Los directivos de la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Queens, y los honrados en la fiesta (sentados), desde la izquierda: John C. Fitzpatrick del Vaughn College, Diana Vásquez de Comfort Adult Day Care, Alejandra Castillo de la Agencia Nacional de Desarrollo de Pequeños Negocios, Nancy Molina del Rincón del Sabor y Juan Romero de Café El Rubio. Fotos javier Castaño
“El año 2012 fue de desafíos para mi y para la Cámara de Comercio de Hispana de Queens. Los pequeños negocios de este condado debemos ser ambiciosos, luchar por mejorar y escuchar con atención las tendencias del mercado. La HCCQ está aquí para ayudar a los negocios y mejorar”, dijo Alfredo Arrieta, presidente la HCCQ.
La fiesta anual de la HCCQ se realizó en el World’s Fair Marine que fue decorado con luces blancas que se reflejaban en las aguas del East River y contrastaban con la iluminación de la pista de aterrizaje del aeropuerto LaGuardia. Había nieve sobre la calle y los jardines.
Alrededor de 135 personas acudieron a la fiesta de la HCCQ. Cinco líderes de nuestra comunidad fueron honrados esa noche: Diana Vásquez recibió el Premio de Empresaria que otorga el Presidente de la HCCQ, Juan Romero fue el Empresario del Año, Alejandra Castillo fue la Empresaria del Año, Nancy Molina recibió el Premio a la Mujer Empresaria y el doctor John. Fitzpatrick fue honrado con el Premio en Educación y Tecnología como presidente del Vaughn College.
Al final de esta nota está la biografía, en inglés, de cada uno de los honrados por la HCCQ la noche del 26 de enero del 2013. Así está integrada la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Queens: Comité Ejecutivo, Peter Burgos, Ernesto Cury y Yanna Henríquez. Miembros de la Junta, María Guillén, Rosaura Pagán, Alfonso Quiroz, Argilio Rodríguez, Carlos Plaza, Soledad Murillo, Sandra Manzanilla, Socorro Galindo y Pankaj Bhatara.
El senador José Peralta, quien desea convertirse este año en el presidente del condado de Queens, fue el orador principal de la noche. Habló de un artículo que publicó el periódico New York Times sobre los problemas que enfrenta la Avenida Roosevelt y dijo que “ojalá atraiga la atención para que podamos limpiar y mejorar esta arteria que es el corazón de la comunidad latina de Queens”.
El senador Peralta exaltó el papel de la Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Queens y el enorme potencial de los pequeños negocios de este condado. “Por eso tenemos que apoyar la construcción del estadio de fútbol de la MLS y no pegarnos un tiro en el pie rechazando este proyecto. Este es el camino para incentivar los negocios de la zona, atraer el turismo, invertir en nuestras escuelas y reducir el crimen en nuestras calles. La MLS no es como la USTA que realiza el Abierto de Tenis en el Parque Flushing y no beneficia a la comunidad.
Senador José Peralta quien aspira este año a la presidencia del Condado de Queens.
“Sin ustedes, los pequeños negocios, la ciudad de Nueva York y Queens no serían nada”, concluyó el senador Peralta. Su discurso se produjo inmediatamente después de la presentación del grupo musical Samba New York con Danielle Lima de Brasileirando. Los cinco continentes se están preparando para bailar samba con miras al Mundial de Fútbol en junio del año entrante y los Juegos Olímpicos del 2016 en Río de Janeiro.
“La Cámara de Comercio Hispana de Queens se está preparando para estos dos eventos y por eso se integra a la comunidad brasileña del la ciudad de Nueva York. El condado de Queens estará bailando samba en los próximos dos años”, dijo Donna La Bassiere, coordinadora esta fiesta de la HCCQ.
La periodista Rosarina Bretón de Opcion New York fue la maestra de ceremonias y presentó a cada uno de los honrados esa noche. La comida fue una combinación de platos de la India y Latinoamérica.
John Liu, contralor de la ciudad de Nueva York y candidato a la alcaldía por el partido demócrata, exaltó el “dinamismo” de la HCCQ y de La Bassiere. “Le agradezco a la cámara el permitirme conectar con la comunidad latina y sus negociantes”, dijo Liu. “Su presidente Arrieta y La Barriere está haciendo mucho por Queens”.
La música de samba calentó los ánimos y muchos de los invitados salieron a bailar alrededor de Danielle Lima que movía sus caderas a gran velocidad. Al final de la fiesta hubo baile con cumbia, merengue, bachata y reggaeton.
