Mattawa launches multicultural chamber

President, V.P., executive board officially elected

MATTAWA — The business in charge of bringing new business is now open for business in the city.

The Mattawa Area Multicultural Chamber of Commerce officially opened Monday night, with the election of an executive board, four members of a board of directors and the close guidance of its Tri-Cities Hispanic counterpart.

David Cortinas and Jim Rodriguez, past and current presidents of the Tri-Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce made suggestions about the way the new chamber is supposed to work.

"Treat your chamber like gold and your business will be like gold," Cortinas said. "You are a business now, treat it like a business."

From the activities it will coordinate and sponsor, to the businesses it will represent, the chamber has to work closely with the city, becoming a player in the commerce and the daily life of the area.

Cortinas emphasized the importance of Hispanic input in the new chamber. Fifty-one percent of its executive board needs to be Hispanic in order to be able to receive funds from the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The board, officially elected yesterday, meets that requirement, with Hispanics in three out of the five positions. The president will be Manuel Ornelas, the vice president will be Rodger York, the secretary will be Susan Lowell, the treasurer will be Rafael Mendoza and the sergeant-at-arms will be Macario Lopez. All these members will hold their positions for the remainder of the year.

Mike Theide was elected to the board of directors as membership chairman, Tammara Green was chosen public relations chairperson, Elisa Serrano was chosen activities chairperson and Jose Tapia was chosen fund-raising chairman. They will all hold three-year terms.

"The board of directors tells the executive board what to do," Cortinas said. "The executive board says 'we want to do this,' and the directors say yes or no."

For a newborn entity, this chamber of commerce will not be hurting for funds anytime soon. Its predecessor, the Mattawa Chamber of Commerce, which folded in 1996, left around $15,000 in a bank account. These funds will be transferred over to the new chamber, Ornelas said. Nevertheless, membership fees for the charter members are due this Friday.

Businesses that want to become members will have to pay a $200 annual fee. People who don't own a business but who want to join nonetheless will have to pay a $125 associate member fee.

The strength of the chamber are its members and the amount of business they do with each other, Cortinas said.

"If we got a company that is a member we are going to be doing business with them," he said, also suggesting that the chamber's meetings be held at places that are chamber members.

Other benefits for chamber members, Cortinas said, will be a monthly newsletter advertising chamber activities and members, and a Web page where outsiders can check out places to go in Mattawa.

"It will cut your advertising costs, because the chamber is doing the advertising for you," he said.

In a city like Mattawa, isolated and dormant in the eyes of many, the chamber can control what happens in the city by holding a master calendar of activities it can later advertise for and participate in, by selling tickets at a cheaper rate at places that are members and by sponsoring all the events.

"You want your chamber's name in everything," said Rodriguez, calling on the chamber members to work together.

Cortinas said that Mattawa cannot let its diversity work against it.

"We Mexicans are very envious, we don't want any new businesses and we want it all for ourselves," he said. "We got to get it in our heads that more businesses mean more people and lower prices."

Cortinas addressed the price gouging going on in Mattawa.

"If it's a 24-hour-a-day convenience store, I understand (the higher prices). If it's a store that opens at 2 p.m., they are ripping you off." The chamber, he added, will help control that big businesses do not take advantage of the community.

Last, Cortinas encouraged a positive relationship with the city of Mattawa, which will immediately become an honorary member of the chamber.

"Don't fight with the city," he said. "There are no colors of skin here, (you) must work together with everybody."