WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) is honored to grant the Chamber of the Year Award to three local Hispanic Chambers that have consistently shown outstanding service to not only their own local business members, but also the community they serve.
“We are very proud to recognize the tremendous effort and contributions that our chambers make around this country”, said USHCC Interim President and CEO Fernand Fernandez. “Because of these chambers’ commitment to their communities, small businesses everywhere benefit from access to capital, information, and networks in order to thrive and expand their businesses.”
All the applicants from across the nation were judged based on their leadership, accomplishments, and service to the small business community.
The winners of the Chamber of the Year Awards:
Little Village Chamber of Commerce from Evanston, Illinois
“Founded in 1986, the Little Village Chamber of Commerce (LVCC) has worked tirelessly to earn the trust and confidence of 1000+ businesses. Our mission is to promote and support the growth and success of business in Little Village and to leverage the community’s unique identity to generate new opportunities. The Little Village commercial area generates nearly $900 million in sales per year, second only to the Magnificent Mile.”
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis
“The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis promotes the economic development of Hispanic firms and improves business opportunities for all of the St. Louis region by making connections for workforce development, supplier diversity and Hispanic leadership. In the past year, we have increased our membership by 54%, corporate sponsors by 19%, and our operating budget has grown by 58% to $751,869. Additionally, our charitable arm, the HCC STL Foundation strengthens Hispanics’ participation in the St. Louis business community through leadership development.”
Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce from Bettendorf, Iowa
“The Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GQCHCC) has nearly 200 members, enabling a greater impact and partnership with thousands of individuals and over a hundred organizations throughout the greater Quad City metropolitan area. The GQCHCC is the only organization of its kind to support the small business community in the region. Our mission is to support, promote and enhance the growth and success of our local businesses and to leverage the community’s assets, contributions and unique Hispanic cultural identity to generate new business opportunities. This year has been full of significant milestones for the GQCHCC as we step into 10 years of operations.”
About USHCC
The USHCC actively promotes the economic growth, development, and interests of more than 4.37 million Hispanic-owned businesses, that combined, contribute over $700 billion to the American economy every year. It also advocates on behalf of 260 major American corporations and serves as the umbrella organization for more than 200 local chambers and business associations nationwide. For more information, please visit ushcc.com. Follow us on Twitter @USHCC.