Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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Taste your way around the world.
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epcot
®
international food & wine festival SEPT. 28–NOV. 12
epcot food & wine festival
epcot
®
food & wine festival SEPT. 28–NOV. 12
Take a slice of Japan. A dollop of Germany. And an ounce of France—and you’ve just got a small taste of the Epcot® International Food & Wine Festival. Lose the passport, bring your appetite and enjoy the flavors of your world.
Scan this QR Code for Event Details or go to epcotfoodfestival.com
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epcot
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
international
®
food & wine SEPT. 28–NOV. 12 f e s t i v a l
Presented by © Disney EPCOT-12-23530
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By Ramon Ojeda
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Ian’s Social Media Box #HowCaniHelp?
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Your Unique Selling Position Why People Buy from You
From Literature to Business
Are You Following Your Quest? A Lesson from Don Quijote
The Fiscal Cliff
Understanding the New Economy by Conrad Santiago
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Irastorza’s Bookshelf
The One Minute Manager
Q&A with Lou Carrion
DQ Past Recipients
The Main Street Gardener The Chaos Opportunity by Jerry Ross
A Look Back...
By Rosalina Stober
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Pitfalls to Avoid When Communicating to a Foreign Market
by Rafael Irastorza
By Millo Aldea
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The Quest
By George Fournier
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Lost in Translation
by Nelson Camargo
By Millo Aldea
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Branding Your Website By Joshua Johnson
By Ian Suarez
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Is Your Site Right?
Oct-Nov-Dec 2012
A Word from the President
Issue #12
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From Work To Play
Orlando’s Winter Wonderland by Lara Ramirez
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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editorial team Diana Bolivar Editor in Chief
Iancarlo Suárez Creative & Art Director Robert Newland Newland Associates Group, Inc Tony Lagos Rollins College Angel Aviles Conrad Santiago, CFP, MSFS/Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Giorgina Pinedo-Rolon Gio Communications Inc. Rosalina Stober Hispanic Business Initiative Fund Jorge Friguls Entravision Communications Rafael Irastorza Power Grid Engineering, LLC George Fournier Writer Millo Aldea millote.com
HCCMO staff
Ramón Ojeda President
Diana Bolivar Vice President
Marilen Marnett
Events & Operations Manager
Christine Peña
Marketing & Sales Coordinator
Iancarlo Suárez
Graphic Design & Social Media Coordinator
Tiffany Madrid
Business Development Specialist
Luisa Garcia
Administrative Assistant
Yuitxa Ramírez Veintidós
HCCMO board members executive board
Maritza Martínez
Chair University of Central Florida
José Cerda
Vice-Chair State Farm Insurance
Giorgina Pinedo-Rolón
Vice-Chair Elect Gio Communications, Inc.
Office Coordinator
Diego Puig McGee & Powers, P.A. Jonathan Aponte Cover Photo/Photographer Rafael Gerena Instruxo Nelson Camargo Baüza & Associates Joshua Johnson CourseMob Lara Ramirez Editor Assistant Andrea Gil Graphic Designer
Albert Hurtado
Treasurer Albert Hurtado, CPA, PLLC
Janet E. Martinez
Legal Advisor Janet E. Martinez, P.A.
Tanya Easterling Secretary Florida Blue Central Region
board of directors Antonio L. Caravia Ex-Officio Exterior Walls, Inc.
Orlando Alancastro
Director OUC: The Reliable One
Lucas Boyce
Director Orlando Magic
Carlos Castro
Director Walt Disney World Co.
José G. Costa
Director Nodarse, A Terracon Company
Leticia M. Diaz
Director Barry University School of Law
Evelyn Martínez
Director Osceola Heritage Park
David J. Maxon Director Progress Energy
Karla Muñiz
Director Florida Hospital
Christina Pinto
HBIF Representative MPC Wealth Management
David Ruíz Director UPS
Irma E. Stenman
EDC Representative Metro Orlando EDC
Scott Skidelsky
Director Balfour Beatty Construction
Fashion Square Mall 3201 E. Colonial Dr. Suite A-20 Orlando, FL 32803 407.428.5870
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
www.hispanicchamber.net
A Word from the President As we approach the end of 2012, we should all take a moment to reflect back on the year. Are you accomplishing your goals? Is your business where you want it to be? Are you taking the risks necessary to bring it there? If not, ask yourself why. When we’re young, we’re told that the sky’s the limit and to never give up on our dreams. But, as we grow older, those dreams often get stifled by fear and negativity, and we’re left thinking that they’re unrealistic, impractical, and even impossible. This December marks the 15th anniversary of the Don Quijote Awards, and we could all take a lesson from the literary hero. Take the words “can’t” and “won’t” out of your vocabulary. Ignore the people who tear you down. Look at challenges as opportunities for success. And, no matter how impossible they may seem, keep following your dreams. As you read through this issue of Visión Magazine, you’ll find articles that will educate and inspire you. Use them to your advantage as you continue to journey throughout your professional career. “There is nothing impossible to him who will try.” —Alexander the Great
Ramón Ojeda President Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando ramon@hispanicchamber.net
trustees
F o u n d i n g trustees
trustees
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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SOCIAL MEDIA
BOX
@haveyoumetian
#Hashtags & You
by Ian Suárez, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
If you are an avid tweetster (Twitter hipster), hashtags are nothing new. But for a lot of brand-new users, hashtags are alien symbols residing amongst phrases that seem to ignore the logic of the spacebar (e.g. #thisiswhatitlookslike). If you are one of these people, don’t despair! There is valid logic to the seemingly-weird use of the pound sign. Hashtags are used mainly on Twitter to let readers know that a message belongs to a specific topic. Utilizing hashtags the right way allows you to promote and categorize specific topics. (It can even help you be trendy!) Let’s say that I’m the owner of a hot dog stand in Downtown Orlando. It would be important for
me to follow conversations using the hashtags #food, #hotdogs or #downtownorlando to see what other tweetsters are saying about those topics. For example, they might tweet something like: “Looking for something to eat in #downtownorlando!” After seeing this, I can immediately tweet back and tell them about the two-for-one special at my hot dog stand. By incorporating the same hashtags into my message (e.g.“Looking for a classic meal? Visit my #hotdog stand in #downtownorlando and enjoy the two-for-one special!”), it will fall in the hands of anyone who’s following the conversation. (This may all sound a bit confusing and overwhelming, but it’s very easy to get the hang of and will benefit you in the long run.)
#TipsToKeepInMind 1. First, figure out if your hashtag is already in use (you can use the Twitter search bar to find out). If it is, don’t worry. Just make sure that the message being used doesn’t conflict with yours. If it does, consider changing your hashtag to something more unique for your business. 2. If you want to jump on someone else’s trending hashtag, make sure that the message is effective and that it fits your brand, image or promotion. If it doesn’t, you will just look awkward and people will ignore you. 3. Once you have decided on your hashtag, use your other social media outlets to let your followers know they can be part of the conversation on Twitter. 4. Last, but not least, don’t overuse the power of the hashtag. This means don’t tweet something like “#Looking for a #classicmeal? #Visit my #hotdog #stand in #downtownorlando and #enjoy the #twoforone #special!” This will not only annoy your followers, but will also get you lost in the hashtag world. Remember, hashtags can either be your friends or your enemies. Use them right, use them wisely, and please don’t hashtag outside of Twitter (or Instagram for that matter, but that’s a topic for another day).
