Seguin Hispanic Chamber recognizes top businesses, professionals, volunteers for 2022

(Seguin) — After a two-year hiatus caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Seguin-Guadalupe County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has returned to honoring and recognizing those who have continued to support business and community here in Seguin.

Gloria Sasser, the publicity chair for the Hispanic Chamber, says the banquet is a significant event for the chamber and its membership.

“Our primary business is to help promote businesses in the community in particular our Hispanic businesses so it is really important that we understand what’s happening in Seguin and not overreact but kind of make sure that we have a good understanding so that we can be able to do the job that we need to do for our members and for our community,” said Sasser.
Leading the pack of award recipients was the recognition of this year’s Businessman and Businesswoman of the Year.

Recognized as Businessmen of the Year were Ernest Servantes and David Kirkland, co-owners of the Burnt Bean Co.

This year’s Businesswoman of the Year award went to Commie Holmes, owner of Sweet Treats.

This year’s Corporate Community Service Award was presented to CMC Steel Texas while the Corporate Business Award went to local businessman and owner of The Backyard, Alfredo Leos
Those also receiving recognition included Seguin High School Principal, Dr. Hector Esquivel, who received this year’s Academic Merit Award.

Connie Ramirez, of Field of Honor, was the recipient of this year’s Daniel Rodriguez Community Service award.

Seguin City Councilman Jeremy Roy was honored with the Humanitarian Award.

Dr. Yvonne De La Rosa was recognized with the Youth Leadership Award.

This year’s Rosita Ornelas Media Award was extended to Tejano Recording Artist Carlito Miranda.

Richard Pena, the commander of the Doug Herrle DAV Chapter 61, was also honored as the recipient of the Hispanic Chamber’s Patriot Award.
Sasser says nominations for these awards are accepted and vetted seriously by the Hispanic chamber’s board of directors.

She says recognition of their efforts are vital to the growth and preservation of doing business in Seguin.

“Our board members nominated everyone on here and I tend to ask questions, so my first question was why? Why are we nominating this person because even though I know Rick Pena and a couple of the others, but my question was why we are nominating them because we need to make sure that they are representative of what the award is. Certainly, if you know Rick, Richard Pena, who know that he is certainly a patriot and someone who works very hard for disabled vets. I personally nominated one of our people because I looked at what our school was doing, and I was really impressed with the high school. I don’t have children there, but I have friends who have grandchildren, and they tell me about it and so I had been looking at the school for awhile and I was extremely impressed, so I thought this was a good candidate. Certainly, Alfred Leos who has done a phenomenal job of restoration and restoring old buildings. (He was deserving),” said Sasser.

Many of these organizations and businesses faced significant challenges during the pandemic, and Sasser says that makes these awards that much more deserving this year.

“Heaven knows, the Burnt Bean deserved an award and two of them actually, Burnt Bean and the Businesswoman Commie from Sweet Treats both started their businesses during COVID which I thought everything was coming to a standstill and then all of a sudden, I heard businesses were opening up so we really pay attention. We question each other so if someone nominates someone, we ask them really hard questions and how do you know them? We get the people who have done something and who really have put in a lot of effort in the community,” said Sasser.

Rounding out the slate of honorees were two special award recipients.

They included Sasser who received this year’s Chairman Award and Seguin City Manager Steve Parker, who was surprised with this year’s Juan Seguin Award.
The Seguin-Guadalupe County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Awards Banquet was held on Wednesday night in the Seguin Coliseum.