Message from the Chair of the Rochester Hispanic Business Association during the 2017 RHBA Anual Luncheon.
To our RHBA members and friends,
I thank each and every Board Director and our association members who have volunteered their precious time to make this organization so great. Listed below are some of the accomplishments of this year.
- RHBA luncheons continue to provide informative speakers every 3rd Tuesday of the month. Speakers included Laura Stradley, Veterans Service Agency; Fernan Cepero, YMCA; Alex Castro, Path Stones; Julio Saenz, 97.1 FM; Art Roberts, SCORE; and Abraham Hernandez, Health, and Wellness. As you can see topics ranged from new business, finances for new businesses, health in the workplace and much more. Topics covered reflect the suggestions from the membership, so keep those ideas coming!
- We again awarded college scholarships to high school graduates. These young scholars will be pursuing some awesome careers in Math/Physics and Political Science.
- RHBA continues to support both the Rochester Hispanic Youth Baseball League and the East Side Little League. These teams provide youth with values that will follow them for the rest of their lives; discipline, respect, commitment, and teamwork.
- The Board of Directors has revised and updated the Associations By-Laws. Changes were necessary to comply with the name change from Rochester Business Alliance to Greater Rochester Chamber of Commerce of which we are an affiliate.
- RHBA launched an electronic newsletter in May of this year to our members.
- The RHBA Website continues to offer new members, as well as longtime members, an opportunity to highlight their business in our “Members Highlight” section. Have you taken advantage of this? If not it’s your turn now!
- Networking events held at the City Inn on East Avenue, have given us a great new venue for members and non-members to meet, share ideas, and perhaps find a business solution they were searching for.
- This is our 28th year! We have honored an extraordinary Hispanic business person. It is such an honor to celebrate this year’s Hispanic Business Person of the Year, Eugenio Marlin. There are many deserving professionals in our greater Rochester community who should be honored. Please take the time to complete our nomination form for next year’s celebration.
In closing thank you for the opportunity to lead RHBA and if you are not yet a member JOIN!
Vilma Burgos Torres
Chair, RHBA Board of Directors
