Today we have another great episode lined up for you. I originally got connected with this guest via Hite Digital, and a fellow franchisee Tatiana Chamorro. Not only is he an incredible leader and entrepreneur, but he’s also going to talk to us about Hispanic Heritage Month, which is celebrated here in September. This is something that I’m also very excited to learn more about, and is close to my heart because of my amazing team and ties to Nicaragua specifically.
My guest today is J.R. Gonzales. He is the Executive Vice-Chair of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC), along with being an entrepreneur, speaker, trainer, and podcaster. He was the past President of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
J.R. Gonzales is a veteran business leader in the Latino community.
A nationally recognized communications consultant, marketing guru, leadership trainer, political strategist, public speaker and long-time community activist, Gonzales founded an advertising and public relations firm on his kitchen table in Austin, Texas, at the age of 26. A little more than a year later, it grossed a half a million dollars.
For the last 20 years, Gonzales has been in leadership positions the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce, where he uses his extensive experience and knowledge from running local, regional and national organizations to foster leadership programs and provide resources to the Hispanic firms and entrepreneurs.
As former Chairman of the Board and president of the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Gonzales – who also chairs TAMACC’s education foundation – has served as a training instructor and facilitator for many organizations and corporations around the world. He has also provided media training to many influential Hispanics, from elected officials to CEOs, and has become a well-known international public speaker with multiple engagements in Mexico, Canada and China.
But he’s not just a thought leader on business and marketing.
A promoter of Latino arts, Gonzales served on the board of directors of the Mexic-Arte Museum and produced Mariachi concerts at Austin’s historic Paramount Theater.
Among the many organizations he has been affiliated with at both the national and regional levels is the American Heart Association, where he was the first chair of the Hispanic Outreach Task Force. His efforts in Texas resulted in some of the first publishing of materials in Spanish for AHA, efforts that are now being duplicated in other states and on the national level.
Gonzales is not only a pioneer of the Hispanic business world, but he is also a fierce advocate for his people. His experiences and his passion are what makes him the perfect host for the Latino Business Report.