NEWS RELEASE

Media Contacts: Victor Padilla: VPadilla@Latin-Times.com

Tampa Bay Hispanic Chambers UNITE in ONE stronger Chamber:

The Uniting of the Tampa Bay Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Tampa Latin Chamber of Commerce is official!

Presenting: The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay

[NEWS RELEASE] Tampa, FL – January 2013.  Starting the year on a positive note, the Tampa Bay Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Tampa Latin Chamber of Commerce have merged their prospective organizations and has become simply one united chamber of commerce: the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay ("HCCTB"). 

“As a result of the uniting of our chambers, we will be able to more effectively help our members and their businesses and our membership will increase immediately.  “We are looking forward to becoming a lot more aggressive this year, and will be working diligently to develop more opportunities for our valued members and community.” announced new president, Jolie Gonzalez, who has published Florida’s popular bilingual publication Latin Times Magazine for the last 12 years.  Ms. Gonzalez also serves as the president of Latin Times Media, Inc., a decade old marketing company that focuses on assisting businesses reach Florida’s thriving Hispanic/Latino communities. 

Our intention is to work closely with all our partner organizations, such as the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund, Tampa Bay International Business Council and others to assist and support our chamber members, as well in providing members with educational and contract opportunities. 

“We invite Tampa Bay’s business community to attend one of our upcoming meetings or events, and consider becoming a member of our growing chamber.”  HCCTB will be hosting our launch and installation luncheon event as well as a press conference, and the details of the event will be released shortly.

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Tampa Bay (HCCTB) 2013 board members include:

Serving as President: Jolie R. Gonzalez, President, Latin Times Media, Inc.; Serving as Vice-President: Gabriella Arredondo, AVP-Branch Manager, Regions Bank; Executive Board: Bibiana Gomez, Assistant Vice President, Regions Bank; Leonela Cole, Vice President, HBIF; Angel Olvera, Assistant Vice President, Regions Bank; Christian Salazar, Director of Sales and Marketing, Double Tree Hotel; Board of Directors: Eladio Linarte, President of Delite Entertainment; Victor Padilla, Vice President of Latin Times Media, Inc., Andrea White, Senior Manager Public Affairs, Brighthouse Networks; and Itamar Martinez, President of La Liga Latina. 

Mission & Vision

• To advocate, promote and facilitate the success of Hispanic businesses in the Tampa Bay Area.
• Implementing and strengthening programs in the Tampa Bay area that assist the economic development of Hispanic firms.
• Providing technical assistance to Hispanic business associations and entrepreneurs.  Monitoring legislation, policies and programs that affect the Hispanic business community.
• Increasing business relationships and partnerships between the corporate sector and Hispanic-owned businesses.
• Promoting international trade between Hispanic businesses in the Tampa Bay area and Latin America.

For additional information, please contact: VPadilla@Latin-Times.com or Jolie@Latin-Times.com  

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