Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Metro St. Louis

Wishing everyone a relaxing and joyful Labor Day with friends and family! Our office will be closed today as we take a moment to unwind and enjoy the holiday. We look forward to serving you with renewed energy tomorrow!

Congratulations to Elias Corpas for Member of the year at the Adelante Awards 2024 Gateway to Growth! lias is a Regional Director with Crump Life insurance....providing independent advisors with an outlet to expand their insurance offerings for their clients. He has over 20 years of experience in the financial services industry and provides financial literacy courses fo the United Way Epworth Program each year. Elias has been a HCC member both from a corporate member and solo business owner. He has served on the HCC board for the past 6 years helping drive the initiatives and programs to its members. Elias is currently the Chair of our HCC Membership committee and has been a major partner in the utilization of the chamber technology. He currently supports our new Business Success Program while volunteering his time as speaker/presenter for HLI and Highschool HLI. Elias is a strong advocate for the STL community and created the Applied Leadership Pathways program that is dedicated to the development of aspiring leaders through a 10 month inclusive program that brings application of skills to the forefront. He believes in living a life of significance that is centered around other gain vs. his own. He is married to his amazing wife Aubrey of 20 years with two beautiful daughters, 1 dog and 1 cat. We are so grateful for his hardwork at Crump Life Insurance Service and endless dedication to the community. #HCCSTL #Adelante2024 #GatewaytoGrowth #HCCEnergized

Congratulations to Montgomery Bank for winning Company of the year at the Adelante Awards 2024 Gateway to Growth! Montgomery Bank has been family owned since 1957 and is grateful for the privilege to help generations of families navigate their most important financial milestones, from opening a child’s first savings account to buying a home to fulfilling a dream of starting a small business. Montgomery Bank takes pride in its strong connection to the Hispanic community, having been an active member of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for over 12 years. They participate in the annual Hispanic Festival and have been a dedicated sponsor of the Friends of Kids with Cancer Foundation since 2019. Additionally, their very own Mary Cardenas serves on the board of Crisis Nursery St. Louis which they are proud to support. When you bank with Montgomery Bank, your funds are reinvested locally helping families and businesses right here in our community. They are honored to have assisted nearly 350 families in the Hispanic community and look forward to the opportunity to serve many more. We are so grateful for their hardwork and endless dedication to the community. #HCCSTL #Adelante2024 #GatewaytoGrowth #HCCEnergized

Congratulations to Sonia Granados for the winning the Hispanic Businessperson of the Year at the Adelante Awards 2024 Gateway to growth! Sonia Granados (Sonia) earned her Master of Arts in Human Resource Development and Management from Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri. Sonia began her federal civil service career as member of the Contraband Enforcement Team with the U.S. Department of Treasury, U.S. Customs Service, where she worked for 13 years. She then spent over 22 years as a federal investigator with the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage & Hour Division (DOL-WHD), enforcing a broad spectrum of labor standard laws. As a DOL-WHD Strategic Planning Initiative Team Lead, for a period of 17 years, Sonia was responsible to engage in regional / local strategic plan development and coordination, media planning, community outreach educational programing, monitor & reported outcome measurements and networking efforts targeted on inclusion of underserve Hispanic workforce to promote wage & hour compliance. Sonia has played a pivotal role in delivering training workshops aimed at Hispanic entrepreneurs, demonstrating her commitment to empowering diverse business owners. Her extensive clientele includes notable organizations such as Cortex's Square One, Illinois SBDC for the Metro East at SIUE, Fairtrade Hispanic Importers / Employers, Laborers’ Local #110, Puentes de Esperanza, St. Louis County / City Library, The Latino Roundtable of Southwestern Illinois, and various Hispanic restaurant business owners in both the State of Illinois & Missouri. We are so grateful for her hardwork at HRC Consultants, L.L.C. and her endless dedication to the community. #HCCSTL #Adelante2024 #GatewaytoGrowth #HCCEnergized

Hispanic Emerging Business of the Year at the Adelante Awards 2024 Gateway to Growth! Sureste Méxican is the brainchild of Alex Henry, an alum of Brasserie and taste, a 2018 Eater Young Gun semifinalist, and former executive chef of Nixta and Cleveland-Heath. Sureste (Spanish for southeast) features the cuisine from that region of coastal Mexico, specifically dishes from the Yucatán Peninsula. We are so grateful for her hardwork and endless dedication to the community. We are so grateful for their hardwork and endless dedication to the community. #HCCSTL #Adelante2024 #GatewaytoGrowth #HCCEnergized

