The Napa County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce hosted the California Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Northern Regional Mixer at Embassy Suites Napa Valley — and by all accounts, it was a landmark evening. Mayor Jill Techel noted the event drew more elected officials and candidates than any other she had attended recently, a testament to the growing influence of the Latino community in Napa Valley.
The room included two mayors, the Napa County Sheriff and his challenger, the District Attorney and his challenger, city council members, county supervisors, and school board members. Gerardo Martin, northern regional director of the California Chambers of Commerce, highlighted a telling statistic: 66,000 American-Latinos turn 18 every month — a demographic shift not lost on the officials in attendance.
The evening also brought a milestone: the NCHCC was designated "Chamber of the Year" by the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce. Special recognition went to the Mexican American Vintners Association and sponsor PG&E. A surprise announcement introduced Alice Perez as the new CEO of the California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, and all raffle proceeds were donated to Napa Valley College Puente students — the valley's future Latino leaders.
