News (Noticias) Tagged ‘TAMACC’

The Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC) has named UnitedHealthcare, a UnitedHealth Group (NYSE:UNH) company, its first-ever health insurance carrier of choice for its employees, affiliated Hispanic Chambers of Commerce and member businesses.

UnitedHealthcare is the first national health benefits company to receive this endorsement from TAMACC.

Arcilia C. Acosta, TAMACC chairman of the board, said that the chamber has selected UnitedHealthcare in part due to the company’s Latino Health Solutions program, which offers products, services and programs specifically tailored to meet the unique health care needs of Hispanics, Hispanic-owned businesses and their employees.

“The Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce recognizes and appreciates UnitedHealthcare’s commitment to provide Hispanics with customized health resources and services that are linguistically and culturally relevant,” said Acosta. “UnitedHealthcare is playing a vital role in enabling Hispanic-owned businesses and their employees to become more engaged in their health. We look forward to partnering with UnitedHealthcare to help Hispanics gain easier access to services that help them get better care.”

“At UnitedHealthcare, we are committed to supporting Hispanics and their communities with programs that improve their overall health and enhance their well-being and quality of life,” said Russell Bennett, UnitedHealthcare’s vice president of Latino Health Solutions. “We are honored that the Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce has recognized our commitment.”

TAMACC and UnitedHealthcare have entered into a strategic alliance to offer UnitedHealthcare health benefit plans to the chamber’s employees, as well as its 29 affiliated Hispanic Chambers of Commerce and member businesses. Included among the health plans is PlanBien, an innovative product that combines health benefit plans with unique services designed to help enhance the health and well-being of Spanish-speaking Hispanics and their families.

PlanBien transcends traditional health plans with a host of bilingual and bicultural health-information and customer-service programs tailored to meet the unique health care needs of Hispanics. These include: specialized educational materials printed in Spanish including ¿Que le dijo el doctor? (What did the doctor tell you?) – bilingual photo stories depicting how a family discusses common health concerns; trained and certified bilingual (English/Spanish) customer service representatives located in San Antonio available to answer questions and help plan participants locate Spanish-speaking doctors; a bilingual provider directory that lists physician offices with Spanish-speaking doctors and/or staff; and much more. In addition, PlanBien customers in Texas have access to UnitedHealthcare’s national network of more than 560,000 physicians and 4,800 hospitals.

“In developing PlanBien, we enhanced UnitedHealthcare’s quality and cost-effective health benefit plans with innovative support services that help address two growing areas of concern: the need to reduce the rate of the uninsured among the Hispanic population; and the effort to help Hispanics – many of whom communicate more comfortably in Spanish – better understand their health plan and become more engaged in their health care. We believe PlanBien can make a positive impact on both fronts,” said Bennett.

“PlanBien is perfectly suited for businesses and organizations with Spanish-speaking employees who may speak English at work but prefer to speak Spanish at home or when dealing with complex or personal topics like their health or health care benefits,” Bennett added.

More information about UnitedHealthcare’s Latino Health Solutions is available online at www.uhclatino.com, a bilingual (English/Spanish) Web site that offers a physician directory, wellness tools, health education materials and much more. Also, www.mentesana-cuerposano.com, developed by Latino Health Solutions and UnitedHealth Group’s OptumHealth, offers bilingual behavioral health services. UnitedHealthcare’s Nurseline offers real-time health advice from trained nurses and provides access to Spanish-speaking interpreters. “

The Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC) and notable Texas State Agencies and Universities announced that they intend to sign an historic and unprecedented agreement worth potentially $100 Billion. In a public signing ceremony on June 24, 2008, at the Texas State Capitol, TAMACC Executive Board Members, key state legislators and university officials, will sign a Memorandum of Understanding for procurement opportunities.

“This is a historic moment for TAMACC and Texas state agencies and universities,” said Ms. Arcilia Acosta, TAMACC Chair. “It is historic because of the cooperation between TAMACC and these state entities, and the amount of money that will be available to qualified Texas D/M/W/BE firms. We hope that all qualified businesses will take advantage of this opportunity.”
The Memorandum of Understanding provides for an exchange of information concerning procurement and other opportunities with Texas agencies and universities totaling over $100 Billion. Texas universities will provide the procurement opportunities and information, while TAMACC provides qualified D/M/W/BE firms.

