Posts Tagged ‘Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce’
Education Cabinet Secretaries Featured at January Luncheon
New Mexico Public Education Department Secretary-Designate Hanna Skandera and New Mexico Higher Education Department Cabinet Secretary Dr. Jose Z. Garcia will be the featured presenters at the January MVEDA Business in the Borderplex luncheon. The luncheon will be held on Tuesday, January 3, 2012 from 11:30 AM until 1:00 PM at the Hotel Encanto de Las Cruces, 705 S. Telshor. The meeting will begin with a hot entree buffet.
MVEDA, the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, the Hispano Chamber de Las Cruces, and the Bridge of Southern New Mexico are pleased to kick-off 2012 by co-hosting a conversation with the Cabinet Secretaries on their work in building a strong, well-prepared workforce.
Secretary Skandera
Previously, Skandera served as Florida’s Deputy Commissioner of Education under former Governor Jeb Bush, working to advance middle and high school reforms that instituted greater accountability, incentives for high performance and the end of social promotion. Her work led to scores that improved dramatically across ethnic groups, with Hispanic students outperforming all students in 31 other states. Florida has been recognized nationally as one of the only states to narrow the achievement gap for poor and minority students. She also served as a senior policy advisor and Deputy Chief of Staff at the U.S. Department of Education and as former California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Undersecretary for Education.
Secretary Garcia
Jose Z. Garcia has been on the faculty at New Mexico State University for more than three decades. He has conducted research and lectured throughout Latin America, specializing in questions of political instability. Dr. Garcia directed the Center for Latin American and Border Studies at NMSU for 13 years. In recent years his research has focused on the U.S.-Mexico border. He is one of the founding members of the Paso del Norte Water Task Force, a non-governmental, tri-state, bi-national organization created in the late 1990s, grouping together irrigation district and water utilities managers with environmental groups, citizens, and academics, to stimulate greater cooperation toward more efficient regional water management in the Paso del Norte region. Dr. Garcia was chair of the organization from 2010-2011. He has also taught a course in New Mexico politics for many years. After receiving a BA from Occidental College, Dr. Garcia was awarded a Fulbright fellowship to Ecuador. He received an MA from the Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, and a PhD from the University of New Mexico.
The vital link between education and workforce and economic development has been highlighted by The Bridge of Southern New Mexico. The Bridge is working alongside Secretary Skandera and Secretary Garcia to create stronger linkages from public education to post-secondary education to give New Mexico a prosperous, sustainable future for business by building a strong, well-prepared workforce.
Luncheon cost is $20.00 per person, payable by cash, check or major credit card. Due to space limitations, reservations are required. Please confirm your attendance no later than Thursday, December 29th by sending an email to rsvp@mveda.com or by calling the office at (575) 525-2852. The meeting is open to the public.
NMSU Event Helps Small Businesses and Entrepreneurs ‘GROW’
Release courtesy of the NMSU News Center
WRITER: Janet Perez, 575-646-4120, perezjm@nmsu.edu
CONTACT: Sara Sanders, 575-646-7036, npirayes@nmsu.edu
New name. New attitude.
That sums up the revamp of an annual small business and entrepreneur conference hosted by New Mexico State University’s Arrowhead Center.
Once called the Business Owners and Entrepreneurs Symposium, the name of the Nov. 4 half-day gathering has been changed to GROW: An Event for Entrepreneurs.
“We’re going to have different experts sit down with people one-on-one to talk about (a business’) specific problem,” said Sara Pirayesh Sanders, entrepreneurship director for the Arrowhead Center. “The intention is for it to be a working, very tangible event. People come in with a problem and they leave with resources. It’s targeted to those who want to start a business or who already may be in business.”
In past years, the setting was more formalized, with a panel onstage taking questions from the audience. This year, the audience will sit through a few presentations and then have the opportunity to stop at various stations and talk directly to the experts. For example, a small business owner who has designed her own brochure will be able to show her work to a marketing expert who will provide a constructive critique and advice.
Theresa Gonzales, vice president of RTD Hardware, was a panel participant last year and is enthusiastic about the GROW changes.
“Not many people asked questions last year, so there really wasn’t much interchange between the audience and us,” she said. “Less formal is always less intimidating for a lot of people. This will probably be a much easier way for people to ask questions. It would have made me more relaxed as well. I’m not really big on speaking in front of people. I prefer one-on-one.”