“Esta ha sido una gran fiesta y estoy muy agradecido con el honor que recibí esta noche”, dijo John Fitzpatrick, presidente del Vaughn College. “Un honor que me enorgullece”, concluyó Juan Romero, quien también es dueño del Café El Rubio en Northern Boulevard, Queens.
Javier Castaño
Danielle Lima, a la derecha, bailando samba con algunos de los invitados a la fiesta de la HCCQ.
Biography of all honorees:
Dr. JOHN C. FITZPATRICK, EdD
Education & Technology Award
John C. Fitzpatrick has been actively engaged in aviation and higher education for four decades. He was appointed to the faculty of Vaughn College in 1978 and named the sixth President of the College in February 1997.
During his tenure, Vaughn has experienced significant increases in enrollment, the development of new academic degrees programs, the launch of a successful corporate distance learning program, and the successful implementation of an aggressive strategic planning.
Under his leadership, the name of the College was changed to Vaughn College of Aeronautics and Technology in September 2004, and during the past decade, nearly $40 million has been invested in capital improvements which include a state-of-the-art campus building and a 200-bed residence hall.
Dr. Fitzpatrick’s professional affiliations have included:
• President of the Council on Aviation Accreditation
• Member of the Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation • Board for Engineering and Technology
• President of the Council of Engineering Technology in New York State
• Program reviewer for the National Science Foundation
• Editorial board member of the Journal of Aviation Transportation
• Member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
• Member of the United States Air Force Board of Advisors for Historically
Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions
• Board member of The Wings Club of New York City
• Member of the Queens Borough President’s Aviation Advisory Council
Dr. Fitzpatrick holds a doctorate in educational policy and administration from Hofstra University, a master’s in business administration and a bachelor degree in business administration from Dowling College, as well as the Federal Aviation Administration Airframe and Power-plant Certificate.
Dr. Fitzpatrick, born in Brooklyn, resides in Sayville with his wife, Deirdre. They have three children and five grandchildren.
NANCY MOLINA
Female Business Enterpreneur Award
Born and raised in Cuena, Ecuador, Nancy Molina came to the United States at the age of 19 with no aspirations of ever owning her own restaurant. Upon arriving in the New York City, Ms. Molina began working at her former husband’s family owned restaurant, El Rincon Del Sabor.
While working at El Rincon del Sabor, Ms. Molina was able to learn and observe how her in-laws, whom had much experience in the restaurant business, ran their traditional Ecuadorian restaurant. After a few years, Ms Molina and her former husband had the opportunity to take on the restaurant.
“My former mother in-law was going back to Cuenca, and we had this amazing opportunity,” says Nancy Molina. “We had to make a decision for our family and in the end it was the best possible decision we could have made.”
Over ten years later, El Rincon Del Sabor moved its location to the heart of the Diamond District, and the restaurant is as busy as ever. Ms. Molina, now a single mother and sole owner of El Rincon Del Sabor has been able to take this opportunity given to her and made it a successful business.
After much struggle between balancing her duties as mother, and restaurateur, Ms. Molina has taken her time and learned along the way how to keep her business striving. Aside from being the owner, Ms. Molina is also extremely hands-on with her entire staff, her kitchen and with the customers.
“One thing I have learned is that we need to treat the customers as if they are home, and that is what I strive for every single customer who walks into El Rincon Del Sabor,” says Molina. “ If they walk out with a smile on their face, it just assures me that this is what I am supposed to be doing.”
El Rincon del Sabor is located at 74 West 47th Street in Manhattan. With a different menu every day, customers will experience nothing but freshness and quality Ecuadorian Cuisine.
ALAJANDRA CASTILLO
Business Woman of the Year Award
Ms. Alejandra Castillo was appointed in 2010 to serve as National Deputy Director of the Minority Business Development Agency (MBDA). In this role, Ms. Castillo serves as the principal advisor to the MBDA National Director and manages the day-to-day activities of the Agency’s 5 Regional Offices and 48 Minority Business Centers. This operation expands the U.S. economy and creates new jobs by providing services to promote the growth and global competitiveness of minority businesses.
Prior to her appointment with MBDA, Ms. Castillo served as Special Advisor to the Under Secretary for the U.S. Department of Commerce’s International Trade Administration (ITA) where she was responsible for business out- reach and development of policy initiatives geared at trade promotion and enforcement of U.S. trade laws. Ms. Castillo’s experience will also be valuable to MBDA, as she will play an integral role in developing and implementing MBDA’s Global Export Initiative for the minority business community as part of President Obama’s National Export Initiative.
