The UMA Center Inc. proudly announces the new Tulsa Area Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (TAHCC) as the rebranded name of the Hispanic Small Business Association, Inc. Established in 2021 and managed by UMA, the Association transitioned into a vibrant new Hispanic chamber in December 2023. The UMA Tulsa Center, DBA UMA Tulsa, is a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
The new Chamber of Commerce has been serving the Tulsa community with business education, technical assistance and consulting, and annual events that mix business expo fairs and Hispanic culture.
The Hispanic Chamber is a member of the Tulsa Regional Chamber Coalition, a group bringing together representatives from chambers of commerce across Northeastern Oklahoma's communities.
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s Services
As an integral part of Tulsa's business community, TAHCC offers a wide range of services and benefits to empower entrepreneurial success among Hispanic entrepreneurs and businesses in the region, including:
Business Training: Two flagship programs, the Hispanic Entrepreneurs Academy and The Hive, a program for women, have graduated over 84 entrepreneurs across multiple cohorts. Over 200 entrepreneurs and business owners have attended the Chamber's business workshops since 2021.
Consulting and Technical Assistance: Small business owners can access consulting services in various areas to support businesses' growth and development. The Chamber has provided over 300 hours of free technical assistance in Spanish to entrepreneurs and small business owners.
Networking Events: Networking luncheons are scheduled for February 29, April 25, May 23, June 27, August 22, and October 24, plus a Mixer on December 12. The keynote speaker at the inaugural business luncheon on February 29 at the River Spirit Casino is Tulsa’s Mayor, G.T. Bynum. The event sold has 125 tickets.
Annual events: The Hispanic Chamber held four community events last year, attended by over 4,000 community members. 230 people attended the Inaugural Hispanic Business Gala on December 1. This year, the Chamber will host business expo fairs on April 6 and September 14, plus the Gala on November 9, 2024.
More about the New Hispanic Chamber
The Hispanic Chamber’s educational and mentoring activities receive financial support from Tulsa Tech, 36 Degrees North, Bank of Oklahoma, TEDC Creative Capital, the George Kaiser Family Foundation, and the Coretz Family Foundation. Entrepreneurs and small business owners receive free or discounted services. Seventy-five percent of the Chamber’s clients are women.
Sponsorship packages are available for companies interested in supporting Hispanic entrepreneurs and small business owners and promoting their services and products to Hispanic audiences.
The Hispanic Chamber’s Board of Directors is composed of Chairman Tomas Barrientos, HomeSmart Stellar Realty; Treasurer Ken McConnell, Ken McConnell CPA PC; Secretary Diana Pennington, The UMA Tulsa Center; Vice-Chair Cynthia Jasso, George Kaiser Family Foundation, Members Jhoanna Astudillo, Bank of Oklahoma, and Luis Valera, Valera Diaz & Associates; and President and CEO Martha Isabel Zapata, Ph.D., The UMA Center.
A Board of Advisors is composed of representatives from companies such as the Tulsa Area United Way, Arvest Bank, Azteca Motors, Supermercados Morelos, The Immigrant Community Development Corporation, American Airlines, TEDC Creative Capital, 918 Maples & Catering LLC, the City of Tulsa, Leadership Tulsa, and the Tulsa Regional Chamber. Tulsa attorney Natalie Frost is the Hispanic Chamber’s Legal Counsel.
For more information, contact Martha Isabel Zapata, Chamber@UmaTulsa.org, 539-589-0435. TulsaHispanicChamber.org