Despite running a business that has been operating in Las Cruces for 25 years, Gonzales said she is interested in attending GROW so she can learn more from the experts about social media and insurance issues.
“I can see myself sitting in front of an expert and asking questions for my business,” she said.
Among the speakers at the GROW event are Michael Rivera, state director of the New Mexico Small Business Development Center Network; Bill Allen, president and CEO of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce; and John Woosley, director of the New Mexico district office of the U.S. Small Business Administration.
Chris Penner, director of the Arrowhead Technology Incubator, will give the luncheon keynote address. Penner will discuss his experiences as an entrepreneur. Garrey Carruthers, dean of the NMSU College of Business and vice president for economic development, will give the closing remarks.
For the one-on-one meetings, local experts will be on hand to help small business owners and budding entrepreneurs in a variety of fields such as Web design, marketing, commercial lending, taxes, insurance, information technology and international trade.
In addition to getting free advice from the experts, GROW attendees also will receive a jump drive that has templates, instructions, guidelines, checklists, information on how to open a Facebook account and more, Sanders said.
Along with the Arrowhead Center, GROW is sponsored by the Dona Aña Community College Small Business Development Center and the New Mexico Procurement and Technical Assistance Program.
Peter Ibarbo, president of the Ibarbo Consulting Group in Las Cruces, said small businesses in the area have many resources available to them, but the Arrowhead Center fills a special and needed niche.
“The Arrowhead Center provides a specific, technology-focused type of business incubation,” he said. “I think it is very critical to the economy to attract companies that require that connection with the university to provide them with research and with space.”
GROW: An Event for Entrepreneurs takes place from 7:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m., Nov. 4, at the New Mexico Farm & Ranch Heritage Museum, 4100 Dripping Springs Road. The cost is $49 to the public and $35.50 for students. For more information and to register, visit Grow2011.eventbrite.com.
Hispano Chamber to Host Small Business Lending Fair Aug. 5
Release courtesy of the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces
Las Cruces, N.M. – Local bank representatives and business counselors will join the Hispano Chamber of Commerce and the City of Las Cruces to distribute information and answer questions from the public during the inaugural Small Business Lending Fair, set for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, Aug. 5, at the Las Cruces Convention Center.
The first event of its type and size in Las Cruces, the Small Business Lending fair is a new annual event organized by the Hispano Chamber targeted at local economic development by facilitating the start-up and expansion of small businesses in our community.
“Our members, as well as people in the community, have voiced their need for this type of event in Las Cruces,” said Peter Ibarbo, chair of the Hispano Chamber’s Economic Development Committee and co-organizer of the event. “By bringing all of the financial institutions together, as well as micro-lenders and government loan programs, Hispano Chamber members and members of the public will benefit from a ‘one-stop-shop’ if they’re looking to start a new business or grow their existing business.”
Participants invited to the Small Business Lending Fair include Bank of the West, Wells Fargo, Bank of America, Citizens Bank of Las Cruces, Bank of the Rio Grande, BANK’34, Century Bank, First New Mexico Bank, White Sands Federal Credit Union, FirstLight Federal Credit Union, OneSource Federal Credit Union, Bank of the Southwest, First American Bank, Western Heritage Bank, Pioneer Bank, First Community Bank and BBVA Compass.
“Why spend a week or more researching competing loan products when you can get the information all at once?” Ibarbo said. “Local bank representatives will be on hand to answer questions, set up future meetings and distribute information regarding their commercial loan products.”
The Small Business Lending Fair will be organized in an event similar to a job fair – with more than 40 exhibitors and vendors presenting information in a booth-type format.
In addition to traditional commercial lenders, the Hispano Chamber has invited ACCION New Mexico, The Loan Fund and WESST Corp. to provide information regarding their respective organization’s micro-loans. Micro-loans can be used by those who lack the capital, collateral or financial background to start a small business. Lenders such as ACCION and the Loan Fund have an established micro-loan clientele in southern New Mexico, including Las Cruces.
“Micro-lending is growing in popularity across the United States, and is a viable alternative to larger commercial lending,” Ibarbo said. “Anyone looking for more information on micro-loans should attend the Small Business Lending Fair.”
An injection of public or private capital is not the only way to grow an existing business. For current business owners and administrators who are looking to grow their clientele base without a loan, the Small Business Lending Fair will be host to business-support organizations such as the Hispano Chamber, Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce, Green Chamber of Commerce, Downtown Las Cruces Partnership, Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance and the Sierra County Economic Development Organization. Business-referral organizations have also been invited, such as Masterminds de Las Cruces, Success … Inc.!, Synergy Business Network and Buzztown.
