Hispanic Chamber names its director

Carlos Linares, a former banker and longtime Latino business advocate, was named Thursday as executive director of the Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Linares succeeds Miguel Rovira, who was named Director of International Trade and Diplomacy for the Americas for the state of Utah.

"Miguel Rovira did an excellent job for us, and his work was noticed by our Gov. (Jon) Huntsman (Jr.) and has taken a great position with the state of Utah," said Robert Rendon, chairman of the chamber's board of directors. "It was a difficult decision to make, and Carlos came out on top because of his knowledge, enthusiasm, professionalism and commitment to our Hispanic business community. Carlos has shown great leadership skills and understanding of our chamber's mission."

Linares spent the last nine years in the banking industry, most recently serving as assistant vice president of executive banking in the Private Services Division of Zions Bank. He is a graduate of Westminster Col- lege, where he also earned his MBA.

"I'm very thrilled and honored to serve the Utah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in this capacity," Linares said. "With a growing population of more than 40 million, Hispanics have become the largest minority group in America. We are what I call 'The Majority of the Minorities.' "

As Utah's Hispanic community continues to expand, Linares said he expects the number of Hispanic and minority-owned businesses to grow — underscoring the need for a chamber of commerce that is cognizant of their unique needs.

"As members of the Hispanic business community, we have much to celebrate," Linares said. "We have 1.6 million Hispanic-owned businesses (nationwide), which indicates we are growing three times faster than the national rate. Furthermore, these 1.6 million firms account for over $226 billion dollars in receipts to our economy.

"My vision for this organization is to continue to draw in more Hispanic-owned businesses to demonstrate the value of networking and help them grow. Ultimately, I'd like to see our chamber as the largest chamber of commerce in the state of Utah."

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