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chamber board
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of East Tennessee operates as a non-profit corporation approved by the Secretary of State of Tennessee on February 23, 2004. Any person, association, corporation, partnership or estate having interest in the objectives of the organization can apply for membership. The Board of Directors is the governing body of the corporation and is currently composed by the following persons:
 Luis Velázquez
Executive Director
Telephone: (865) 246-2628; Cell: (865) 604-0049
Email: luis@hccet.org
Luis is originally from Puerto Rico, where he earned his degree as a Civil Engineer and initiated his professional career. In 1971, he moved with his family to the Chicago area where he started working for the Federal Government. After working 26 years for various agencies, he retired from the Department of Energy in Oak Ridge in December 1997. After enjoying full-time retirement for a few years, he found the opportunity to serve the Hispanic community when in 2001, Legal Aid of East Tennessee, Inc., asked him to serve as a consultant for the Hispanic Project on a part-time basis. In this capacity, he visited over 100 Hispanic businesses and prepared the Directory of Hispanic Businesses in Upper East Tennessee. While involved in this project, he saw the need to have an organization that would work in support of Hispanic-owned businesses in the region. With this goal in mind and the expression of interest of various individuals, he founded the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of East Tennessee (HCCET) by bringing together a group of business owners and professionals. After the official launching of HCCET in April 2005, the Board of Directors of the Hispanic Chamber appointed him to serve as Executive Director of the organization. In addition, he also serves as part of the Board of Directors of the Pellissippi State Foundation, the Community Advisory Board of Alcoa, Inc., the University of Tennessee-Knoxville Chancellors Associates, and the Empowerment Zone Small Business Loan Committee. Luis is a graduate of Leadership Knoxville Class of 2006 and of Leadership Plenty 2006.
 Angel Zuniga Martínez
President /Chairman of the Board
956-572-6289
Email: angelzm@comcast.net
Angel Zuniga Martinez is managing partner at a capital consulting start-up, AM LLC, as well as the music projects company, Zunimar Music. He also launched a financial planning business associated with Investment & Retirement Services Group in Knoxville, TN.
Martinez, a fourth generation South Texas native and graduate from Texas A&M University, is a fifteen year banking veteran having worked with some well-respected companies from Norwest and NationsBank in Fort Worth, Texas, to the private banking divisions for Bank of America and Fifth Third Bank while living in Nashville. Angel’s move to East TN was inevitable after marrying a Sevierville native, Jennifer D. Reed, after her graduation from the University of Tennessee and Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary. Martinez worked most recently as a Private Banker at Regions.
Angel has been visible in the Knoxville community in many ways: as one of the founders of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of East Tennessee; a graduate of UT’s Leadership Plenty; and Knox County-One Question.
Besides his involvement in the arts as a performing musician and actor, Angel is also active in Knoxville Urban League of Young Professionals, Downtown YMCA, Downtown Rotary Club of Knoxville, and the Bijou Theatre board.
Angel and his wife Jennifer reside in a historic South Knox family farmhouse with their three boys, Gabriel, Joseph, and Benjamin.
 Fuad Reveiz
Vice President
865-288-7088
Email: fr@insuranceinc.net
Fuad Reveiz (born February 24, 1963 in Bogotá, Colombia) is a former placekicker for the Miami Dolphins, the San Diego Chargers, and the Minnesota Vikings. He played for Miami Sunset Senior High and was voted one of the top high school football players from Miami of all time by the Miami Herald. Due to his reliability in medium-range field goals, he was dubbed with the nickname "Fuad-o-matic" later in his career. In college, he played for the University of Tennessee. He kicked 188 field goals and 367 extra points in his eleven-year National Football League career. He was selected to the Pro Bowl after the 1994 season. After his retirement from pro football, he founded a home remodeling company called Reveiz and Co., and also hosted the Weekend Remodeling television show on the DIY Network. He now resides in Knoxville, Tennessee, where he owns and runs the Knoxville office of Insurance Inc.
Insurance Incorporated, with offices in Cleveland, Nashville and Knoxville Tennessee, has evolved from the merger of several agencies with roots back to 1940. They handle a wide range of business and personal insurance services and products, including worker’s compensation, commercial property and liability, umbrella coverage, bonds, homeowners, automobile, life and group medical.
Fuad has three children: Bryanna attends Farragut High School; Shane and Nick attend the University of Tennessee where Shane is playing outside linebacker and Nick is a starting middle linebacker.
