Cen Cal Hispanic chamber looking to grow
By JUAN ESPARZA LOERA / Vida en el Valle

(Published Wednesday, October 10th, 2007 04:10PM)
FRESNO -- The Central California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, which was founded in 1983, has launched an ambitious five-year plan that -- if successful -- would increase the organization's membership to 2,000 and operate with a $2 million annual budget.

Those goals, according to executive director John Hernández, are not out of reach. The chamber was honored recently as the Region 1 large Hispanic chamber of the year.

"We were competing against Hispanic chambers from cities like San Diego, Los Ángeles, Long Beach, Sacramento, San Francisco, San José and Las Vegas. They are the heavy hitters. It was a big deal," said Hernández, who previously served as chamber president.

Although the chamber did not win the national award at the organization's annual convention in Puerto Rico where it competed against chambers from Denver, Dallas, Milwaukee and New Jersey, Hernández believes the Fresno chamber is on pace to fulfill its goals.

"We didn't win in the nationals, but that's OK," he said.

Part of the reason for the regional success, said Hernández, was the chamber's efforts in distributing the largest newsletter "west of the Mississippi."

Hernández also pointed to the chamber's website that promotes a jobs site, the Cinco de Mayo celebration it held in downtown Clovis, a membership promotion that included television, and promotion of city block grants that encourage investment in the inner city.

"We had a jobs fair where 883 people were employed on that day at the fairgrounds," said Hernández.

This marks the fourth consecutive year the chamber has won a major award. In 2004, it was honored for its website. In 2005, it was selected from a 15-county area as the Small Business Administration's community partner of the year. In 2006, it was honored by the state chamber for its National Parks Family Day program.

"That shows a trend," said Hernández. "Membership in 2003 was 335. Now it's at 647. A lot of that kicked in because of our advertising campaign."

The chamber's success, said Hernández, can be attributed to "having something for everyone."

"I feel we are a well-balanced chamber," he said.

The jobs initiative is the first of the chamber's major goals. Next up was the Cinco de Mayo celebration in Clovis. Plans are already being made for next year's festival, said Hernández, especially because it proved successful for Old Town Clovis businesses.

Increasing the chamber's staffing and budget is not wishful thinking, said Hernández.

"The Albuquerque Hispanic chamber has a staff of 23 and a $2.5 million budget. It is very powerful," said Hernández, who traveled to meet Hispanic chambers throughout California and the Southwest.

"I was able to evaluate all of them and see their most successful efforts," said Hernández. "We took the best pieces and put it into a plan for the chamber."

Hernández sees the chamber as being a major promoter of the San Joaquín Valley. As such, the group is putting the finishing touches on a travel guide and a book.

The chamber is currently led by president Eligio Nava, who is in the final year of his two-year term. Other officers are vice-president José Plascencia, secretary Ruby Valtierra, and treasurer Lawrence García.