Paul Navarro spends much of his free time visiting the Hispanic businesses of central Pennsylvania.
Sometimes, that means stopping in to a restaurant for lunch and chatting with the owner about ideas for bringing in bigger crowds. Other times, it’s mentoring the mechanic across the street who needs guidance on getting a loan for a big piece of equipment.
Navarro understands their struggles. He can relate to their dreams. He has ideas and resources at his disposal to help them reach their goals.
Unique Offerings
A native of Jalisco, Mexico, Navarro moved to the United States in 1975, living more than 30 years in the Harrisburg area. He is the president of New Cumberland-based Navarro & Wright Consulting Engineers, which boasts four offices and more than 80 employees. But he still can recall what the company looked like 19 years ago, nestled in the basement of his house with just three people to help carry the load.
He noticed Hispanic business owners struggling with the same things he did: language barriers, catering to small markets and lacking an understanding of loans, grants and other financial instruments. He was tired of watching these up-and-coming entrepreneurs struggle to get ahead.
With other Latino business leaders, he helped form the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Central Pennsylvania with the hope of being a resource to the estimated 1,200 Hispanic and Latino businesses in the region.
The chamber started with 10 members in 2007 and grew to about 70 by 2010, but it still wasn’t reaching most of the business owners out there, Navarro said. The group struggled to power through the economic downturn as many members left the area or closed, he said. As things finally started to turn around, both for local business owners and the economy at large, the chamber sought ways to revamp.
“We thought that maybe we could tweak our services,” Navarro said. “What could we offer that no one else was giving?”
Finding out what that meant is still a work in progress, Navarro said, but one the chamber is committed to. Right now, one of the biggest goals is partnering with state agencies to promote business growth and job development and help elevate the well being of the Hispanic community, he said.
The chamber also supports its members in other ways. Officials gather at groundbreaking and ribbon-cutting ceremonies and place job openings on websites at no extra cost. They offer group insurance discount programs and sponsorship opportunities and host business seminars.
The organization also wants to be a sounding board for startups and business growth—and it’s continued to help its member businesses through those processes.
Helping Each Other
One business that’s been there since the beginning is Herby’s El Mexicano in Bressler, a village nestled in Swatara Township.
Visitors often stumble upon the restaurant, suddenly appearing around a curve on Main Street, with subtle Mexican décor on the outside and a colorful, authentic theme that’s carried throughout the restaurant.
Owner Maria Marroquin refers to Navarro as a good friend, excited to hear that he might be stopping by for a bite to eat and to check in on her. Named after Marroquin’s late husband, the restaurant focuses on authentic Mexican cuisine in a casual atmosphere. Meals are brought out piping hot from the kitchen, filling the whole dining room with the aroma of spices. Margaritas are served in festive glasses with slices of lime floating in the full cups.
Marroquin has always had a focus on family, but that definition is a loose one. Her unofficial family members include the customers who fill the restaurant seats or the members of the chamber who encourage her to succeed.
She often hosts chamber events at the restaurant, hoping that other small business owners will be able to connect and find support, just as she did so many years ago.
While she has a hard time finding the English words to express how grateful she is to Navarro and the chamber, her excitement is clear in her face and tone.
“We want to reach small business people,” she said. “They should understand we’re here. We can help each other.”
And that’s exactly the sentiment espoused by Navarro, who, like Marroquin, knows what it’s like to struggle and then succeed in an adopted country.
“It wasn’t too long ago that I was in the same position a lot of the business owners face today,” he said. “I’ve overcome the barriers that are still holding them back.”
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Central Pennsylvania is at 112 Market St., Suite 415, Harrisburg. For more information, call 717-963-7219 or visit www.hispanicchambercentralpa.com.
