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President's Message

Dear Chamber Members and Supporters:

I can’t express into words how exciting this year has been for FCHCC! Let me share with you a few of our success stories:
  • Both professional networking events and our workshops sold out. This is so rewarding as it tells us what types of events our members and non-members are interested in and we’ll continue to add more pertinent topics to future events.
  • We held our first series of consecutive workshops and allowed attendees to learn about how to open their new business, legal structure, marketing and access to capital. This is a topic that came up several times in our survey so we wanted to address.
  • Our 2019 Excellence in Business Awards where we showcased the talents of our business owners was held in July and it was a very successful event! Again, we congratulate all the winners. Read more on our website!
  • Our networking event, “United - Developing and Advancing Business Opportunities Breakfast” held May 23rd was another successful workshop sponsored by Florida Blue where attendees learned about the programs and initiatives that can help them to achieve their goals.
  • Congratulations again to our students who were honored at the Hispanic Heritage Month Gala and Achieving the Dream Awards on October 11th at the TIAA Bank Field. They are our future leaders and as an organization, we continue to be committed to helping them be successful. FCHCC, with the help and contribution of our donors, we were able to award $21,000 in scholarships.
  • FCHCC membership continues to steadily increase as we reach out and encourage Hispanic and local business owners, entrepreneurs and professionals to join and renew their partnership with our organization. This is an exciting moment to join FCHCC and experience what this can do for you and your business.
  • Last, but certainly not least, FCHCC was honored and recognized by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) as the Chamber of the Year. It’s an amazing accomplishment which is a testament of the continuous work we have done and continue to do for our community. 
 
I also want to send out some sincere thanks and congratulations:
 
  • A very special congratulations goes to Clark Vargas of C. Vargas & Associates, Giselle Carson of Marks Gray Attorneys, and Willie Gonzalez of the Small Business Administration for being recognized by the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (FSHCC) as one of the 50 most Influential Hispanics in the state of Florida. 
  • Big Thank You to our FCHCC team! Board Members: Angela Merritt - Chair of the Board, Anarda Maradiaga - Vice-Chair, Sally Piveral - Treasurer, David Manjarres - Secretary, Directors: Chad Dominicis, Jorge Lopez and Sandy Martin, Staff Members: Nelson Estepa – Membership Director, Chirstina Llamazos – Executive Assistant, Tammy Evans – Social Media Coordinator, Jaime Avila – Mentorship Program and Kim McDougal – Director of Interactive Communications. Our work more than doubled in 2019 but we did it! As a team, everyone went above and beyond and I’m grateful to have you in our team. To our Ambassadors: Valeria Gonzalez-Kerr, Jeyssa Fernandez, Maria Isabel Montoya and Annie Grogan, thank you! Also to our Advisors: Veronica Garcia Brown – Brown Accounting and Tax Services, and Willie Gonzalez - Small Business Administration. Your time and commitment to our community is appreciated, we will continue to work for a better Jacksonville! As a result, our members will continue to benefit and grow.
 
Finally, make plans to attend our Last Event of the Year on December 17th! FCHCC will host a Holiday wine tasting at The Cultural Center at Ponte Vedra Beach from 6:00 PM - 8:30 PM ( refer to the flyer in this newsletter to register ). Join us as we recap and celebrate 2019, go over what 2020 has in store and enjoy great entertainment, wine and food sponsored by Latin Creations!
 
A very special Thank you to all of our current new members in 2019! We wouldn’t have been able to achieve any of this without you! Wishing you all a great and happy Holiday Season! I hope To see you all on December 17th!

Sincerely,

Monica Hernandez, MBA
FCHCC President
Stay connected with FCHCC!
You can also follow us on our website:  https://fchcc.com
Instagram: FCHCCFlorida 
FCHCC RECOGNIZED CHAMBER OF THE YEAR 2019 BY USHCC



WATCH THE VIDEO from Action News JAX!
FCHCC is proud to announce we have been recognized as Chamber of the Year! We are so honored to receive this award.

Pictured l to r: President  Monica Hernandez, Founder and FCHCC Adviser , Clark Vargas of C. Vargas and Associates and FCHCC Chairwoman, Angela Ward Merritt. R ead the full press release AND view all the photos on our website !
THANK YOU NEW AND
RENEWING MEMBERS
We could not achieve our mission without our members. THANK YOU very much for your partnership!

Members that joined or renewed in October 2019:

Leadership Trustee
121 Financial Credit Union

Small Business 2
Enterprise Holdings

Small Business 1
First Coast Dermatology Associates
Jax Driving School

Individual Members
Oscar A. Acevedo

Student Members
Denise Villarrea
UPCOMING EVENTS
FCHCC 2019 Holiday Party
Make Plans to Join Us for our
2019 Annual Holiday Party!
About the First Coast Multicultural Toastmasters Club: The club meets on the  2nd and  4th Tuesday  at  7 PM (please arrive by 6:45 PM)   at the Southeast Branch Library  near Town Center. Guests are welcomed!

For more information, email: [email protected]
NOVEMBER EVENTS AT FLORIDA BLUE CENTER (SPANISH VERSION)
Check out the available events happening at Florida Blue's center!
AWARDS AND RECOGNITION
Join us in congratulating Giselle Carson of Marks Gray Attorneys, Willie Gonzalez of the Small Business Administration and Clark Vargas of
C. Vargas & Associates as they were recognized by the Florida State Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (FSHCC) as the most influential in Florida! Read the full article here >> https://fshcc.com/floridahispanic50
Do you shop on Amazon? You can choose to support FCHCC as you shop! Donations made through your purchases will go to benefit our Achieving the Dream Scholarship Program.
Our Job board is the perfect place to come to see new jobs or submit a job posting! Click here to learn more!
NEW Jobs at ADT, Inc.
Check out all the current positions at ADT, Inc.! Browse listings!
Looking for upcoming workshops, webinars or events? Check our calendar!
Renew your Membership

Renew your membership easily on our website, click here . To join FCHCC, click here . We also accept checks and/or money orders. Make checks payable to:

First Coast Hispanic
Chamber of Commerce
P.O. Box 57972
Jacksonville, FL 32241
Mondays Member Spotlight

We love to share stories about our active members and it's very easy to submit your article and photo to us! We'll spotlight you on our social media accounts!

For more information, contact us at [email protected]
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FCHCC Partners
FCHCC recognizes the leadership and support of these leading organizations!
Monica Hernandez
President
Editor-in-Chief
Kim McDougal
Director of Interactive Communications,
Creative Director