Andres Malave @AmericanoFirst - Thanks @HCCMO for great brkfast at Pio Pio and 4 allowing us to introduce ur members 2 @AFPhq @ AFPFlorida and #5forFL
Melitza Perez - As a member of the Hispanic
www.facebook.com/hccmo www.twitter.com/hccmo www.youtube.com/hccmo 6 | Visión
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando, I feel proud to say: Congratulations! The HCCMO staff is one that is professional and understands the meaning of member satisfaction. As a new business in the Metro Orlando area, they have supported me and offer me many services to be able to advance towards my goal. I AM THE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE!!
Your Unique Selling Position
CUSTOMER SERVICE
by Millo Aldea - The Sales Personality
H
How important do you think it is to know why people buy from you? Are you aware of how many more sales you could earn, and the effective marketing campaigns you could come up with, if you knew the true reasons why your customers buy from you? You either have taken the steps to document why people buy from you, or you assume why people buy from you. Which one is it?
What Kind of Employee Training Does Your Company Offer? Most companies’ presidents and accountants will tell you that they don’t have a budget for employee training, even when you see brand-new LED screens and other decorations around the building. Company owners and CEOs have a different take on that sometimes. When companies decide to invest in the corporation by forming a budget for employee training and education, most invest in how to sell better, instead of the more crucial research that will give employees new information to increase sales.
could turn some of those non-customers into customers. Because, really…who does this for people that decided not to buy? You are probably thinking, “Oh man! This sounds hard, and it will cost a pretty penny!” And you’re right--it sure isn’t easy! But if it were easy, everyone would be doing it. As Alec Baldwin said in one of the most famous sales movies of all time, “Glengarry Glen Ross”: “You think this is abuse? How can you take the abuse you get from not making any sales?”
Questions to Ask Get a facilitator and good food, and gather everyone together for the event. Once there, make a powerful (but short) introduction.
Sell more! Sell more! And knowing how to sell more is a training priority that will undoubtedly increase your selling skills, but will never reveal the reason why your current customers buy. Most people concentrate on getting additional customers right after celebrating a sale. Do you? If you are certain that you know what the hot buttons of your customers are and your sales are skyrocketing, then by all means go out there, celebrate and get more. But know you haven’t done your homework yet! “Oh, I know! We’ll just send out a survey and get our customers to fill it them out, right?” But you already know that when you send out surveys, only a couple of people fill them out, if any. And then you tell yourself that you tried to find out information and that it didn’t work. But if you wouldn’t fill out a survey from someone you bought from, why would do you think your customers will fill one out for you?
What Should You Do? Here is what to do if you want to get the real facts of your assumptions. (Much of this concept was taught to me by my mentor, Jeffrey Gitomer.) Instead of emailing, call fifteen of your loyal customers and five of your recent customers. Tell them that you appreciate them as customers and that you appreciate their business. To express your appreciation, you have arranged a halfday for them at a hotel conference room where they will listen to a short seminar on how to increase their business--free of cost, and with food provided. Oh they will go, if you make it valuable for them! But you are not nearly done! (This is when I add my little twist to Jeffrey’s concept.) In addition to calling current customers, call five people that never bought you and five that don’t buy from you anymore, and do the exact thing for them during a different day. Finding out why people don’t buy from you will reveal crucial information for developing yourself into a more attractive company, and uncovering the type of customers you do not want. And all this information will be coming straight from the mouths of consumers, not yours. Your job is to make sure you keep calm when you listen, even if you don’t think what they’re saying is important. Maybe it
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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Then, have a list of questions that you want your guests to answer. Make sure you let them know that expressing themselves genuinely and revealing the truth (and nothing but the truth) will help you provide them with even better products your service. Providing them with a peper write their answers is good. But having someone document their answers on video, audio and in writing is best. The more engaging you make this day for them, the more they will feel they matter to you, and the more they will keep buying from and promoting you. In the end, they will learn what to do for their customers from watching you set an example. Priceless! And remember to give them a token of appreciation afterwards as a bonus.
Questions to Uncover Why Your Customers Buy from You Who do you think we are? What do you like best about us? What companies do you think compete with us? What made you buy from us rather than buying from those you think is our competition? Tell us the story from the moment you wanted to buy what we offer, to the moment you found us, to the moment you made a decision to purchase from us. What would’ve made you buy from us faster? What do you think we can improve on? What would make you stop buying from us? Use your imagination to create a story that made us fail as a company. Use your imagination to create an incredible success story that made us excel as a company. Tell us all the reasons why you bought and you continue to buy from us.
Questions to Uncover Why They Stopped Buying From You: Who do you think we are? What made you not buy from us? Who do you know from our company? How do you know them? Who
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
have you talked to from our company? Describe your experience with our service. Use your imagination to create a story that made us fail or made us go out of business. What would’ve made you buy from us? Use your imagination to create an incredible success story that made us excel as a company.
Give Yourself the Best Present! After documenting their responses, you can now provide your employees with extremely valuable and powerful information. What are your true demographics? Who is your perfect prospect? What is their budget? What do they want? Why do they buy? And why do they stay? And the best part is that the answers came directly from consumers (without having to hire an external agency!). This new information will enable you to create persuading and attractive marketing campaigns. You can also expect an increase in sales because you know exactly who to sell to and how to attract them. And, most of all, you can expect positive responses from your customers, describing you as the best at giving them what they want. Don’t you want that?
Congratulations
2012 N O M I N E E S to the
2012 Don Quijote Hosts
Nancy Alvarez Jorge Estevez
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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COVER STORY
“Freedom, Sancho, is one of the most precious gifts bestowed by heaven on man. No treasures that the earth contains or the sea conceals can compare with it.” - Don Quijote de la Mancha
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
THE
QUEST by George Fournier
M
ore than four hundred years ago, a man rode across the Spanish countryside in search of beauty and a purpose in life. It was his quest. Whatever the cost, Don Quijote was determined to seek out what was good and noble.
Don Quijote and his fanciful adventures sprung directly from the fertile imagination of author, Miguel de Cervantes. In the process, The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha became one of the greatest literary masterpieces of all time. Miguel de Cervantes was a man who experienced many great adventures of his own—some of which were dangerous, many of which were disastrous. Fighting in the naval battle of Lepanto against a Turkish fleet, Cervantes was injured in hand-to-hand combat, permanently losing the use of his left hand. On his way home from military service, Cervantes was captured by Barbary pirates and taken hostage in Algiers. After five years and four failed escape attempts, Cervantes was finally ransomed and returned home to Madrid, Spain. Later, while serving a sentence in jail for some unorthodox bookkeeping, Cervantes conceived the idea for Don Quijote.
