October 20, 2005
Media Contact: Richard Ventura
415-278-9611
Latino Business Leadership Awards Gala Reception
Introduced the 26 Most Influential Latinos in the San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco, CA - The San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (SFHCC), the San Francisco Business Times (SFBT), and Wells Fargo held a special awards ceremony that recognized the 26 most influential Latinos in the San Francisco Bay Area on October 19, 2005.
These 26 individuals were chosen because of their leadership in their companies and communities, as well as for their significant contributions to improve the quality of life for Latinos in the Bay Area.
The awardees were:
- Diana Campoamor, Hispanics in Philanthropy
- Joel Campos, La Corneta Taqueria
- Amelia Ceja, Ceja Vineyards
- Nilda Chong, Kaiser Permanente
- Hector de J. Ruiz, AMD Inc.
- Raul Deju, Sienna Hispanic Fund
- Eddie Dominguez, Telemundo/KSTS-TV Channel 48
- Ysabel Duron, KRON Channel 4
- Maria Gallo, Union Bank of California
- Belinda Guadarrama, G. C. Micro Corp.
- Rose Guilbault, California State Automobile Association (AAA)
- Gary Hernandez, Sonnenschein Nath & Rosenthal LLP
- Robert Hernandez, Amigo Realty, Inc.
- Sandra Hernandez, MD, San Francisco Foundation
- Lorrie Kalos, Women Chief Fire Officers Association
- Susan Leal, San Francisco Public Utilities Commission
- Jimmy Lorencillo, Paella Catering
- Victor Marquez, Archer Norris
- Arabella Martinez, Unity Council (Retired)
- Pablo Pablo Wong, First American Title Company
- Eduardo Rallo, Pacific Community Ventures
- Guillermo Rodriguez, Jr., Pacific Gas & Electric
- Eduardo Roy, Squire, Sanders & Dempsey LLP
- Robert Sanchez, Casa Sanchez
- Edward Torpoco, US District Attorney's Office
- Isabel Valdes, Isabel Valdes Consulting
Even though one out of every five people in the Bay Area is Hispanic, the Latino community, like any other ethnic community, continues to be fragmented. It is no surprise that the achievements of many of these Latinos are often unrecognized, even when these individuals are impacting the Hispanic community on a large scale.
The SFHCC has spent the last two years working with the other Hispanic Chambers in the Northern Region, large and small businesses, and community organizations in the area to unite the Hispanic business community and to share best practices.
“People know that the Latino community is fragmented, and as the Hispanic Chamber, our role is to play the connector,” said Richard Ventura, Executive Director, San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. “Through the Latino Business Leadership Awards we have been able to successfully
transcend some of the boundaries that continue to separate our community and have been able to identify some of the strongest Latino leaders in the Bay Area.”
The awardees will be part of a special publication by the SFBT which will highlight increasingly powerful achievements in corporate America, entrepreneurship, philanthropy, healthcare, media, and emerging leadership.
“We are pleased to profile the outstanding Latino Business Leadership Awards honorees in a special edition which will appear in the October 21 San Francisco Business Times. The publication will shine the spotlight on this important group of leaders,” said Mary Huss, Publisher, San Francisco Business Times. “We are delighted to join the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Wells Fargo as partners in launching a recognition program that is long overdue in the Bay Area.”
The Awards Gala will feature NBC11 News Anchor Sandy Castelblanco as the Mistress of Ceremonies with speakers to include San Francisco Treasurer Jose Cisneros, Mayor Gavin Newsom, and Lieutenant Governor Cruz Bustamante.
Founded in 1984, the San Francisco Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is a non-profit organization created to represent the needs of Hispanic businesses and the Hispanic community as a whole. Its mission is to promote the economic development of our members and the Hispanic business community in San Francisco and the Greater Bay Area. The SFHCC is one of the largest Hispanic business organizations in the city. The SFHCC has become a trusted leader among the Hispanic business community creating strong strategic alliances and forging joint projects. For more information, please visit www.sfhcc.com