Women’s Business Summit in Edinburg provides area residents with skills, knowledge to start up their own businesses
Congressman Rubén Hinojosa, D-Mercedes, and Rep. Verónica Gonzáles, D-McAllen, featured third and second from the right, were among several dignitaries who were honored or featured on Friday, June 22, during the third annual Women’s Business Summit, which was held at the Edinburg Conference Center at Renaissance. Hinojosa received the “Small Business Community Champion Award” while Gonzáles received the “Community Advocacy Award” during the event, which included the Edinburg Economic Development Corporation as a sponsor. “Edinburg is blessed with private and public institutions, such as the Women’s Business Center, which provide our residents with the needed guidance, invaluable knowledge, and proven experience to help our residents provide for a better and more prosperous future for themselves and their families,” said Mayor Richard García, who also serves as the president of the EEDC Board of Directors, which is the jobs-creation of the Edinburg City Council. The mayor added, “Although the Women’s Business Summit is held only once a year, the Women’s Business Center in Edinburg and its outstanding professional staff are available year-round to help any Valley resident learn what it takes to start up and succeed with their own business. The tremendous services provided by the Women’s Business Center have benefited about 6,000 individuals, mostly women, since 2004.” Featured, from left: Sylvia Zamponi, District Director, Lower Rio Grande Valley District, U.S. Small Business Administration; Yvonne Bonnie González, Chief Executive Officer, Workforce Solutions; Dale Winter with Office Furniture USA; Yvonne García Olivarez, Regional Administrator, Region VI, U.S. Small Business Administration; Congressman Hinojosa; Rep. Gonzáles; and María,”Charo” Mann, Executive Director, Women’s Business Center. See lead story later in this posting.
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The Edinburg Chamber of Commerce on Thursday, May 31, welcomed many of the business leaders who have served as former presidents and chairmen of the organization’s board of directors. The gathering, held at the Edinburg Depot, is an annual event hosted by the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce. They discussed ongoing programs and an update of the Depot Restoration Project. This special group of volunteer leaders have remained active and connected with the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce by continued involvement and support of the chamber’s programs long after they have served their terms as president and/or chairman of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors. Featured, from left, front row: Mike Govind, Best Western Plus; Letty González, President of the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce; Elva Jackson Garza, Edwards Abstract and Title Co.; Cynthia Bocanegra, Gold Financial Services; Edna Peña, the chamber’s current Chairman of the Board of Directors; Gotta Lovette; Lee Castro, Legacy Chapels Life Events Center; and Bob Gaston, Bob Gaston Realty. Featured, from left, back row: Ted Miller, Jr., Miller & Associates; Robert Gandy III, First National Bank; Byron Jay Lewis, Edwards Abstract and Title Co.; Jack McClelland, McClelland Electric; Mitch Roberts, LJ Roberts Family LP; and Jaime A. Rodríguez, JAR Group, who also represents the Edinburg Chamber of Commerce on the five-member EEDC Board of Directors. See story later in this posting.
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On Thursday, August 16, starting at 5 p.m., Peace & Coffee “Hookah-Bar Lounge” will host the Live Art Auction benefiting Edinburg’s Rainbow Room. The admission price is $25 and includes wine and cheese hors d’oeuvres. The public is invited to support this important organization while bidding on an array of unique art from local Valley artists. The Rainbow Room is an emergency resource center available to CPS caseworkers to help them meet the critical needs of abused and neglected children. Rainbow Rooms provide everyday necessities such as clothing, shoes, baby formula, and school supplies. Featured, front row, from left: Eduardo Juvera; Lorena Paras; Alicia de León, the coordinator for Rainbow Room; Isaura Cisneros; Gilda González; and Camille Rich. Back row, from left: José Alfredo Alaniz; Johnny Rodríguez; and José Borrego. See story later in this posting.