A Message and Meaning for Everyone Throughout the book, readers are invited to draw their own impressions of Don Quijote and his squire, Sancho Panza. What was their true motivation? Were they trying to deceive themselves? Or were they making a genuine commitment to something greater than themselves? Readers are also invited to discover different layers of meaning in the action and adventure that runs non-stop throughout the book. In addition to the book’s many possible messages and meanings, it has also undergone many different translations from Cervantes’ original Old Castilian. Some translations present the romantic image of a hero fighting against a materialistic society. Others offer a more satirical look at the conflict between Don Quijote’s idealism and a world unfamiliar with chivalric virtues. Both the 1965 Broadway play Don Quijote de la Mancha and the 1972 movie of the same name offer us still another, updated interpretation of the 400-year-old story. We experience deep emotion when Peter O’Toole as Don Quijote “sings,”
Four Hundred Years and Counting
And the world will be better for this:
Why do people today still find inspiration and excitement in the extravagant exploits of Don Quijote? Why are the stories of a 50-year-old hidalgo dressed in a suit of armor still relevant four centuries later?
That one man, scorned and covered with scars, Still strove, with his last ounce of courage, To reach ... the unreachable star. . .
Dr. José Fernández, the Dean of the College of Arts and Humanities at the University of Central Florida, has one possible answer to the book’s universal appeal. He says, “If you are true to your quest and if your motives are good, you can leave the world a better place. That is the message of the book.” Despite numerous setbacks, that is how Don Quijote pursued his quest. Throwing off his comfortable life as a country gentleman, Don Quijote set out to right wrongs and help those in need. His quest takes on a special meaning when he dedicates his exploits to the imaginary Dulcinea del Toboso, whom he describes as “[his] queen and lady; her beauty superhuman, for in her all the impossible and chimerical attributes of loveliness become reality.” It is a story with numerous adventures, complex plots, evil enchanters, and reasons to smile on every page.
Pablo Picasso offers us yet another view of the main characters in his famous, silhouetted images of Don Quijote and Sancho. Don Quijote is depicted as a gaunt figure perched on his aging horse, Rocinante. Sancho is rendered as a well-fed peasant squire sitting astride Dapple, his donkey. Together, they suggest cheerful humor and a readiness for whatever comes next.
The Don Quijote Award This year marks the fifteenth anniversary of the Don Quijote Awards sponsored by the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando and the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund (HBIF). The vision for the award ceremony was conceived during Conrad Santiago’s chairmanship of the HBIF. “We wanted to recognize the spirit of adventure, hard work and dedication shown by Hispanic entrepreneurs and by Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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those who worked together with the Hispanic community,” says Mr. Santiago. “For fifteen years, the character of Don Quijote has wonderfully symbolized the importance of having a dream and the courage to follow through on that dream,” added Mr. Santiago.
Sancho’s Role as an Entrepreneurial Hero If the reader is looking for the entrepreneurial spirit in Cervantes’ book, perhaps Sancho Panza is the real role model. His is a realist, a pragmatist and a dreamer, all rolled into one character. Despite his status as an illiterate peasant, Sancho had visions of acquiring wealth and becoming the governor of an “island.” Before setting out on his first adventure with Don Quijote, Sancho seeks reassurance that riches will come his way, when he says to Don Quijote, “You’ll be sure, won’t you sir knight, not to forget what you promised me about the island. I’ll be up to governing it all right, however big it is.” It is a promise Sancho reminds Don Quijote several times throughout the book, especially when things seem to go wrong. Remarkably, Sancho does become a governor of an “island.” Although his seven-day tenure was, in reality, an insensitive joke played by a wealthy duke, Sancho succeeds in issuing several wise decisions and in bestowing on his island a set of by-laws called The Ordinances of the Great Governor Sancho Panza. It is clear that people of humble origins can achieve greatness.
A Challenge for the Reader The Ingenious Hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha is a book of approximately 1,000 pages. Reading it from cover to cover might seem like a quest in itself. It is the kind of book that must be enjoyed one chapter at a time, one adventure at a time. There is much to think about in this book, and much to apply to one’s own life. In a fanciful way, one of the characters in the book offers advice to those who would try. “It is so very intelligible that it doesn’t pose any difficulties at all: children leaf through it, adolescents read it. Grown men understand it and old men praise it,” says Sansón Carrasco, a student from Don Quijote’s village. Dr. José Fernández echoes those sentiments when he says, ”You get as much out of it as you put into it.” Dr. Fernández, who taught the book to college students nearly forty years ago, proudly says, “I teach Don Quijote to my grandchildren today.” Why should people read and share this book with others? Perhaps one reason lies in Dr. Fernandez’s favorite inspirational quote expressed by Don Quijote: “No es un hombre más que otro, si no hace más que otro.” - “No man is worth more than any other, unless he achieves more than the other.” For every man and woman there can be a noble quest, a true purpose in life. Just ask Don Quijote de la Mancha.
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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Do You Follow Your Quest?
BUSINESS
by Millo Aldea - The Sales Personality
IF
If you’re Hispanic (or of Hispanic descent) and have ever seen a figure or painting of Don Quijote, his rusted armor and his skinny, white horse, it was probably inside one of your relatives’ houses. Did you ever wonder why it was there? The story of Don Quijote de la Mancha is considered by many writers to be the most influential work of literature from the Spanish Golden Age. But do you know what it stands for and what it may mean to those who own a painting or a porcelain figure of the knight-errant, his horse Rocinante and his squire Sancho Panza? The legend speaks of Alonso Quijana, a man whose passion for doing what’s right drove him to march into a fictitious quest to transform all evil into good by imagining himself as a knight-errant named Don
Quijote. Throughout his journey, the delusional old man was mocked, laughed at and doubted. But he continued to follow his quest, and did more to inspire others than his attackers ever imagined. What is your dream? What is your quest? Does it sound crazy to other people? Do your friends, peers or even family members mock you, laugh at you, doubt you and tell you it’s not possible? What do you do about it? Do you believe them? Do you doubt that your mission will help those who might need and want what you offer? Do you quit? If Don Quijote existed, what would he tell you when people try to take your dream away from you? What do think about when you read these words? “To run where the brave dare not go…To try when your arms are too weary. To reach the unreachable star... No matter how hopeless. No matter how far.” They’re lyrics written by Joe Darion for the musical “Man of La Mancha.” Too cheesy maybe? Too crazy? How about Nikola Tesla, Pythagoras, Dr. John Harvey Kellogg or Albert Einstein? Were they not labeled crazy at one point in time? Some people consider them to have been crazy still! But there’s one thing we can all agree on: these men were not average, and they changed the world in one way or another. How about you? Are you average? Do you want to continue to be average? There’s a Don Quijote inside of you, waiting to take down all the monsters and inspire you to greatness. Today, many entrepreneurs and business people use his story to inspire them to do what is right. Because just like Don Quijote said, “…neither good nor evil can last forever; and so it follows that as evil has lasted a long time, good must now be close at hand.” But as you well know, business will not be cheery all the time. So now, more than ever, let Don Quijote speak to your heart when you feel down. When you or your business are hurting, when you are not well, listen to Don Quijote telling you: “Not well? What is illness to the body of a knight-errant? What matter wounds? For each time he falls, he shall rise again, and woe to the wicked.” And know that, one day, you too may say that you “come from a world of iron, to make it a world of gold.”
