Update | Hispanic SBDC in Orange County
Host Announced for Newly Created Hispanic SBDC in Orange County
The Lead Center for the Orange County / Inland Empire SBDC, hosted by California State University, Fullerton awarded the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as the new host for the Hispanic Small Business Development Center (SBDC) in Orange County. “CSUF is proud to name the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce as the Hispanic Serving Small Business Development Center for Orange County. As a long standing “Hispanic Serving Institution” (HSI), CSUF has maintained a commitment to serving and enhancing the contributions of the fastest growing population of students, entrepreneurs, and future leaders. This program will serve as the first of its kind in Southern California and as a model for the rest of the nation,” stated Dr. Anil Puri, the Dean of the Mihaylo College of Business & Economics at CSUF.
The Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has been a pillar of the Orange County community for over 26 years. The OCHCC has been serving Hispanic small business owners and entrepreneurs through small business and workforce development training, as well as, advocating on behalf of Hispanic business owners to legislators and congressmen. It is one of the largest Hispanic Chambers of Commerce with both the US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce with over 750 members.
The President and CEO of the OCHCC, Reuben Franco stated “we are honored to have been chosen to host an SBDC. We look forward to bringing the many resources an SBDC provides to the entrepreneurs in Orange County and providing significant economic impact to our region.”
This is only the 2nd Hispanic focused SBDC in the state of California and with over 35,000 Hispanic owned firms in the Orange County region, there is much need to have this specialty center in the Southern California region; the other Hispanic SBDC is located in San Jose.
“The Small Business Development Center (SBDC) program is one of the U.S. Small Business Administration’s flagship programs providing valuable technical assistance to the small business community. We’re pleased the Orange County / Inland Empire Lead SBDC, hosted by CSUF and funded in part by SBA, has selected the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to host the Hispanic SBDC. The OC Hispanic Chamber, under CEO Reuben Franco’s leadership, has been a strong partner in the past and we look forward to strengthening the relationship now that they’ve been entrusted with an SBDC,” stated the District Director of the U.S. Small Business Administration Santa Ana District Office, Adalberto Quijada.
The Orange County Hispanic SBDC is expected to open mid-July with further details on a grand opening to come.
Updated|Exclusive photos taken by Richard Sandoval at the Grand Opening Ribbon Cutting of the Orange County Hispanic SBDC.
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