerce in 1929, it was organized by then Consul General of Mexico Don Enrique Santibanez who served
as the first President of the organization.
Currently with over 35 Hispanic chambers
of commerce in Texas and about 600 across the nation, the local
chapter in the early days focused their emphasis on promoting trade, policy and
cultural harmony. While the chamber’s leaders forged ahead to define modern
Hispanic business, the social climate of the time posed many barriers.
History tells us that minorities faced
discrimination in business, just as in employment, education, voting,
infrastructure, access to capital and markets. These social issues highlighted
the necessity for the chamber to go beyond the traditional scope for chambers
of commerce and into one of dual social and business advocacy.
In 1987, the Mexican Chamber was renamed
the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The new name reflected the
increasing move to globalization emphasizing our relationship with all
of Latin America and also the diversity of San Antonio Hispanic
businesses.
With the name change, it set the stage
for accomplishments for the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. SAHCC
played a central role in the promotion, negotiation, lobbying and passage of
the North American Free Trade Agreement. (NAFTA)
The Chamber maintained an active
alliance with Mexico’s President Salinas de Gortari and Commerce Secretary
Herminio Blanco to coordinate the treaty’s public education and promotion
campaigns among Mexican-Americans in the United States.
The SA Hispanic Chamber’s participation
in the passage of NAFTA was recognized as a critical component in negotiating
the many compromises which made it possible. The Chamber’s involvement was also
critical to its future success, again serving as the cultural and commercial
connection through which many new trade deals would be realized.
During the 87th Gala celebration the
incoming Board Chairwoman for 2016 Rebecca Quintanilla Cedillo pointed
out in her closing remarks that the Chamber was all about business. She noted
that the Chamber was about starting new businesses, and growing commercial
enterprise with new partnerships. She also pointed out that the chamber boasted
over 1300 members that achieve success though the Chambers advocacy and
business programs.
Board Chairwoman Cedillo was introduced
by former HUD Secretary & San Antonio Mayor Henry Cisneros.
During the evening, the 2015 Embajadores
of the Year were presented to Yvette Garcia, President. Robinson General
Contractors, Inc. and Bradley Stroud, President & the CEO of Stroudlink
LLC.
Garcia was touted for her motto, “Big
enough to get the job one, small enough to care.” Stroud was recognized for his
“linking businesses to solutions.”
We wish a Happy 87th Birthday, to the
San Antonio Chamber of Commerce.
And as always, what I write is “Just a
Thought.”
Steve Walker is a Vietnam Veteran and former Justice of the
Peace and Journalist.