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
Q&A
A Look Back...
by Rosalina Stober - HBIF of Florida Lou Carrion was part of a small group of Hispanic business leaders who developed the idea for the Don Quijote Awards Gala. In 1998, he was the first person ever to win the Don Quijote Professional of the Year award for his role at Sprint. He went on to finish out a very successful career in the telecommunications industry. Today Lou is semi-retired and continues to stay engaged in a consulting capacity as Senior Executive Advisor for Florida Hospital. We sat down with Lou to get his perspective on how the Don Quijote Awards and the Hispanic community have evolved over the past 15 years.
How was the Don Quijote Awards Gala conceived? Fifteen years ago, Hispanics were not being shown in a positive light in Central Florida. If you read the paper, you never saw anything positive about our community and we needed something to overcome that. The vision for Don Quijote was huge: that this would be the premier event and that it would honor Hispanics. We intuitively knew that this would give a tremendous amount of respect to the Hispanic community. There were so many folks who had that vision, who really cared and were proud to be Hispanics. As soon as we pinned down the idea, Don Quijote came to mind. Most people have positive thoughts about Don Quijote. He was a visionary guy, a dreamer.
How would you describe the first Don Quijote Awards Gala in 1998? The first gala, I would say, was under a hundred people. It was at the Orlando Museum of Art. At that time we were able to get just a few companies to sponsor it, those companies at which Hispanics were in positions at the professional level. Back then it was very difficult to get support for a Hispanic event. Many companies felt that they could not afford to spend money on the Hispanic market.
What was your experience as a winner of the Don Quijote Award? My goal was always to achieve high and I was a perfectionist. I was trying to make a difference and succeed in the corporate world. I had won a lot of awards, but that was the one award that struck me the most. I get choked up just thinking about it. It really meant something! That award was from our people who faced the same dreams and the same challenges that I had. It is still my most prized award.
How do you think Central Florida’s Hispanic community has changed since then? Little by little, we’ve eliminated the excuses for Hispanics not to be successful. You can’t turn around without seeing Hispanic influence. I see more successful Hispanic businesses, more people willing to be entrepreneurs and go after their dreams. In every major organization in this community it seems as though there are
prominent Hispanics engaged in key positions. That wasn’t the case 15 years ago. We are also more united now. We have to continue to celebrate who we are, and make sure that we have good role models. There’s still a lot of negative publicity for Hispanics. If we’re successful we have to celebrate even more. The Chamber and HBIF have done that with this event and with their work in the community. Both organizations are making a positive difference.
How would you describe the awards gala today? Does winning a Don Quijote have the same meaning? It definitely has become an event that people want to be at. People have it on their calendar. We always said that someday there would be over a thousand people. At that time, thinking we could bring a thousand people seemed overly ambitious, but we knew it could happen. It’s also become a way for us all to relate. It’s great to see others at the Don Quijote Awards, people who might not have otherwise seen Hispanics in this light, enjoying what we enjoy – the sense of family and companionship, our music, our culture. I also see the faces of the winners and the tears of the family at that moment when they win the award. I believe that winning the Don Quijote Award continues to have the same significance, if not more. The entire Don Quijote Awards experience continues to make me very proud.
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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2011 Don Quijote Awards
DQ PAST AWARD RECIPIENTS
Hispanic Business of the Year (Less Than 5 Years): Arnaldo and Yanet Herrero - Kings Service Solutions Hispanic Business of the Year (More Than 5 Years): Louis and Moises Lluberes - Resource Employment Solutions Professional of the Year: José Costa - Vice President & Department Manager for Nodarse, a Terracon Company Hispanic Community Champion: Eugene Campbell - Walt Disney World Parks & Resorts Excellence Award: Guillermo “Bill” Hansen - Editor & Owner of El Osceola Star Newspaper Lifetime Achievement Award: Dr. Antonia Coello Novello - MD 2010 Don Quijote Awards Hispanic Business of the Year (Five Years or Less) Michael and Karina Pastrana - Happy Paws Pet Resort Hispanic Business of the Year (More Than 5 Years) Javier and Eliana Vargas - Pollos Pio Pio Enterprises Professional of the Year Dr. Humberto Campins - University of Central Florida Hispanic Community Champion Sister Ann Kendrick - HOPE Community Center Excellence Award Dr. Miguel Lugo - Ophthalmologist Lifetime Achievement Award Ricardo Pesquera,Esq. - Crews & Pesquera, P.A. 2009 Don Quijote Awards Hispanic Business of the Year (Five Years or Less) Alberto and Martha Santoni - Santoni International Builders Hispanic Business of the Year (More Than 5 Years) José Rivas Jr. - Sol Time Professional of the Year Marcos R. Marchena - Marchena and Graham, PA Excellence Award Dr. Tomasita Ortiz - Ana G. Mendez University System Hispanic Community Champion Linda Landman-González - Orlando Magic Lifetime Achievement Award Olga M. Calvet - Palmas Services 2008 Don Quijote Awards Hispanic Business of the Year (Less Than Three Years) María Victoria Díaz and Luis Guillermo Torres - Closed Caption Latina Hispanic Business of the Year (More Than Three Years) Liza Ordoñez and Norberto Ruiz - NR Electronics, LLC Professional of the Year Homan Machuca - Telemundo Excellence Award Manuel D. Soto - City of Orlando Hispanic Community Champion Linda W. Chapin - University of Central Florida Lifetime Achievement Award Dora Casanova de Toro - La Prensa Newspaper
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
2007 Don Quijote Awards
2002 Don Quijote Awards
Hispanic Business of the Year (Less Than Three Years) Elvis Campos and Richard Weaver - Signtek Graphics Hispanic Business of the Year (More Than Three Years) Rubén and Laura Pérez - Habana Grill Restaurant Professional of the Year George Rodón - Orange County Government Excellence Award Judge Wilfredo Martínez - Orange County 9th Judicial Circuit Court Lifetime Achievement Award Conrad Santiago, CFP, MSFS - Ameriprise Financial
Small Business Less Than Three Years Phillip and Eileen Rosado - Alta Moda, Inc Small Business More Than Three Years Joseph Rodríguez - MSE Systems, Inc. Professional of the Year José Estorino - Orlando/Orange County Convention & Visitors Bureau Excellence Award Silvia Ibañez - Silvia Ibañez Law Firm
2006 Don Quijote Awards Hispanic Business of the Year (Less Than Three Years) Germán Gaviria, Carlos Rodríguez and José Guzmán - GRG Structures Group Hispanic Business of the Year (More Than Three Years) Luis and Lorena Quiroz - Royal Press Printing Professional of the Year Dr. José B. Fernández - College of Arts and Humanities at UCF Excellence Award Father Miguel A. González - Diocese of Orlando Lifetime Achievement Award Tirso Moreno - Farmworker Association of Florida 2005 Don Quijote Awards Hispanic Business of the Year (Less Than Three Years) Elsa Morales - Atlantis Flowers & Gifts, Co. Hispanic Business of the Year (More Than Three Years) Carmen Domínguez - Homes by Carmen Domínguez, L.C. Professional of the Year José Fajardo - WMFE Excellence Award Judge José R. Rodríguez - Orange County 9th Judicial Circuit Court Lifetime Achievement Award Fernando Bujones - Orlando Ballet 2004 Don Quijote Awards Hispanic Business of the Year (Less Than Three Years) Gisele Marasca and Susan Pagán Ahora Orlando Magazine/Creative Angle Media, LLC Hispanic Business of the Year (More Than Three Years) Ricardo Gonzalez - T&G Constructors Professional of the Year George Armando Aguel - Walt Disney Parks & Resorts Excellence Award Anna D. Díaz - Orange County Public Schools 2003 Don Quijote Awards Hispanic Business of the Year (Less Than Three Years) Yasmín Tirado-Chiodini - Intelliorg, Inc. Hispanic Business of the Year (More Than Three Years) David Salazar - AXIS, Inc. Professional of the Year Denise Godreau - Walt Disney Parks and Resorts César Calvet - SunTrust Grupo Bancario Latino Excellence Award Dr. José Borrero – Surgeon