Mr. Frank Cortez, TAMACC President & CEO, noted that the business climate in Texas is right for this type agreement. “We have worked hard and are well positioned for our member firms to take advantage of these business opportunities. I think you’re going to see a lot of excited business owners at our state convention later this month as we roll-out additional information on this new development.”

Notable state agencies and universities participating in the Memorandum of Understanding include: Texas Department of Criminal Justice, Texas Department of Transportation, Texas A&M University, Texas Health & Human Services Commission, Texas Tech University and The University of Texas at Austin.

About TAMACC:
TAMACC is a private non-profit corporation founded 32 years ago by a small group of Hispanic business persons interested in increasing business opportunities for themselves and other similar business owners. The association, with headquarters in Austin, Texas, acts as the organizational umbrella providing advocacy, technical support, programs, and services to the network of local Hispanic chambers.
Contact: Mauricio Navarro

469.733.8137
Navarro@raizinc.com
“

“Last spring, consultant and entrepreneur J.R. Gonzales traveled to China to experience the country’s rich history and culture. To his surprise, he also discovered a world of possibility.

While visiting Hangzhou, Gonzales, owner of Austin-based JRG Communications, encountered a Chinese girl named Alice working in her parents’ tea shop. She inquired about his ethnicity, and when Gonzales answered, Alice’s blank stare told him that she didn’t know what Mexican-American meant. As Gonzales began to explain where Mexico was located on a map, the girl’s face lit up and she said, “Oh, the KFC taco wrap” ”” the taco representing her only connection to “Mexican.” At the notion of his culture being diminished to a fast-food value-menu item, Gonzales quickly recognized an opportunity.

“The experience gave me a better understanding of how small the world really is,” explains Gonzales, who is also president of the National Hispanic Professional Organization (NHPO). “The Chinese and Latino cultures are actually very similar ”” strong sense of family, work ethic, respect for elders ”” but we know very little of each other.”

Ironically, now that China’s economy is opening more and as U.S. Latinos gain ground as an economic powerhouse, they each represent a community poised for growth, vanguards of prominence. It’s the ideal time, Gonzales stresses, for Latinos to build early ties in China. However, the way he figures it, only a minute portion of total U.S. tourists to China ”” which comprise about 10 percent of China’s total tourists annually ”” are probably Latino. To provide momentum, he and the NHPO partnered with the Chinese organizers of the tour he took to arrange two more trips to China, one in October 2007 and the next in March 2008.

“I’ve dreamed of going to China,” he says. “I’ve always wanted to see the Great Wall, but I never thought I’d have the opportunity. Once I got there, I was amazed.” First, there were the business opportunities waiting for American and international entrepreneurs to tap. Then, there were the silk factories, the jade stores, the ancient landmarks, and the welcoming people. “It was a completely new world. I was totally fascinated, so much so that I wanted to go back ”” and go back often ”” and take people I knew to experience the same thing,” Gonzales says.

The nine-day, all-inclusive excursions priced at a mere $1,399 (see itinerary www.Mission2China.com) are designed as introductory trips. Travelers can go as tourists to explore the other side of the world. Or, they can go in search of opportunity on a burgeoning frontier, because the tour includes an optional networking mixer for those interested in the many business opportunities that exist. “China is a great market for opportunity that is open to anyone,” says Ben Mendez, NHPO chair and president of Houston-based PMG Project Management Group. “We see possibilities for small businesses and large corporations to be part of it. It’s an untapped market that needs to be explored.”

Arcilia Acosta, Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC) chair of the board, says seeking partnerships in China only makes sense. Latinos comprise one of the fastest growing segments of entrepreneurs in the United States ”” it’s a natural fit. She adds, “One of the things we need to do is be more global as a country. We need to get out of our comfort zone to expand.”

