Austin, TX - At its Capital of Texas Awards on Tuesday, April 29th, the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GAHCC) will recognize high-performing entrepreneurs, small businesses, and organizations which have distinguished themselves within the Central Texas community and their respective industries.  IBC Bank is the Event Underwriter.  The eight award categories are:  Media, sponsored by Univision Communications; Rising Star, sponsored by General Motors; Healthcare, sponsored by Montemayor Hill & Co., P.C.; Retail, sponsored by IBC Bank, Food and Beverage, sponsored by 7-Eleven; Services, sponsored by Cap Metro; Nonprofit, sponsored by CapitalWirePR; and Technology, sponsored by American Bank.

“The mission of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is to build our members' personal, business, educational and financial wealth,” stated Mark L. Madrid, President and CEO of the GAHCC.  “Our vision is to be the center of excellence for businesses and entrepreneurs in the Central Texas Hispanic market.  We are honored to champion our Central Texas entrepreneurs, highlight our strong board, and welcome our dear friend Javier Palomarez, President and CEO of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.  We are most grateful for the investment of our Event Underwriter IBC Bank and our generous Capital of Texas Awards sponsors.”

In addition to the awards ceremony, the 2014 GAHCC Board will be introduced to the Central Texas community.  Thomas Miranda of Sparkovation IT, LLC is the 2014 GAHCC Chair; Luis Patiño of Univision Communications is Chair-Elect; and Geronimo Rodriguez of the Seton Healthcare Family is Immediate-Past Chair.  The remainder of the Executive Committee includes Mark Masten, Wells Fargo; Val Velasquez, Casa Blanca Realty; and Eduardo G. Alexander, X9 Ventures LLC./Asociación de Empresarios Mexicanos.  The 2014 Board Members include Michelle Alcala, Graves Dougherty Hearon & Moody; Ray Andow, Walmart; Rosemary H. Banda, 3M; Guadalupe (Lupe) Barragan, Casa Chapala Mexican Restaurant; Rodney Bustamante, Austin Absolute Realty; Janine Chapa, State Farm Insurance; Rudy Garza, GarzaBury, LLC; Frank Garza, Vamos Marketing; Vanessa Gonzalez, Bickerstaff, Heath, Delgado Acosta LLP.; Celia Israel, Mission Resources; Marla Martinez, The University of Texas at Austin; Ray Martinez, Western Governor’s University-Texas; Joe R. Pelayo, Applied Materials, Inc.; Dr. Richard Rhodes, Austin Community College District; David Rodriguez, SagePoint Financial, Inc.; John D. Holmes (Ex-Officio), Freescale Semiconductor; and Alex Valdes (Ex-Officio), Winstead PC and GAHCC General Counsel.

“The Hispanic Entrepreneur is foundational to the success of the Austin economy and evermore so vital to a strong U.S. GDP,” said Thomas Miranda, 2014 GAHCC Chair. “We are truly fortunate to be in Austin where the breadth and depth of the entrepreneur is more diversified than ever before.”

The GAHCC Capital of Texas Awards will be held at IBC Bank, 8998 Research Blvd., on Tuesday, April 29, 2014, from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. For more information, please contact Mary Lou Lugo, Sr. Executive Assistant, at mlugo@gahcc.org or visit www.gahcc.org. 

 About the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (GAHCC):

Established in 1973, the primary goal of the GAHCC is to continue the advancement and progression of a strong and stable economic culture for Hispanic businesses. The Chamber continues to stand by its mission to build its members’ wealth through economic and workforce development, business networking, and community and policy advocacy.  For more information, visit www.gahcc.org.