2001 Don Quijote Awards Small Business Less Than Three Years Jay Rosario - Rolling Hills Ford, Inc Small Business More Than Three Years James E. Jardon, II - Jardon & Howard Technologies, Inc. Professional of the Year Héctor Louis Martínez - Ruggiero, Martinez & Company, P.A. Entrepreneur of the Year José “Tony” Rey - Rey Group 2000 Don Quijote Awards Small Business Less Than Three Years Yuri Gómez - Global Communications Small Business More Than Three Years Ken Leeming and Pedro Medina - International Engineer Professional of the Year Mercedes F. McCall - Banco Popular Entrepreneur of the Year Reynaldo Rodríguez and Ileana DiMario - Maya Telecom Educator of the Year Aliette A. Scharr - Hillcrest Elementary Legal Professional of the Year Norberto Katz - 11th Judicial Circuit 1999 Don Quijote Awards Small Business Less Than Three Years Willie Molina - CFL Litho Small Business More Than Three Years René Albors - Albors & Associates Professional of the Year Angel Martínez - Latin Music Institute Entrepreneur of the Year Raiza and Pete Tamayo - American Paving Contractors 1998 Don Quijote Awards Small Business Less Than Three Years Ricardo Aguilar - KDR Small Business More Than Three Years Lenny Lamastus - First Roasters Professional of the Year Louis Carrión - Sprint Entrepreneur of the Year Jorge Del Río - Quality Cable Communications
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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™ ™
™ ™
OUC’s Stanton Solar Farm Now Generating Renewable Power OUC’s 5.9-megawatt Stanton Solar Farm is a shining example of our commitment to ensuring clean energy for future generations. Now up and running, it generates enough renewable energy to power more than 600 homes and is the first of its kind in Orange County.
photo: Aerial Innovations
To see what else we’re doing with renewable energy, visit www.OUC.com 18 | Visión
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
TECH BUSINESS
Is Your Site Right?
By Joshua Johnson, CourseMob
is 2012, so everyone has a website, right? Well maybe not everyone, but the bulk of businesses operating today have at least a minimal presence on the web. But what is their purpose for being on the web? Better yet, what is your purpose?
IT
If going global is your top priority, be sure to identify your top international markets and have your website translated into the appropriate languages. Google Translate is sufficient for minor translations, but if there is a serious market opportunity for you, take it seriously.
Before you run out and take a web design class or hire someone to develop one for you, you need to think long and hard about this question. After all, your primary purpose for being on the web should play a major role in the layout and design of your site.
Business Automation
Position Yourself
The odds are that you aren’t the only one who does what you do. While you may be the best, how do you stand out? A website can be a great way to showcase your portfolio, post articles you have written, or accolades you have received. Regularly maintaining a blog is one of the best ways to showcase your expertise. Just be sure to be consistent with your posts.
Establish/Strengthen Your Brand
One of the great challenges for many businesses is to create such a strong connection to an idea or concept that customers instantly link them to it whenever they are exposed to that idea or concept. Having a well-branded website gives your business the opportunity to establish or strengthen the mind share your brand has with current and future customers.
Go Global
Thomas Friedman says, “The World is Flat.” He may be right when it comes to commerce, but if you aren’t online the odds are you aren’t taking advantage of it.
Who doesn’t love the idea of making money while catching some z’s or, better yet, while out on vacation? As much as we may love our companies, most of us don’t want to keep our doors open 24/7. Having an e-commerce site is one way you can make this dream come true for you while creating a convenient shopping experience for your customers.
New Customer Acquisition
While it is usually cheaper to sell more products/services to existing customers, we certainly don’t want the pipeline of new customers to dry up. Your website can be a great place to generate new leads. Often times this ties back to establishing your position as an expert in your field. Once new customers are confident that you are, in fact, the expert they are looking for, they should seek additional information or request to join your mailing list.
Call to Action
Once your website priorities are set, you have to make sure that you are directing your visitors to accomplish a specific action. In some cases, this may be a prompt for them to comment on your blog or to share your content with their networks. In others, the call to action may be as straightforward as making a purchase or just a simple request for information. No matter what the action is, make sure that you make it quick and painless for the visitor to complete. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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MARKETING
Lost in Translation
Pitfalls to Avoid When Communicating to a Foreign Market by Nelson Camargo, Bauza & Associates echnology has continually developed to provide costeffective solutions in our everyday lives, and has yielded several advancements in the way we conduct business, both internally and externally. However, there are some areas in which people have overly relied on these solutions, often resulting in more harm than good. This is especially true in the area of language. There are machinebased programs that will translate words, phrases, and entire documents into the desired language. This feature is available in programs like Microsoft Word, and through online resources like Google Translate. Although highly cost-effective, these resources only work well in communicating the general idea to people who only expect the “gist” of the content. For text of greater value, and for audiences with higher expectations, these translations fall short.
Machine-Based Translations From a marketing perspective, a company’s brand has a certain tone and personal association that is carried throughout all forms of its communication. It is not sufficient that the audience gets the “gist” of the message. It should be communicated in a way that resonates in the reader’s mind, and in the way the company intended. When a business overestimates the capabilities of a machine-based translator, the results can be confusing or offensive to the reader. In an attempt to be cost-effective in their business, a Chinese restaurant sign displayed the words “Translate Server Error” above its storefront after a free translation site failed. A newspaper repeatedly misquoted a former president of Kazakhstan through a mistranslation when it referred to an important issue as “passing gas.” When using a machine-translated message, Israeli journalists nearly sparked an international incident when they insulted a Dutch diplomat’s mother in the message. In another incident, an automatically-translated furniture tag contained a racial slur that seriously offended customers in Toronto, Canada. Try reversing this process. Instead of translating from English to Spanish, try Spanish to English, with the following phrase “Madres picadas escogen Jif.” The correct translation should be “Choosy moms choose Jif.” What does Google Translate give you? Machine-based translations break language down to its most logical form of definitions and grammar. The reader will be able to understand the overall message of the message, but its intended marketing appeal will not be able to carry over. Language is the representation of a culture, and cannot be understood from a logical perspective.
