Hispanic Chamber gets new home

Nestled within the city’s museum district is a small, colorful building that brims with historical and cultural significance. This small piece of history, once the Tex-Mex Railroad Depot, now serves as the new home of the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. The move took some time to happen, but for chamber president and CEO Teresa Rodriguez Bartlett, it was a “wow” moment when it finally did occur. 
“What better place to be hosting the Hispanic Chamber than the Tex-Mex,” she said.
Beginning in March 1875, the Tex-Mex railway ran between Corpus Christi, Rancho Banquete and, later, San Diego, Texas, carrying domestic sheep from Texas ranches to the Gulf and the Port of Corpus Christi. It later connected northern Mexico ranchers to the port.
Situated on the edge of Heritage Park, the building once housed the Corpus Christi Convention and Visitors Bureau’s Visitor Information Center. The CVB built a new information center on the sea wall by the American Bank Center, moving into it last year.  
The Hispanic chamber, which was founded in 1938, has 400 members. It was formed by a group of Hispanic businessmen who worked together with community leaders to provide a voice for minority and female small-business owners. Now, 77 years later, the chamber still meets that core mission while also seeking to expand its range of services.
Rodriguez Bartlett pointed out the need for a change.
“We’ve been trying to transform this chamber more into a business development center,” she said. “People can come in to do business, meet new companies, exchange business cards and do transactions,” she said. 
The new space helps foster the communication needed to build and connect new and established business owners. One program in particular, Mi Oficina es Su Oficina (My Office is Your Office) provides an opportunity for members to utilize the chamber’s new digs for business purposes. A work center complete with a small private office and a conference room is available for small, home-based businesses to conduct meetings and hold other business-related activities in a professional setting. Space can be reserved by phone.   
The chamber also produces a step-by-step business guide in both English and Spanish for those who need support in starting a new business. 
“They already have the idea, and they want to start, but they don’t know what steps to take,” Rodriguez Bartlett said. “The ‘How to Start Your Business Guide’ provides detailed information on things such as the different legal entities of a business, permits that may be needed or important business tax responsibilities.” 
Another way the Hispanic chamber is taking strides to strengthen the city’s business community is through its International Outreach Program. The program was created to inform other countries of the advantages of having a business in Corpus Christi, which to Rodriguez Bartlett is the “Jewel of Texas.” 
In yet another program, the Educational Foundation has raised more than $650,000 for scholarships since its inception in 2002. The program works in partnership with Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, Texas A&M-Kingsville and Del Mar College. For each student receiving a scholarship, the corresponding school of the student’s choice matches the dollar amount awarded. Recently, the Corpus Christi City Employees Credit Union went into partnership with the Educational Foundation to give $10,000 in scholarships every year for the next five years.       
Add these to the chamber’s other services, workshops, seminars and networking events such as Buenos Dias Corpus Christi or Women in Energy Luncheon, and you have an award-winning organization. Last year, the chamber earned the Medium-Sized Chamber of the Year Award from the Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce. 
Rodriguez Bartlett credited her staff, the board, chamber members and other city chambers of commerce for the Hispanic chamber’s ability to continue to grow in member services.
“We are partners for [the members],” she said. “We are here to serve and want them to become members for life.”
Businesses interested in joining the Corpus Christi Hispanic Chamber of Commerce may call 361-887-7408 or stop by the office, 1823 N. Chaparral, from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.