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With the Texas Legislature scheduled to return to work in January 2013, the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is hosting their “Legislative Report Card Dinner” at the Cimarron Country Club in Mission on Thursday, July 19. Individual and group tickets/sponsorships are available for purchase from the RGV Hispanic Chamber of Commerce by contacting them at 928-0060. Scheduled to participate are Sen. Juan “Chuy” Hinojosa, D-McAllen; Sen. Eddie Lucio, Jr., D-Brownsville; Rep. Sergio Muñoz, Jr., D-Mission; Rep Armando “Mando” Martínez, D-Weslaco; Rep. René Oliveira, D-Brownsville; Rep. Eddie Lucio, III, D-Harlingen; Rep. Ryan Guillen, D-Rio Grande City; and Rep.-elect Óscar Longoria, D-La Joya. Officials will report on the legislation they filed and passed in 2011 and how those measures are affecting the Rio Grande Valley. In addition, the state lawmakers will preview the respective legislative agenda for action by the state legislature during the five-month regular session that begins next January. Following the legislators’ presentations, audience members will be able to share their concerns during an open floor discussion. Sponsors will get to sit with an elected official during the dinner. Featured helping plan the event are, seated, from left: Marti Miller and Yoli González; and standing, from left: Dr. Robert S. Nelsen, president of the University of Texas-Pan American; and Cynthia M. Sakulenzki, president and CEO for the Rio Grande Valley Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
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Congressman Henry Cuellar, D-Laredo/McAllen – featured here in this file photograph – on Tuesday, June 12, congratulated Workforce Solutions and the Border Workforce Alliance (BWA) after the U.S. Department of Labor announced that it has awarded a Workforce Innovation Fund Grant in the amount of $5,999,998 to Workforce Solutions of McAllen, as the lead entity for the BWA. The BWA is a consortium of the five workforce boards located along the Texas-Mexico border. Earlier this year, Cuellar wrote a letter to U.S. Department of Labor Assistant Secretary Jane Oates in support of the BWA’s application for this grant. The BWA will use the Workforce Innovation Fund Grant to fund a workforce project called Growing Regional Opportunity for the Workforce (GROW), an ambitious regional workforce and economic development initiative that aims to increase literacy and skills training for lower-skilled workers in the Texas-Mexico border region. See story later in this posting.
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The South Texas Lyric Opera, the City of Edinburg, the Edinburg Edinburg Economic Development Corporation, and Edinburg Arts on Saturday, July 14, will be presenting A Night at the Opera, featuring extraordinary talent Hannah Urías (featured in this image) and Friends, who is the 2012 Nordan Young Artist Award Winner, under the leadership of General Director and Conductor Maestro Mazias de Oliveira. The performance will be conducted in the historic Edinburg Auditorium, located at 415 West University Drive. Complimentary hours d’ oeuvres and refreshments will be served at 8 p.m. and the show will begin at 8:30 p.m. Tickets to attend the show are $25 apiece. All interested attendees should call 956/872-6478 to purchase tickets. This first show will mark the beginning of several shows, operas and performances with the South Texas Lyric Opera. See story later in this posting.
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With 12 winning entries, Sen. Judith Zaffirini, D-Laredo, featured in this file photograph, is the sweepstakes winner in the Press Women of Texas (PWT) 2012 Communications Contest for work published in 2011. Because her multiple winning entries earned her more points than any other entrant, she won the contest’s Sweepstakes Award for the second consecutive year. The senator’s award winners include her news releases regarding higher education issues; Senate floor speeches in opposition to voter ID and sanctuary cities legislation; her annual newsletter to constituents; and the website of the Joint Oversight Committee on Higher Education Governance, Excellence and Transparency. See story later in this posting.
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Since 1987, Leadership Edinburg has been introducing its classes to the community to encourage a better Edinburg and help make a long-term impact. On Wednesday, May 23, the twenty-third anniversary of Leadership Edinburg was highlighted with the graduation of 10 participants during a ceremony held at the Echo Hotel and Conference Center. Class XXIII completed several events, including a two-day leadership retreat, and sessions that focused on education, healthcare, history, media, economics and government. This year The Edinburg Leadership Class XXIII presented a check of $20,000 to the Edinburg Police Department for a “shoot house” training facility that was initiated by the class to start Phase 1 of the project. Featured, from left: Aaron I. Vela ( Law Office of Aaron I. Vela), Jason De León (Memorial Funeral Home), Sandra Quintanilla Guzmán (The University of Texas-Pan American), Brenda Almaguer (First National Bank), Martín Rivas (Edinburg Chamber of Commerce), Criselda Ordóñez (Merrill Lynch), Marissa Castañeda (Doctor’s Hospital at Renaissance), Samuel Trejo (International Bank of Commerce), and keynote speaker Carlos X. Guerra (La Muñeca Cattle Co.) Not pictured are graduates Felicia Ramirez (IDEA Public Schools) and SJ Sethi (The University of Texas-Pan American). See story later in this posting.
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The successful Friday, June 22 Women’s Business Summit was made possible by the expert planning of the event’s coordinating committee, featured here recently as the finalized details for the gathering. María “Charo” Mann, Executive Director for the Women’s Business Center, noted that “women are playing a central role in rebuilding the middle class and keeping our economy growing. Women represent one of the fastest?growing segments of the economy. Women continue to start businesses in this country, making it imperative for them to have the right tools to be successful.” Shown from left: Bianca Cantú; Veronica Padilla with the U.S. Small Business Administration; Dale Winter with Office Furniture USA; Sonya Anciso with Ergo Medics; Yolanda Salinas with Wells Fargo Bank; Celine Schulz with New York Life; and María “Charo” Mann with the Women’s Business Center in Edinburg. See lead story later in this posting.
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