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HCSB celebrated the launch of the organization at the San Bernardino International Airport on October 14 as Hispanic Heritage Month came to a close
Greater Inland Empire/San Bernardino, CA (October 20, 2022) – The Hispanic Coalition of Small Businesses, an alliance of diverse organizations based in Southern California and committed to Advancing Small Business Communities in the Inland Empire, Los Angeles, and across the Country, and approximately 200 guests officially celebrated the launch of the organization at the San Bernardino International Airport on October 14 as Hispanic Heritage Month came to a close. Guests included HCSB’s 15 Affiliate Member organizations; corporate sponsors; legislative and community leaders; and more than 150 small business owners and individual entrepreneurs.
“With the launch of the HCSB, our Board of Directors, Committee chairs and our entire team, demonstrated that we are focused not only on advancing small businesses but also the communities in which their owners and employees live and work. When small business owners overcome the daily challenges they face and succeed in their businesses, their families and our surrounding communities also win,” said Frank Montes, HCSB Chairperson.
Entrepreneur and owner of various small & micro businesses, Juan Rodriguez, agreed. “I came away from the HCSB inaugural event not only with new friends and colleagues but also with at least four leads for new contracts,” said Juan Rodriguez, Axxiom Web Consultants. He cited the business-related resources that HCSB will bring to the small business community as invaluable and much needed in the region.
More than 20 founding sponsors, government entities, and small businesses were represented at the event with exhibits of their products and displays of energy efficient vehicles. HCSB hosted three panels and its 1st in a series of business readiness trainings for small business owners seeking government and corporate contracts. Panels included: How to become business ready for Procurement Opportunities; Sustainable Future – Water, Energy & Workforce; and Infrastructure Projects – Hydrogen, Industrial Complex Development & Construction. Panelists included representatives from SBD International Airport; McCarthy Building Companies, Inc.; County of San Bernardino; San Bernardino Community College District; CA Workforce Development Board; Board of Education, Riverside Unified School District; Western Municipal Water District; Southern California Edison (SCE); Cucamonga Valley Water District; Metropolitan Water District of SoCal; San Manuel Bank of Mission Indians; SoCal Gas; Burns & McDonnell; and the City of Colton.
Founding corporate sponsors of the HCSB inaugural event, among them USBank and McCarthy Building Companies, connected with the small business owners, aligning their own efforts to support small businesses.
“Our philanthropic and community investments are focused specifically on breaking down systemic barriers to racial and economic equity for women, people of color, and low- and moderate-income communities within our enterprise-wide giving platform, Community Possible.” said Rockette Ewell, Vice President, Community Affairs Manager at U.S. Bank. “Through Community Possible, we invest our time, resources, and passion in economic development, which includes helping small businesses to grow and thrive.”
“At McCarthy, we pride ourselves in being a community builder – not only builders of memorable structures that grace our community skylines but also builders of positive economic impact within our local communities,” said Michael Herrera, Regional Director for McCarthy Supplier Diversity & Community Outreach. “We look forward to continuing to work in partnership with the Hispanic Coalition of Small Businesses to help advance our local workforce development efforts, philanthropic contributions to the community, and to provide access to contracting opportunities for diverse-owned vendors through partnerships, supplier outreach, and mentorship opportunities. We are working together to continue to move the needle forward in the Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DE&I) space within the construction industry.”
About Hispanic Coalition of Small Businesses
The Hispanic Coalition of Small Businesses is a nonprofit organization comprising an alliance of diverse organizations based in Southern California. HCSB is committed to championing and empowering coalitions among Hispanic and diverse small businesses, government, and local communities in the Greater Inland Empire and Los Angeles regions, and beyond, by providing resources and opportunities to ensure their success. While the HCSB coalition name is new, the people (Chairman, Board of Directors, Committee Chairs, Affiliate Members) are well-established and experienced members of the community who have been at the helm of local, regional, statewide, and national organizations. https://www.hcsb-us.org/
About McCarthy
McCarthy Building Companies, Inc., one of the country’s largest domestic general contractors, was one of the HCSB event sponsors. McCarthy recently was awarded a contract at San Bernardino Valley College, which involves the demolition of the existing Liberal Arts building on campus, and the construction of a new Student Services Building. This is a project involving a budget of over $100M – slated to break ground in 2024. McCarthy was excited to sponsor, exhibit, provide informational remarks during HCSB’s summit and proudly support and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month – demonstrating their ongoing commitment to DE&I and providing access to contracting opportunities for diverse-owned vendors through partnerships, supplier outreach, and mentorship opportunities. https://www.mccarthy.com/about
About U.S. Bank
U.S. Bancorp, with approximately 70,000 employees and $587 billion in assets as of March 31, 2022, is the parent company of U.S. Bank National Association. The Minneapolis-based company serves millions of customers locally, nationally, and globally through a diversified mix of businesses: Consumer and Business Banking; Payment Services; Corporate & Commercial Banking; and Wealth Management and Investment Services. The company has been recognized for its approach to digital innovation, social responsibility, and customer service, including being named one of the 2022 World’s Most Ethical Companies and Fortune’s most admired superregional bank. Learn more at usbank.com/about
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4255 Main Street, Ste. 25 Riverside, CA 92501
255 N. D Street, Ste. 200-VI
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