The Hispanic Business Association will merge with the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce, according to an announcement made on Monday. The Hispanic Business Association was established nine years ago by Sue Hubbard of Farmers Insurance in Atascadero, who recognized the need for a place for local minority business owners to connect. Hubbard expressed her joy at the news of the merger, stating that “partnering with the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce is the logical next step.”
The merger will result in greater benefits being made available to members of the Hispanic Business Association, with the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce gaining the chance to expand its reach into an underrepresented section of the business community. Former President Maria Elena Garcia emphasized the importance of supporting businesses in North County through outreach, identifying the needs of business owners such as those related to human resources and bookkeeping, and presenting them to the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors to find solutions.
As part of this collaboration, the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce will hire three new bilingual staff members to serve the needs of Spanish-speaking businesses in the area. The community is eager to learn from them in addition to the other volunteers who work tirelessly to support local businesses. The Hispanic Business Association has been run on a volunteer basis thus far, lacking in sufficient funding. Hubbard expressed appreciation for the partnership with the Atascadero Chamber of Commerce, highlighting the cooperative spirit of these communities. “One of the best things about this space is that everyone is always ready to help each other. That’s what makes this community great.”