Congratulations to Justina Coronel for winning the Hispanic Emerging Leader Award at the Adelante Awards 2024 Gateway to Growth! Justina has won two Associated Press awards in her previous market of Salisbury, Maryland. In St. Louis, she's won an Edward Murrow award in 2024, has been nominated for 3 Emmys, won Best Reporter by the Illinois News Broadcasters Association in 2023, and KSDK's Unsung Hero award in 2023. She’s a recent former Big for Big Brothers and Big Sisters, Board Member for St. Martha’s Hall, Board Member for the Hispanic Leaders Group, and a crisis intervention volunteer and Chair of the Young Professionals Board for Safe Connections. In 2023, she won Safe Connections' Impact Award. We are so grateful for her hardwork at KSDK Channel 5 and her endless dedication to the community. #HCCSTL #Adelante2024 #GatewaytoGrowth #HCCEnergized

Congratulations to Puentes de Esperanza (Organization) for winning the Civic Award of the Year (Individual) at the Adelante Awards 2024 Gateway to growth! For the past 20 years, Puentes de Esperanza: Bridges of Hope has served as a leading service provider to Spanish speaking families throughout the Metro-East and Southern Illinois Region. Puentes de Esperanza offers an array of programs and services including case management, interpretation and translation, outreach and educational workshops, bilingual counseling, and much more. The organization continues to grow and adapt services to meet the community's need. Since 2020, Puentes has tripled the number of individuals served by expanding services to rural communities and offering virtual services. Services are offered at the main office in Fairview Heights and two satellite offices in Fairmont City and Chester, IL. The organization uses a trauma informed care model that focuses on building relationships and removing barriers to connect families to services. Puentes has successfully organized and executed numerous outreach programs aimed at engaging local communities. These programs often focus on education, health awareness, and social services, making a significant impact on the community’s well-being.We are so grateful for their hardwork and endless dedication to the community. #HCCSTL #Adelante2024 #GatewaytoGrowth #HCCEnergized

Congratulations to Manuel (Manny) Cruz for winning the Civic Award of the Year (Individual) at the Adelante Awards 2024 Gateway to growth! With nearly three decades of experience in Crop Science, Manny has thrived in challenging environments marked by crisis, ambiguity, and transformation. His creative problem-solving skills, honed through multidisciplinary approaches, have been the driving force. As a leader, he excels in crafting compelling narratives that inform business decisions, combining his love for numbers with storytelling acumen. Collaborating in engaging team environments, he has positively impacted careers and embraced principles of positivity and relentless pursuit of great outcomes.We are so grateful for his hardwork at Bayer Crop Science and endless dedication to the community. #HCCSTL #Adelante2024 #GatewaytoGrowth #hccenergized

Congratulations to Haniny Hillberg for winning the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Adelante Awards 2024 Gateway to Growth! Haniny Nisttahuz Riveros Hillberg, an immigrant from Bolivia, has become a prominent figure and leader within the Hispanic and St. Louis communities. With over 40 years of active participation in numerous organizations and non-profits, including the Hispanic Festival, Inc., she has helped raise awareness for thousands of Hispanic artisans locally and nationwide. Through her leadership, the Hispanic Festival, Inc. has made an impact on 1 million individuals in the St. Louis region over the past three decades. Collaborating closely with institutions like the St. Louis Art Museum, Missouri History Museum, federal government agencies, and schools, she strives to showcase and celebrate Hispanic culture. Recognized with the St. Louis Visionary Awards Lifetime Achievement Award for her contributions to Hispanic arts, Ms. Hillberg aims to advance Hispanic arts, educate future generations about the culture, and enhance the Hispanic community. After a 30-year career in the federal government, she now dedicates her time to the Hispanic Festival, Inc., and the Hispanic community, while also enjoying moments with her grandchildren, traveling, and volunteering. We are so grateful for her hardwork at the Hispanic Festival, Inc. and her endless dedication to the community. #HCCSTL #GatewaytoGrowth #HCCEnergized #Adelante2024

🚨 We are officially SOLD OUT! 🚨 Thank you to everyone who secured their tickets for the 2024 Adelante Awards—we are officially SOLD OUT! 🙌 We can’t wait to celebrate with you on TOMORROW. This event is a testament to the incredible support and enthusiasm of our community. Together, we’re showcasing the power of the Hispanic Chamber as the Gateway to Growth in St. Louis. For those attending, get ready for an unforgettable night of celebration, inspiration, and connection. See you there! 🌟 #AdelanteAwards #HCCSTL #SoldOut #GatewayToGrowth #CommunityLeadership #CelebrateGrowth