St. Louis Hispanic Chamber Opens Technology Center – Sen. Bond to Cut Ribbon – October 9th, 2009

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis will open its new headquarters and Technology Center on Oct. 9, with a ribbon cutting ceremony featuring remarks by U.S. Sen. Christopher “Kit” Bond.

The ceremony begins at noon at 3611 S. Grand Blvd., Suite 105, St. Louis (former Southside Bank building at the corner of Grand and Gravois Ave.).

The Technology Center is approximately 3100 square feet in size and will be equipped with 30 PC workstations that will have state-of-the-art multilingual software donated by Microsoft Corp. Six of the workstations will be in a computer lab intended for more intensive learning situations. Users will be able to access the software at the center and online.

The center will be open to chamber members and any minority entrepreneurs and workers in the metro area.

“This Technology Center will help Hispanics and other minorities become more tech-savvy business owners and employees, which will help stimulate economic prosperity for the entire region,” said Jorge Riopedre, president of the Hispanic Chamber.

Congress appropriated $500,000 for the chamber to acquire and outfit the Technology Center at the request of Sen. Bond. The chamber selected the former Southside Bank building because it is near the area’s predominant Hispanic neighborhood around Cherokee Street and to help spark the economic development of South Grand Boulevard, Riopedre said.

“We believe in putting our money where our mouth is and investing in the community. This location helps redevelop a struggling neighborhood that is undergoing a multi-cultural renaissance that the Hispanic Chamber wants to be a leader of,” Riopedre said.

The Technology Center was equipped, in part, through an Accelerator Grant from AT&T. It was designed and constructed by the owner of the Southside Tower building, The Lawrence Group.

“We are thrilled to have the Hispanic Chamber’s headquarters and Technology Center at Southside Tower. This is an excellent partnership that will help redevelop the South Grand area and return it to prosperity,” said Steve Smith, owner of The Lawrence Group.

For additional information about the Technology Center, call 314-516-4220 or email hccstlmo@sbcglobal.net.

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan St. Louis promotes and supports the economic development of Hispanic firms and increases business opportunities for all in the St. Louis region. For more information, visit www.hccstl.com, the Chamber’s Facebook page, twitter.com/hccstl or 314-664-4432.

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