“It is part of the Hispano Chamber’s mission to educate its member and the public at large about all of the opportunities available to grow their business,” Ibarbo said. “Often, business-support and business-referral organizations can provide that needed marketing boost.”
The Hispano Chamber has also partnered with the Office of U.S. Sen. Tom Udall to bring government lending partners to the Small Business Lending Fair. Government organizations invited to participate in the fair include the Small Business Administration, USDA Rural Development, Economic Development Administration, Housing and Urban Development and the Department of Labor.
Specialized SBA lender Enchantment Land Certified Development Corp. will also be on hand to distribute information and answer questions about SBA-backed loans.
Completing the “one-stop” shop at the Small Business Lending Fair will be the Dona Ana Community College Small Business Development Center (SBDC), PTAP, SCORE and WESST Corp., who will provide free business counseling at the event.
In addition to free counseling, the SBDC will also host three “How to Start a Business” workshops during the half-day event. Entrepreneurs interested in learning the initial steps on how to start a new business are highly encouraged to attend the Small Business Lending Fair.
The Small Business Lending Fair is free and open to the public. Residents from Las Cruces’ neighboring communities are also invited to attend.
For more information about the Small Business Lending Fair, call the Hispano Chamber at 575-532-9255.
About the Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces:
The Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces, through its diverse membership, advocates for business growth in the community and promotes Las Cruces and Hispanic business owners through economic development, education, community service, and cultural awareness. The Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces was initiated in 1992 as the Hispano Chamber of Doña Ana County and in 1994 incorporated as The Hispano Chamber of Commerce de Las Cruces. The original founders consisted of a group of businesspersons interested in developing a support organization for small and Hispanic businesses.
EP Electric Names NMSU Alum Clay Doyle VP of Transmission and Distribution
Clay Doyle
Article courtesy of the Las Cruces Sun-News
LAS CRUCES – El Paso Electric has appointed Robert Clay Doyle to serve as vice president of transmission and distribution. In that position, Doyle – who most recently has been vice president of New Mexico affairs – will oversee the transmission and distribution divisions, which include substations, transmission and distribution design, operations, construction and maintenance.
Doyle has been with El Paso Electric since 1992 and has served in various capacities including manager of the corporate projects office, project manager of corporate transition to competition, supervisor of distribution dispatch and distribution monitoring engineer. He earned a master’s degree and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from New Mexico State University and is a registered professional engineer in New Mexico and holds certification as a project management professional. Doyle has been a fund raising team leader for the local affiliates of Habitat for Humanity, the Kiwanis Clubs of Las Cruces and the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce. He also is an active participant with the Boy Scouts of America and serves on the board of the Bridge of Southern New Mexico and the board of the Mesilla Valley Economic Development Alliance.
Army Network Integration Evaluation Brings 2,000 Testers to Area
Release courtesy of the Greater Las Cruces Chamber of Commerce
Las Cruces, NM, May 30, 2011 – Beginning on Monday, June 26, the United States Army will begin large-scale testing of 30 different systems and networks at White Sands Missile Range and Fort Bliss. The Network Integration Evaluation (NIE), as it is known, will bring together 3,800 soldiers from Fort Bliss’ 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division with 2,000 soldiers, government employees and contract personnel from WSMR, Fort Bliss, Fort Hood and other installations.
Army agencies will test and evaluate the 30 different systems while the soldiers of the 2nd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division use the systems in various tactical scenarios throughout WSMR and Fort Bliss. The testing operations will take place 24 hours per day Monday through Friday each week. During the weekend, Fort Bliss soldiers will return home, however, the majority of the 2,000 testers and evaluators will remain in area hotels.
Because of the influx of military and contract personnel, the communities of Las Cruces, El Paso and Alamogordo can expect increased business in area hotels, rental car companies, restaurants, grocery stores and convenience stores, as well as an increase in business to businesses such as FedEx Office and copy centers around the WSMR area. The testing and evaluation will also cause an increase in military vehicle traffic on the roads between WSMR and Fort Bliss and an increase in regular vehicle traffic around the WSMR entrance points and Las Cruces.
The NIE will run through July 15. The Department of Defense plans to host the NIE on a semi-annual basis in the future. For more information about the NIE, contact the WSMR Public Affairs Office at 678-1134.
