The Western Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce to meet with the City of Frederick Mayor Jennifer P Dougherty

For additional information please contact:

Mary Schoff, Membership Chair, 301-668-4050
Francisco Rodriguez, Vice-President for Frederick, 240-367-7787
Luis Diaz Colorado, Treasurer, 301-620-0400
Jorge Ribas, President, 301-404-1946


Frederick, MD. - Officers of the Western Maryland Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (WMHCC) will meet on Thursday, March 18 at 2:00 PM with City of Frederick Mayor Jennifer P. Dougherty at the Mayor's Office, 101 North Court Street. The purpose of the meeting is to establish a long-term and mutually productive relationship with the City of Frederick and to articulate the needs, hopes and concerns of the growing Hispanic Business Community.

"This is a very important step for the Chamber to take." said Chamber Vice-President Francisco Rodriguez. We need to work together with the City of Frederick to achieve common goals."

The need for the chamber was determined in the Fall of 2002 when Hispanic business leaders realized the growing Hispanic presence in the City of Frederick and the opening of new Hispanic-owned businesses. " The demographics and census data clearly point out that there is already a migratory trend from Montgomery to Frederick County, and with that migration there will be a proliferation of Hispanic businesses," said Chamber President Jorge Ribas.

The experience in the neighboring City of Gaithersburg is illustrative of how fast change can occur. Eight years ago there was no Hispanic-owned businesses in Old Town Gaithersburg. Today there are over 45 businesses ranging from grocery stores, restaurants to a bookstore and a dental clinic that provides employment for 200 people. "We are just beginning to grow numerically," said Luis Diaz of Cafe Latino, "and with it there will be challenges and responsibilities."

"Our agenda for this meeting with the Mayor involves issues that are specific to the Hispanic community, such as the need for a Hispanic Liaison to the Mayor, and generic to all businesses such as economic and workforce development and streamlining the application process for new businesses," emphasized Mary Schoff, a Frederick attorney with a significant Hispanic clientele.

"At the end of the day what we would like to see happen is a dialogue that brings the Hispanic business community and the City of Frederick working together instead of going their separate ways," said Ribas.

The WMHCC is a multi-county nonprofit organization aligned to the I-270 and I-70 corridors and spanning from Gaithersburg, through Frederick, Hagerstown, and beyond.