On Wednesday, March 8 our Hispanic Business Council held their annual Business Under the Stars event. 40 business vendors lined Ruby Plaza at Kissimmee Lakefront Park. Four food & beverage vendors, plus dozens of hungry attendees, gathered under the Heron Pavilion to snack on empanadas, Brazilian cheese bread, guava pastries, wine, beer, coffee, and much more while networking with fellow members of the Osceola business community. Atmospheric music, the setting sun, and perfect breezy weather completed the perfect atmosphere for this popular event.
The title sponsor for the evening was Travel & Leisure Co., who gave away their two booth spaces to members of the Latino Referral Group, one of the Chamber’s five Leads groups that meet weekly to share business. Jose Nido with Travel & Leisure was on hand to help kick off the evening with an event ribbon cutting, and at the end of the night he presented a lucky raffle winner with a 7-night stay at a choice of many hotel properties worldwide. HBC Chairwoman Bethzaida Garcia made the night of several other attendees with more fun raffle prizes provided by our sponsors.
HBC Chair Garcia recognized longtime HBC Board member Guillermo Hansen with El Osceola Star as well as the Business Under the Stars events committee members, with thank yous and awards at the start of the evening. This is the 12th year the HBC has hosted this event and the first year back at Kissimmee Lakefront Park since the City completed Lakefront improvement projects and installed atmospheric lighting after the event was moved inside the Civic Center last year.
Supporting sponsors for the evening were HCA Florida Healthcare, Kissimmee Utility Authority, Total Industrial Supplies, El Osceola Star, and Adjuster Groups. Food and beverage was provided by Tomato Express, Mr. Cappuccino, Florida Technical College, and Melao Bakery. Contributing sponsors were Experience Kissimmee, Florida Blue, the Orlando Magic, SouthState Bank, Gavasha Inc., Sustainable Workplace Alliance, and Century 21 Homs Realty.
Check out the gallery below for photos of our business vendors.
The Osceola Chamber convenes a Non-Profit Coalition focused on empowering and increasing the capacity of our nonprofit organizations. Through networking and continuing education, the coalition provides the tools to help strengthen our nonprofit community to better serve Osceola residents.
Concerned with increased demands for services vs. available resources, the coalition recently held a Roundtable breakfast to learn about provided services, client needs, and resource gaps. Additionally, representatives from key partners JP Morgan Chase & Co., Florida Blue, AdventHealth, and Osceola County Housing and Community Services shared their funding initiatives and priorities. The information garnered from the event will be utilized to identify opportunities for collaboration and resource sharing.
We are grateful to JP Morgan Chase & Co. for their support of the Non-Profit Coalition Roundtable event, and Hart Memorial Library for hosting us. See photos below from the event.
The Non-Profit Coalition is one of four Chamber Coalitions that bring together like-minded business representatives on a bi-monthly schedule. The Non-Profit Coalition meets on the third Thursday of every other month at 3:00 pm at The Osceola Chamber offices at 1425 E. Vine. As with all Chamber Coalitions, attendees at this meeting do not need to represent a member business.
The Chamber’s other demographic-based Coalitions currently include the Warrior Coalition (for military Veterans in business), the Black Business Coalition, and the Pride Coalition (for the LGBTQ+ business community).
The History of Suncoast Credit Union
Suncoast Credit Union began in 1934 when a handful of local educators founded Hillsborough County Teachers Credit Union. Throughout the years, they’ve grown and expanded their membership to include anyone who lives, works, attends school, or worships in the Florida counties they serve.
Today, they are proud to be the largest credit union in Florida. From humble beginnings to all of the exciting developments along the way, Suncoast’s history is rich with memorable moments, and for every one of them they thank their incredible members.
What Do They Do?
Everything at Suncoast is done with the best interests of their members in mind. Suncoast’s mission is simple – “to improve the quality of members’ lives by maintaining a strong, secure, and innovative credit union that serves each and every one of our members’ financial needs.”
Members of Suncoast get more than perks and discounts; Suncoast also has the ability to help members save money in every stage of their lives with low rates and high returns. Because they are a credit union, their profits are returned to members through lower rates on loans, higher earnings on deposits, and free services like ATM withdrawals, overdraft protection, notary services, bill pay, and more.
Community Outreach
At Suncoast, they know that every person is capable of making a positive difference. The Suncoast team uses outreach programs and partnerships to give back to local communities every day. They love the communities they serve, and show it through both philanthropic and educational efforts. They pride themselves on their ability to positively impact local families, schools, and organizations.
With this in mind, Suncoast Credit Union is proud to have founded the Suncoast Credit Union Foundation, a 501(c) (3) non-profit organization established to benefit children and their families and to support educational initiatives. The foundation is a vehicle for Suncoast to support the communities they serve and help the people who live there. Since its inception in 1990, the Foundation has raised and donated over $40 million to help provide a better future for the children of their community. Plus, each time a member uses their Suncoast debit or credit card, two cents are donated to the fund for local initiatives – a program they call “Pennies Add Up.” Suncoast’s community outreach initiatives range from local event sponsorships, to youth financial literacy workshops, to financial programs for seniors. To learn more about Suncoast, how they support their members, and the work that they’re doing in local communities visit www.SuncoastCreditUnion.com