Human Translators 20 | Visión
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
Some businesses may opt to use machine-based translations in conjunction with a human translator, thereby avoiding the embarrassment that comes with miscommunication. Although sensible in its approach, it is often flawed in its execution. A bilingual individual working in the mailroom nearby will be pulled in to proof the communication. Unfortunately, this happens more often than not in an attempt to bypass the cost associated with hiring professionals. The issue here then becomes a question of cultural relevance. Although a country may share the same language, the culture may be completely different and hold different meanings for certain words. Although England and America share a common language, pronunciation and idioms are very distinct. This is even more of an issue when you enter the Spanish language, as it is shared by several countries, and each one adds its own distinctive idioms and word associations.
Tips for Success Before attempting to enter a market with a language barrier, treat the market with respect. Ask yourself: who would you use to develop a campaign, brochure or ad for the general public? It would probably be a marketing professional or copywriter with qualified experience. Take this same principal and apply it to the market you are seeking to enter. Native speakers can produce natural-sounding translations that will be more accepted by the recipient. There are also times where a professional may be able to consult with you to create a message that will resonate effectively with the market and yield a higher return to your investment. But, in short, if you’re not going to do it right, don’t do it at all. It’s much more difficult and costly to recover from your mistake than prevent it. The reputation of a business or brand is an intangible, but extremely valuable, asset that can only be determined by its consumers—is that something you’re willing to risk?
“
If you’re not going to do it right, don’t do it at all.
”
Being Cost Effective With Translations Smart Business Choice or Poor Business Practice Google Translate A lo mejor nacio con eso. A lo mejor es Maybeline.
1.2 1.1 1 0.9 0.8
Machine Translator
Maybe HE was born with that. Maybe itʼs Maybeline
0.7 0.6 0.5 0.4
SEP 12
FEB 12
AUG 11 Top 10,000
Top 100,000
Top Million
Top 6
Each language has its own set of rules that a machine based translations may not always pick up on. The Spanish phrase here is a general phrase that does not apply to any gender. But, when entered through a machine based translation, it automatically applies the “HE.” This subtle difference changes the intended meaning.
Industries Using Google Translate Travel Business Education Shopping Other
I wonʼt leak in your pocket and embarrass you.
It wonʼt leak in your pocket and make you pregnant.
Government
Google Translate has risen as one of the most common forms of machine based translations for companies to use.
When a pen manufacturer set out to translate its English campaign to Spanish, they made the mistake of thinking “embarazo” was the word for “embarrass.” This type of mistake tends to happen from the lack of knowledge of the language, and is often accredited to human error.
When companies don’t pay attention to language, the consequences can be embarrassing at best. English Campaign
What it Reads in Spanish
Chevy Nova Turn it Loose I Saw the Pope
Chevy Donʼt Go Suffer Diarrhea I Saw the Potato Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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o n e c n o v a e r D g
n i t n i r P o l to So
Specializing in: Publications, Marketing Collateral, and Direct Mail. 22 | Visión
7860 NW 66th Street, Miami, Florida 33166 Toll Free 800.325.0118 ● info@soloprinting.com ● www.soloprinting.com
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
The “Fiscal Cliff” by Conrad Santiago Conrad Santiago & Associates
W
hat is the “fiscal cliff”? It’s a term being used by many to describe the unique combination of tax increases and spending cuts scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2013. The ominous term reflects the belief by some that, taken together, higher taxes and decreased spending at the levels prescribed have the potential to derail the economy. Whether we do indeed step off the cliff at the end of the year, and what exactly that will mean for the economy, depends on several factors.
Will Expiring Tax Breaks be Extended? With the “Bush tax cuts” (extended for an additional two years by legislation passed in 2010) set to sunset at the end of 2012, federal income tax rates will jump up in 2013. We’ll go from six federal tax brackets (10%, 15%, 25%, 28%, 33%, and 35%) to five (15%, 28%, 31%, 36%, and 39.6%). The maximum rate that applies to long-term capital gains will generally increase from 15% to 20%. And while the current lower long-term capital gain tax rates now apply to qualifying dividends, starting in 2013, dividends will once again be taxed as ordinary income. Additionally, the temporary 2% reduction in the Social Security portion of the Federal Insurance Contributions Act (FICA) payroll tax, in place for the last two years, also expires at the end of 2012. And, lower alternative minimum tax (AMT) exemption amounts (the AMT-related provisions actually expired at the end of 2011) mean that there will be a dramatic increase in the number of individuals subject to AMT when they file their 2012 federal income tax returns in 2013.
Other Breaks Go Away in 2013 as Well • Estate and gift tax provisions will change significantly (reverting to 2001 rules). For example, the amount that can generally be excluded from estate and gift tax drops from $5.12 million in 2012 to $1 million in 2013, and the top tax rate increases from 35% to 55%. • Itemized deductions and dependency exemptions will once again be phased out for individuals with high adjusted gross incomes (AGIs). • The earned income tax credit, the child tax credit, and the American Opportunity (Hope) tax credit all revert to old, lower limits and less generous rules. • Individuals will no longer be able to deduct student loan interest after the first 60 months of repayment. There continues to be discussion about extending expiring provisions. The impasse, however, centers on whether tax breaks get extended for all, or only for individuals earning $200,000 or less (households earning $250,000 or less). Many expect there to be little chance of resolution until after the November election.
Will New Taxes Take Effect in 2013?
by 0.9% for individuals with wages exceeding $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing a joint federal income tax return, and $125,000 for married individuals filing separately). Also beginning in 2013, a new 3.8% Medicare contribution tax is imposed on the unearned income of high-income individuals. This tax applies to some or all of the net investment income of individuals with modified adjusted gross income that exceeds $200,000 ($250,000 for married couples filing a joint federal income tax return, and $125,000 for married individuals filing separately). Both of these new taxes were created by the health-care reform legislation passed in 2010—recently upheld as constitutional by the U.S. Supreme Court—and it would seem unlikely that anything will prevent them from taking effect.
Will Mandatory Spending Cuts be Implemented? The failure of the deficit reduction supercommittee to reach agreement back in November 2011 automatically triggered $1.2 trillion in broad-based spending cuts over a multiyear period beginning in 2013 (the formal term for this is “automatic sequestration”). The cuts are to be split evenly between defense spending and nondefense spending. Although Social Security, Medicaid, and Medicare benefits are exempt, and cuts to Medicare provider payments cannot be more than 2%, most discretionary programs including education, transportation, and energy programs will be subject to the automatic cuts. New legislation is required to avoid the automatic cuts. But while it’s difficult to find anyone who believes the across-the-board cuts are a good idea, there’s no consensus on how to prevent them. Like the expiring tax breaks, the direction the dialogue takes will likely depend on the results of the November election.
