The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis is the leader in entrepreneurial support services and legislative advocacy for Hispanic small businesses and professionals in the St. Louis Metropolitan area.
In 2018, it was recognized as “Large Chamber of the Year,” by the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. In 2019, it was named the third largest chamber of commerce in the St. Louis region by the St. Louis Business Journal.
These accolades are a product of the Chamber’s work in connecting regional leaders and partner organizations to ensure the economic development of Hispanics in the region.
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Incorporated on April 28, 1982, the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis strives to promote the economic development of Hispanic-owned businesses and improve business opportunities for all in the St. Louis region. The Chamber fulfills this mission by increasing the competitiveness of its member businesses in local, state, and international markets. The Chamber is the cornerstone for the Hispanic business community and looks to participate in present and future business developments of metropolitan St. Louis.
Whether it’s businesses or corporations looking to tap into the Hispanic workforce, Hispanic buying power, or to fulfill supplier diversity initiatives, the Hispanic Chamber’s strength comes from its diverse membership of small, medium, and large businesses who are all invested in strengthening our community. According to Nielsen’s “State of the Hispanic Consumer: The Hispanic Market Imperative,” “If it were a standalone country, the U.S. Hispanic market buying power would make it one of the top twenty economies in the world.”
In addition to its work with businesses and professionals, the Hispanic Chamber has a sister organization, the HCC STL Foundation, which conducts leadership programs every year. The first program is the Hispanic Leadership Institute, which is a group of up to 20 Hispanic professionals in key areas of leadership to focus on leading oneself, leading others, and leading an organization.
Due to the success of HLI, the HCC STL Foundation launched a second program, the High School Hispanic Leadership Institute. This program accepts incoming sophomore through senior Hispanic high school students from all over the metropolitan area to learn about leadership, their cultural identity, and financial literacy. Students also explore a different university every day and learn about the application process, scholarship opportunities, and various career paths. Since the program’s inception in 2017, the High School Hispanic Leadership Institute has graduated 60 young leaders.
The HCC’s growth has come with an opportunity to increase its staff and services as well. In just three years, the Hispanic Chamber has added three new roles: a membership manager, a business counselor, and program assistant. Through these efforts, the organization has more than doubled its membership and contributions to the economic development of the region.
The Hispanic Chamber hosts major events each year, including the annual Job Fair in February; Adelante Awards in April, and Hispanic Working Women in August. The Hispanic Chamber also plays an active role in an annual political advocacy day, Hispanic Capitol Day at Jefferson City.
Through all of these efforts, the Hispanic Chamber attempts to strengthen Hispanic enterprises and small and minority business integration to promote sustainable socioeconomic development and a better quality of life in the St. Louis region. The Hispanic Chamber serves as a facilitator in strengthening Hispanic enterprise, and it anticipates new challenges and opportunities, encourages innovation, and promotes the development of the Hispanic entrepreneurial sector.
