Get involved, get known and get more business is the call to action to business people in Alameda County. That call to action is coming from a Hispanic business group that has been working with local businesses and organizations of all kinds for thirty years. Through its efforts to build Hispanic businesses

and connect all businesses to the local Hispanic market, The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Alameda County (HCCAC) has touched many people, businesses and communities.

Robert Hernandez, a business owner in Oakland, was just appointed as the new chamber president at an event at Otaez restaurant in Alameda. His goal is to advance the chamber’s mission of “improving the quality of life by providing leadership and promoting economic development for the Latino community through partnerships with other community, business, educational, and governmental organizations.” 

“Latino business owners in Alameda County need to be aware that they are not alone to sink or swim and limited to their own frame of reference,” he says. Referring to the chamber as a resource to assist members in achieving their business goals, Robert says, “HCCAC as a professional body has a wealth of experience and knowledge that is unmatched in the Bay Area.”

Outgoing president Terry Alderete has been involved with the chamber for more than twenty years. She got involved when working for Pacific Bell and says that she has always enjoyed working with the Hispanic business community. She first got involved with the chamber by volunteering to organize the big networking and awards events as well as trade shows for the chamber. She encourages Hispanic-owned businesses to get involved with the chamber.

“They will meet other Hispanic business owners and resources that want to do business with them,” she says. “It’s a way of getting their business out there at a low cost,” she adds. “It also gives them business training, access to loans, and connects them to government resources and officials.” Terry also stresses the opportunity to give back to the community through the education of young Latinos as HCCAC members represent role models in a wide range of industries and professions.

Getting involved and getting promoted by fellow chamber members has worked for Otaez restaurant. Rolando Campos has been involved with the chamber since he and his family opened the Alameda restaurant in 2006. “There’s a lot of benefits - we get a lot of referrals and there’s a lot of events here that benefits us,” he says. Rolando’s father, Jesus, has also been involved with the chamber since opening the first Otaez restaurant location in Oakland in 1986.

Former HCCAC president Joe Partida sounds optimistic about small business in Alameda County, especially when they seek out the support of groups like the HCCAC. “There are small businesses starting every day, but having a solid business idea and the right financing does not guarantee success,” he says. “There’s a lot more that goes with it - training, development, and an understanding of the business community and the business world,” he adds. “The chamber helps business owners with networking, connecting them with resources, and helping them develop their business,” he concludes.
 
According to HispanTelligence, more than 80 percent of the 2.8 million Hispanic-owned businesses in the U.S. (more than 700,000 in California) are small businesses where the owner is self-employed with no paid employees. This reality speaks to the need for the Hispanic chambers.

“It’s important to not always rely on themselves, to get support from other people and businesses,” says Terry Alderete.

That kind of support, together with the social aspect of HCCAC, makes getting involved an easy business decision.

For more information, call 510-536-4477 or visit www.hccac.com