SACHCC
SACHCC founding members Eva and Frank Garcia in 1979 .
PHOTO COURTESY OF ROSANNA GARCIA
Big S Design .) Leyva passed away in 2003 , but his daughters remember his magnanimous assistance to those who would come to his restaurant for guidance and advice .
“ My father was very active in the community and always wanted to help people starting businesses in this country to understand the official procedures so that their businesses were legitimate ,” says Maria “ Lupe ” Leyva Ameneyro . Her sister Silvia Leyva adds , “ He would actively recruit businesses to the chamber , too . When he ’ d see a business open , he ’ d encourage them to join to take advantage of the benefits .”
Another multigenerational family rooted in the chamber ’ s earliest years is the Plasencia family of La Esperanza Bakery in Sacramento . Salvador Plasencia founded the Franklin Boulevard bakery in 1969 and now his son Jorge Plasencia is the company ’ s president and his daughter Emma Delgadillo is vice president . Several of Salvador ’ s grandchildren also work with the business , representing the third generation .
The family also contributes extensively to the community by donating bread to individuals and special events .
Services with Purpose
In addition to mentorship , business education is one of the SACHCC ’ s most fundamental services .
“ Everyone is trying to grow their business and that involves getting access to capital ,” says Rodriguez Aguirre . “ Many businesses don ’ t have paperwork in order or a ( business ) plan in place ... so we offer coursework to get them there . Our business education also includes marketing education , financial literacy and human resources because a lot of small businesses don ’ t have a department for that .”
The SACHCC also strongly promotes networking opportunities , since , as Rodriguez Aguirre puts it , the best way to grow business is usually through referral . The chamber hosts monthly Buenos Días Meet Ups — held under normal circumstances at a member business or Latino-owned restaurant and virtually during the pandemic — where Rodriguez Aguirre says members can “ learn about each other ’ s businesses , socialize and discuss shared experiences or needs . We ’ ve actually gained members this way .”
Julio and Ivan Ortiz , business partners with their two sisters in the Franklin Boulevard dessert shop Gaspachos , joined the SACHCC primarily for visibility . Julio Ortiz says the chamber helped the family host a ribbon-cutting ceremony when Gaspachos opened in 2019 and has proven to be “ a great resource for spreading the word and recommending businesses — and well worth the annual fee .”
One of the chamber ’ s largest events is the annual Salud Business Awards , a yearly luncheon that celebrates Latino businesses , professionals and community leaders . The SACHCC also hosts the annual Latina Estrella Awards to honor exceptional women in business and fosters the community ’ s young people through the El Futuro Scholarship program , which has given out more than $ 630,000 to date .
“ The chamber holds a very distinguished position in our community and continues to be a great resource for both large corporations and small businesses ,”
92 comstocksmag . com | January 2021