The first networking event for the MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce's Hispanic Business Council was held Thursday.
HAMILTON - The MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce kicked off its Hispanic Business Council with a networking event Thursday at the Robert Wood Johnson Conference Center in Hamilton.
The event and council - aiming to help local and statewide Hispanic businesses grow - started forming six months ago through the direction of Hamilton Councilwoman Ileana Schirmer, as well as MIDJersey's vice president Amy McKenna and Dana Rodriguez, who will run the council.
Leah Pappalardo of AR James Advertising speaks with Alvaro Lopez of AJ Cleanness at the first Hispanic Business Council networking event Nov. 5, 2015 in Hamilton. (Lindsay Rittenhouse | For NJ.com) "We had a program like this years ago," Schirmer said. "I wanted to restart it, so I discussed with Amy (McKenna) and Dana (Rodriguez) as well as the people in the community as to, 'How should we do this?' '"
Schirmer, McKenna and Rodriguez said they were unsure of why or when the previous Hispanic council was shut down but they are "excited to restart it."
Schirmer said the main goal is to help Hispanic businesses develop within the community.
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McKenna said the Hispanic Business Council is looking to hold two annual "stand-alone" events and one in coordination with the Diversity Council, also under the MIDJersey Chamber of Commerce.
"We're very excited," Rodriguez said. "We're hoping to keep the momentum going so the council can continue to grow."
Nelson Abreu - senior loan officer for Finance of America Mortgage in Hamilton - said on Thursday he is looking "to see what's going on in the Hispanic community."
"We have a lot of Hispanic clients," Abreu said. "I'm very fortunate to help a lot of Hispanics."
Alvaro Lopez - manager of AJ Cleanness Corp. in Princeton - said he attended the event hoping to gain some advice for his office cleaning business.
"It's good to know they have this type of meeting," Lopez said. "I want to learn more and see what advice (other business leaders) have."
Leah Pappalardo - account manager for AR James Media in Allentown, who stopped to chat with Lopez - said her advertising company reaches mostly areas in northern N.J. with 86 percent catering to the Hispanic community.
"My objective for coming was to let businesses know, who may not have otherwise, about their advertising opportunities up north," Pappalardo said.
Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