What’s the Worst-Case Scenario? Many fear that the combination of tax increases and spending cuts will have severe negative economic consequences. According to a report issued by the nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office (Economic Effects of Reducing the Fiscal Restraint That Is Scheduled to Occur in 2013, May 2012), taken as a whole, the tax increases and spending reductions will reduce the federal budget deficit by 5.1% of gross domestic product (GDP) between calendar years 2012 and 2013. The Congressional Budget Office projects that under these fiscal conditions, the economy would contract during the first half of 2013 (i.e., we would likely experience a recession). It’s impossible to predict exactly how all of this will play out. One thing is for sure, though: the “fiscal cliff” figures to feature prominently in the national dialogue between now and November.
Beginning in 2013, the hospital insurance (HI) portion of the payroll tax—commonly referred to as the Medicare portion—increases
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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Irastorza’s Bookshelf
The One Minute Manager by Rafael Irastorza, Power Grid Engineering LLC
Do you find the task of managing your employees at work difficult? Are you currently looking for a simple, yet effective approach to managing people? If so, I strongly suggest that you read The One Minute Manager; a book that describes the world’s most popular management method as many readers would agree. his easy-to-read, fun and short book describes three management techniques that, once followed, will help you achieve the effectiveness and efficiency that you demand from the people you manage on a regular basis. Those techniques include one-minute goals, praisings and reprimands. Let’s explore them in detail.
One-Minute Goals
right.” When you provide crystal-clear and sincere feedback to your employee and admire his performance, you are indirectly encouraging him to keep doing the same, and also you are making him feel good about what he has accomplished. Employees who receive short, sincere praisings when they are caught doing something right will feel more pleased with their work and will gain more confidence, which ultimately will create a positive effect in their performance.
As manager, you always have certain expectations from your employees. When the time to review their projects or tasks approaches, you probably start thinking about both the quality and accuracy (i.e. effectiveness), and completion of their work within the allotted time (i.e. efficiency). Most likely you express those concerns frequently when managing a new employee. One secret, as the authors of the book call it, is to assure yourself that your employee will be effective and efficient is to set clear goals and expectations at the beginning of each new project assigned. It is very important that you spend the time necessary with your employee to understand what his responsibilities are and tell him what he is being held accountable for; this is done by setting one-minute goals. The authors emphasize that such goals be read within one minute and that each contain 250 words or less. In addition, they consider that the employee must focus on setting the most important goals since the authors argue that 80% of the important results come from 20% of the goals. Therefore, three to six goals is what you should request from your employee. By agreeing on those goals, you significantly minimize the possibility of a surprise at the moment of the project review because both you and the employee knew what exactly was expected.
One-Minute Praisings
What happens after you set goals and expectations with your employee? Would you wait until the time to review his project to determine whether your valued employee accomplished his objectives? The authors of the book do not think that would be the right thing to do; instead they recommend that you, the manager, praise your employee each time you, “catch them doing something
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
One-Minute Reprimands
Let’s look at this scenario. One manager wonders why his employee is not delivering the results he expects from him. However, the manager is fully aware that his employee recently developed the habit of procrastination. If something like this is happening, what should the manager do about it? Should he wait until the time for performance review comes to let his valued employee know how poorly he is doing? I have seen this happen before. Some managers observe the employee’s misbehaviors, make a big list of them on a sheet of paper and hide it, and then criticize their employee for about one hour during performance review. How does the employee feel after he has been evaluated? Did the manager solve any problem? Let’s look at the next scenario and learn what the authors of the book believe what the best approach to solve employees’ misbehaviors is. This time you are the manager, and today you noticed that your employee started to develop the habit of procrastination. Moreover, you believe that procrastination can have a negative impact on the big project both of you are working on. Instead of waiting until performance review, you decide to address this issue immediately by reprimanding him and explaining your concerns about such habit. You know that this is your opportunity to solve a problem and encourage him to do better. It is also your opportunity to let him know that you will not tolerate things that could affect the quality of his work. If you reprimand and criticize him constructively, your employee will understand what you are trying to accomplish; and that is, helping him develop a new set of skills necessary to become a better person and employee. Once he understands that, your life as a manager will be much easier.
for celebrating the legacy you’re creating.
At PNC we understand how important it is for you to achieve your dreams and feel like part of your community. We know how hard you’ve worked to get to where you are today and we recognize that you have done it for yourself, your family, and your community. That’s why, during this Hispanic Heritage Month, we celebrate your achievements and what moves you to reach them. Join us in the celebration by visiting www.pnc.com/hispanicheritage
for the achiever in you
SM
Hispanic ©2012 The PNC Financial Services Group, Inc. All rights reserved. PNC Bank, National Association. Member FDIC Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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The Main Street Gardener
UPDATE
The Chaos Opportunity by Jerry Ross, National Entrepreneur Center
T
he innovation economy has arrived. For those who saw the signs in the emergence of technology companies like Apple and Google, it came as no surprise. Some businesses caught on when Egypt and Greece began their economic struggles; however, for many, the innovation economy came crashing down on them in the form of a business closing. The innovation economy moves at lightning speed and challenges the very foundations of “business as usual.” It requires individuals and businesses to think globally, act quickly, and embrace change in order to survive. It can be unsettling. Some call it chaos. I call it opportunity. Chaos produces great opportunities for entrepreneurs who are prepared to act swiftly, and engage in some creative thinking. The current economy provides a perfect example of economic uncertainty. Does anybody really know what is going to happen to tax rates, interest rates, or home prices? Do you know anyone who can answer definitively how the new healthcare law applies to your business or what the costs will be? In today’s economy, leaders must make decisions without all the information or answers that they are used to having. This new tempo of decision-making has paralyzed some companies, but has led others to seek new vendors, new solutions, and creative problem-solvers. The entrepreneurial thinkers who can do those things will experience the opportunity of this economic chaos. I have been an entrepreneur all my life. From mowing lawns in high school to DJ’ing dances in college, I have always been fascinated by the variety of ways to make money, even when others were complaining about a lack of opportunities. As one of eleven children, I am no stranger to hard work, and I always appreciated a few extra dollars in my pocket. Being an entrepreneur was a natural path for me. However, I have found that when anyone allows their entrepreneurial juices to flow freely, the challenge becomes sorting all the opportunities to pick the right match for YOU. In “the toughest economy since the great depression” I see hundreds of potential businesses opportunities on my drive into work. I can’t help identifying simple ways to improve every businesses that I visit, whether it’s an NBA game or a visit to the local dry cleaner. Now, that doesn’t mean I have the skill, experience, or the desire to run any of those businesses; but for someone with the right skills, knowledge and passion, there are opportunities everywhere, waiting like an offBroadway star for discovery. Granted, we are in a very difficult economic time, but this is not our first recession nor will it be our last. And, for entrepreneurial thinkers, opportunity is rarely about the economy. It is more about how we think and how we view risk, safety, creativity, entrepreneurship and, most importantly, ourselves. Can you see the opportunities in this economic chaos? They’re out there, if you look closely, just waiting for the right person to recognize them and and make them happen.
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
September, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando was named 2012’s Hispanic Chamber of the Year by the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC). This award is given annually to a Hispanic chamber that has made a contribution to business excellence in an extraordinary manner.