The trip allows participants to act as ambassadors of both American and Latino culture. It is undeniable that China and the United States will continue to develop relations over the years and developing an early familiarity will ease the transitions to come. In fact, in a speech to the National Committee on U.S.-China relations, former U.S. Secretary of Education, Rod Paige, discussed experiencing cultures and acting as ambassadors as the best “avenue for mutual understanding and cooperation.” He also encouraged international exchanges, saying that they provide “a bridge between our worlds. As we learn more about each other, and share our future together, we will build a solid bond of friendship in our search for peace, security and prosperity.” In closing, he said, “We must encourage East to meet West and West to meet East.” And that is what Gonzales’ mission to China is all about.

So far, members of the NHPO, TAMACC, Texas State University Alumni Association and other organizations as well as individuals have signed on for the initial expedition this fall. Gonzales, Mendez and Acosta encourage others to come along, explore and experience. “It goes back to establishing relationships with our counterparts in China and seeing what will arise,” Mendez says.

For more information on joining the tour, visit http://www.mission2china.com or telephone 512-289-3758. “

“On August 12, 2006 The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Foundation held their Board of Directors elections in Orlando, Florida. The United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Foundation is pleased to announce that Massey Villarreal of Houston, Texas has been re-appointed as Chair-Elect.

Mr. Villarreal is CEO and President of Precision Task Group, Inc, a computer-consulting firm that provides data processing solutions to public and private sector firms. A native of Texas and an exceptionally well-respected and influential figure in the Hispanic community, Mr. Villarreal has served as Chairman of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC) and the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce during 1998-1999. He was recently re-elected to the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (USHCC) Board of Directors as Vice-Chair. “Mr. Villarreal is a true leader in the Hispanic community and I look forward to continuing to work with him” said USHCC Foundation President & CEO Frank Lopez. “

“The Texas Association of Mexican-American Chambers of Commerce named John Guerra Jr. as its interim president.

Guerra succeeds Carlos Mendoza, who recently left to pursue other interests. Mendoza had served as president and CEO of the organization since December 2002. TAMACC has launched a national search for a new president.”

“David Hernandez is an example of the entrepreneurial spirit in so many Hispanics in Texas. He was one of thousands who became a victim in the Enron scandal. Instead of a dark time in his life, it was a moment of opportunity.

David Hernandez, the CEO of Liberty Power said, “I was laid off from Enron, and we started with the idea that we could bring to small businesses the same level of service that large businesses receive.”

His business, Liberty Power, sells electricity to small businesses and creates competitive prices in the $300 billion power industry. He hopes to talk about the success of his business and many other Hispanic-run businesses at this year’s TAMACC”

“Board of Directors will lead an important business and commerce mission to México City, Jan. 25–28, 2006. The primary goal of the three-day mission is to build and strengthen positive and mutually beneficial cross-border partnerships and to identify new and bold opportunities that spur economic growth and development between the two countries.

Some of the highlights of the three-day mission led by the USHCC include: scheduled meetings with México’s Presidential candidates Felipe Calderón, Roberto Madrazo, Andrés Manuel López Obrador; México’s Finance Minister Francisco Gil Díz; Governor Miguel Osório Chon, State of Hidalgo; Governor Amalia Garcí, State of Zacatecas; Governor Marcelo de los Santos Fraga, State of San Luis Potosí­; U.S. Ambassador António Garza; prominent Mexican business leaders Mr. José Luis Barraza, Mr. José Carral, Mr. Manuel Trn and others who will engage in insightful discussions with the USHCC leadership on critical issues impacting the Mexican community and the U.S. Hispanic business community. Joining the USHCC Board of Directors in México are leaders from local U.S. Hispanic Chambers nationwide, including a delegation from the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (IHCC), the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC), the Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the McAllen, TX Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, among many others. …”

Please note some (many) sites require registration. Many times it is free.

The Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC) recruited San Antonio businessman Rolando Pablos to lead international relations efforts for the group.

Pablos is an international trade consultant who helps Mexican and Canadian businesses set up and expand operations in the United States. He is also a member of the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce board of directors.

article in English / artí­culo en Ingles o en Español usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

from hispanictips.com
hispanic news & commentary

Expo for Mexican American chambers connects small-business owners with bigger corporate world

article in English / artí­culo en Ingles o en Español usando Google o Altavista/Babel Fish

from hispanictips.com
hispanic news & commentary