A practicing attorney for several years, Ms. Castillo has worked in the private, government and non-profit sector. Prior to joining the Obama Administration, Ms. Castillo served as the Executive Director of the Hispanic National Bar Association headquartered in Washington D.C. She supported the nomination and confirmation process to the Supreme Court of Justice Sonia Sotomayor.
A native of New York, Ms. Castillo holds a Bachelor Degree of Arts from the State University of New York at Stony Brook in economics and political science. Ms. Castillo holds a Master’s degree in Public Policy from the Lyndon Baines Johnson School of Public Affairs, University of Texas at Austin and has a Juris Doctorate degree from American University -Washington College of Law.
Ms. Castillo is active in a number of civic and professional organizations, including: The Hispanic National Bar Association, and the Hispanic Bar Association of DC, the American Bar Association, and serves a Board Member of the Dominican American Society of Queens, NY among others. In 2010, Hispanic Business Magazine recognized Ms. Castillo among the Top 100 Influential Latino in the US; and received the 2010 Rising Star Award by the Hispanic Bar Association of the District of Columbia.
JUAN ROMERO
Business Man of the Year Award
He was born in Jarabacoa, Dominican Republic and came to New York in 1986. Juan Romero started working in restaurants until he opened his own and a bodega. He has not been always successful as a businessman. In October of 2001, a month after the Twin Towers were destroyed in Manhattan, he launched El Rubio restaurant located at the intersection of Northern Boulevard and 98 Street. It is a combination of good and sophisticated Latino food, and a cozy place. Baseball players from the Mets often visit El Rubio restaurant.
However, it is his work for the Latino community that makes Romero proud.
As president of the Divino Niño Foundation, Romero is fulfilling his dreams. The Divino Niño Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing financial aid and assistance to children in need. This organization was founded by Juan E. Romero, who has been helping children in Central and South America that live in bad condition, providing surgery, medical equipment, medicine, food, clothes, etc. Its goal is to bring happiness, prosperity and healthiness to underprivileged children.
The Divino Niño Foundation recently traveled to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic to perform surgeries to kids with burns and deformities. Doctor Donald Roland of Vanity 4 Humanity Foundation also operated two women who lost their breasts to cancer. “We appreciate the help of our partner Vanity 4 Humanity and the effort of those doctors who donate their time to alleviate children”, said Romero.
“We coordinate special medical missions to countries who badly need these services, providing surgeries for children with deformities, medical equipment and medicine. We work particularly with children between four to eighteen years old, emergency referrals from our community and any country in a really need. We have also financially sponsored Little League organizations in New York,” added Romero. “We look for those children who have a genuine need, but do not qualify for assistance from other resources. Basically, we help those kids no one else does.”
“Our foundation always try to cure or alleviate people’s pain caused by different health problems that they have had since birth or because of a tragic accident,” said Romero in a recent afternoon in Queens.
DIANA VASQUEZ
Business President Award
Every day, Diana Vasquez-Matus takes care of the elderly at Comfort Adult Day Care Center, Inc. in Corona, Queens. She interacts with those seniors who need love and attention. “The process of socialization among themselves and their daily activities are very important for the Center. I make sure that each one of them receives the attention they deserve after many years of working and taking care of their families,” said Vasquez-Matus.
Besides working at Comfort Adult Day Care Center, Inc., this health professional works at the Prestige Medical Diagnostics in Great Neck, Long Island. She has also worked in several health clinics and organization as a technician and health counselor.
Vasquez-Matus obtained a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry from New York University at Purchase. She also studied Nutrition at the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and Neuro-Electro Diagnosis at Cadwell Laboratories, Harvard University and the Academy of Electro Diagnostics.
She has been affiliated to the Electro Diagnostic Association, the Lyons Club in Queens, Health and Wellness of Long Island, Adult Day Care Association and Empresarias Hispanas.
Vasquez-Matus has dedicated her life to improve people’s health. Not only as a technician, but talking to any one who needs her assistance in getting healthier. “People need to eat better, do more exercise and control their bodies with medicine or healthy habits,” said this altruist.
When she is not working with seniors or evaluating some illness, Velazquez-Matus loves to read books, ski, do yoga, play golf, travel around the country or immerse herself in social media. She loves technology afte all.
Diana Velasquez-Matus has been married to Alejandro Matus for more than 17 years. They have two children, a 16-year-old boy and a 4-year-old girl. “My family is the most important aspect of my life. I care about them and I teach them how to avoid certain foods and a sedentary life. As a health professional I recognize the value of protecting your body and your soul. People have to realize that whatever they do will affect their health. Eating bad food, smoking or not exercising will be detriment to your life one way or another. Latinos should understand this very clear.”