IN
The HCCMO was selected out of a group of 200 large chambers for its quality of service, innovation, leadership, and dedication to bettering the economic development of the Hispanic community. The award was presented to President Ramon Ojeda and Chairwoman Maritza Martinez at the USHCC’s 33rd Annual National Convention in Los Angeles, California.
Since its founding in 1979, the USHCC has worked towards promoting the interests of Hispanic-owned businesses and bringing their concerns to the forefront of the national economic agenda. It enjoys outstanding working relationships with international Heads of State, members of Congress, and the current White House Administration. Through its network, the USHCC effectively communicates the needs of Hispanic enterprises to the public and private sectors. We are both humbled and honored to receive this important national distinction. Not only do we view it as an accomplishment, but as a challenge to continue improving upon ourselves. The HCCMO rests on the loyalty and support of its members, partners and volunteers; together we all make up the Chamber and contribute to its successes. We thank you for believing in our mission and actively helping us to better the Hispanic community of Central Florida. This award truly belongs to you.
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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GALLERY
July - Sept 2012
2012 Political Hob Nob
2012 Political Hob Nob
2012 Political Hob Nob
2012 Political Hob Nob
Cafe With The President
Business Mission Trip to Colombia
Business Mission Trip to Colombia
Business Mission Trip to Colombia
Leads Group Joint Event
28 | Visi贸n
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
B3 Series Seminar
BAH: Trinity Eye Associates
BAH: City National Bank
Hob Nob, Business After Hours, Seminars & more...
BAH: Royal Press
BAH: Royal Press
BAH: City National Bank
Cafe With The President
BAH: City National Bank
B3 Series Seminar
BAH: Trinity Eye Associates
BAH: Florida Hospital
BAH: Florida Hospital
BAH: Florida Hospital
HCCMO’s Franchise University
Business Mission Trip to Colombia
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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FROM WORK TO PLAY
Orlando’s Winter Wonderland by Lara Ramirez, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas, look no further than your own backyard this holiday season. It might sound crazy—the idea of cold weather and snowflakes in a state known for its heat and humidity—but Orlando can actually be a winter wonderland if you know where to go. Popular snowbird destinations include Grinchmas and the Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Orlando, Mickey’s Very Merry Christmas Party at Disney’s Magic Kingdom, and SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration. But if you’re looking for something a little more budget-friendly (and tourist-free), grab your jacket and boots and check out one of these places for your winter fix:
ICE! at Gaylord Palms
Bundle up and step into ICE!, a simulated arctic world at the Gaylord Palms Resort. Kept at a chilly nine degrees Fahrenheit, ICE! is complete with two million pounds worth of colorful, hand-carved ice castles, slides and sculptures. (Don’t worry, Florida natives. You’ll be provided with a heavy coat upon your arrival.) This year’s attraction pays tribute to Dreamworks’ TV animated movie, Merry Madagascar, and will be open from November 10, 2012 until January 1, 2013. Lace up your skates and head over to the Central Park West Meadow in Winter Park to enjoy the city’s ice skating rink, which will be open from November 16, 2012 through January 6, 2013. Afterwards, you can grab a bite to eat at one of the local bistros or spend the afternoon shopping on Park Avenue.
Light Up UCF
The University of Central Florida is another unlikely place where you’ll find winter fun. From November 16, 2012 through January 6, 2013, the university will host its annual winter event, featuring a light show, ice skating and carnival rides. On select nights, you can catch free showings of feature holiday movies, which are projected on a big screen at the campus’s open lawn. Don’t forget to bring blankets and lawn chairs. Experience merry carolers, horse-drawn carriage rides and nightly snowfall—yes, you read correctly—at Now Snowing, an annual event held at the Celebration Town Center. A special tree lighting ceremony, featuring live entertainment and an appearance by Santa Claus, will kick-off the festivities on November 26.
Light Up Mount Dora
Winter in the Park
Now Snowing
On November 28, you can surround yourself with the lights and sounds of the holidays at Donnelly Park in Mount Dora. Before the illumination ceremony, there will be performances by the Mount Dora Ballet Company, the Community Choir, the Icehouse Theatre and the Warren Acting Company. Afterwards, Mount Dora’s mayor will turn on more than two million lights that shine throughout the city.
Of course, nothing can beat quality time with family and friends. So whether you decide to hit up a theme park, go ice skating, or spend a quiet night at home with a cup of peppermint hot chocolate, be sure to cherish the moments spent with your loved ones. And from all of us at the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando: have a safe and happy holiday.
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Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
Pio Pio Latin Cuisine on Semoran Blvd has perfected its culi-
2500 South Semoran Blvd. • Orlando, FL. 32822
nary skills since 1994, when it’s first Restaurant in Queens, NY opened for business. Specializing in Pollos a la Brasa (Rotisserie Chicken) Pio Pio Latin Cuisine is the premier Colombian and Peruvian Restaurant in Central Florida. Dine-In and enjoy many of our exquisite platters. When you visit us at Pio Pio Latin Cuisine, you will not only be delighted by our food, you will also enjoy our home style hospitality making your every visit one to remember.
www.PioPioRestaurantFL.net
Pio Pio Latin Cuisine OFFERS DELIVERY AND CATERING services so you can also enjoy the great tasting food from the comfort of your own home or work. Just give us a call at: (407) 207-2262 / (321) 947-6147 Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando
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Vote YES by absentee, early voting or on election day, Tuesday, November 6. • Preserve “A” Rated Schools
The Seminole County Education Referendum will provide funding for vital education programs for our students and preserve the 15 first place rankings in Florida end-of-year testing in areas of reading, writing, math and science, as well as advanced placement courses, arts and athletics.
• Helps Retain Teachers
The millage increase will help Seminole County Public Schools retain highly qualified teachers. Over the past 5 years the School District has eliminated more than 700 positions. The Education Referendum will help avoid future cuts of teachers and staff so the quality of our children’s education is not jeopardized.
BALLOT LANGUAGE SEMINOLE COUNTY SCHOOL DISTRICT AD VALOREM MILLAGE ELECTION Shall the Seminole County School District ad valorem millage be increased by up to one mill beginning July 1, 2013, and ending not more than four (4) fiscal years later on June 30, 2017, for essential operating expenses to: preserve “A” rated academic, vocational, arts, and athletic programs; retain highly qualified teachers; and repair and maintain school buildings with annual reporting to the county’s citizens to ensure fiscal stewardship of the funds?
• Dedicated Funding for Education
The School Board will be required to vote each year to determine the millage rate which cannot exceed 1 mill annually. An annual report will be provided to citizens ensuring fiscal stewardship and oversight.
• Sunset Provision
The millage increase will last only four years and cannot be increased or continued without voter approval.
30¢ a day is based on $130,000, the average home value in Seminole County, With the standard $25,000 Homestead Exemption applied, the average property tax applied would be less than $9 per month or 30¢ a day.
TEXT:
VoteYes to
66555
Learn more at YesForSeminoleSchools.com Email: info@YesForSeminoleSchools.com • Phone: (407) 738-2570 32 Visión Hispanic of Commerce of Metro Orlando Pd.| Pol. Adv. paid forChamber by Citizens for Preservation of Property Values, P.O. Box 471143, Lake Monroe, FL 32747-1143