 Bill Garibay
Board Member
865-671-2374
Email: wgaribay@eshinc.com
Born in West Covina, California and raised in Evansville, Indiana, Bill Garibay graduated in 1988 from
Murray State University in Murray, Kentucky with a Bachelors Degree in Occupational Safety and
Health. Bill moved to East Tennessee in 1991 and started ES&H, Inc. in home in 1997 in what would
later become his first son’s bedroom. In 2004, the company was honored as DOE Oak Ridge National Laboratory’s Small Disadvantaged Business of the Year.
ES&H, Inc. has also been recognized with additional accolades from Hispanic Business Inc.; Inc. 5000;
Business TN; and was recognized in 2005 with the Gold Medal Business Achievement Award by
Environmental Business Journal. In 2007, ES&H, Inc. won the Minority Business Excellence award at
the Knoxville Tennessee Chamber of Commerce Pinnacle Business Award Ceremony.
Bill is an active member of the Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Tennessee & Hispanic Chambers of Commerce, as
well as the Energy, Technology and Environmental Business Association (ETEBA). He is currently
serving as a University of Tennessee Chancellor’s Associate. In his free time, Bill is an avid fly
fisherman, he enjoys spending time with his children, camping, and golfing.
 Vanessa Samano
Secretary
865-546-4292
Email: vsamano@knoxvillefamilylawyer.com
Ms. Samano was born in Patterson, California. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, graduating in 2003. She received her Juris Doctor degree from Valparaiso University-School of Law in 2007. Ms. Samano interned with the California Rural Legal Service (CRLA), Stanislaus County Public Defender’s Office, and Curtis & Arata, P.C. in Modesto, California. She is currently an associate with Daniel & English Attorneys at Law in Knoxville, Tennessee. Ms. Samano represents clients in divorces, child support, child custody, orders of protection, employment discrimination/sexual harassment, and personal injury lawsuits. She is fluent in Spanish. She is also a member of Knoxville Bar Association Barristers, Tennessee Bar Association, Eastern Tennessee Lawyer’s Association for Women (ETLAW), and the Latino Task Force of Knoxville, Tennessee.
 Lucille Griffo
board member
Email: lgriffo@comcast.net
Lucille Griffo is a retired non-profit executive and the proud mother of two sons and a Golden Retriever. Lucille's 40 year successful career as the recent CEO/President of Girls Scouts Tanasi Council will bring strength and diversity to the Hispanic Chamber's new growth campaign. Her expertise in managing over a $3million budget and handling the needs of over 13,000 members in 16 East TN Counties will be invaluable.
 Franciel Azpurua-Linares
Board Member
Email:
Franciel Azpurua Linares is originally from Venezuela and resides in Knoxville since 1996 with her husband and two children. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Information Engineering from UNITEC (Venezuela), a Master’s in Information Science & Technology and a Master’s in Economics (both from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville)
Linares began her career as information engineer in Information International Associates, Inc. located in Oak Ridge, Tennessee. Her experience includes work with local business and non-profits as well as Federal agencies such as NASA Marshalls Space Flight Center, the National Center for Medical Intelligence, Government Printing Office, United States Geological Survey, and international entities such as World Bank and the Organization of American States. Ms. Linares is fluent in English, Spanish & Portuguese.
During January 2008, the Knoxville Business Journal awarded Franciel Azpurua Linares received the 40 Under 40 Award. This honor is given to 40 business and community leaders under the age of 40 who are making their mark in East Tennessee. She is a member of the Advisory Board of the School of Information Science at the University of Tennessee and is an active member of AKIMA, a local women’s service group. She is a member of the American Society for Information Science & Technology (ASIS&T).
Linares was one of the authors of “The Wikinomics Playbook”, the last Chapter of the book “Wikinomics: How Mass Collaboration Changes Everything” by Don Tapscott and Anthony D. Williams.
 Viren Lalka
Treasurer
865-692-4829
Email: prepare4u@gmail.com
Viren Lalka was born and raised in Mumbai, India. He earned his BS degree in Business & Economics in Mumbai and began his professional career as a Chartered Accountant. In 1984, he moved to the Connecticut area
where he pursued studies at Fairfield University and worked for Deloitte. He passed his CPA exam and moved to the San Francisco area where he worked for public accounting firms and IRS for many years. He started his practice in 2001. He is also an Enrolled Agent,licensed to practice before the IRS. He is actively involved with the travel, enjoys music and community events, enjoys reading, brisk walking and swimming. Viren serves on the Economic Development Committees of the Knoxville Chamber, Blount Partnership and the Oak Ridge Chamber.
Viren moved to the Knoxville area in 2004 and continues his practice in West Knoxville. His wife,Toral, is a Family Physician in Oak Ridge. They live in Farragut and have two kids, Mitul and Aman.
 León Duquella
Board Member/Events Coordinator
865-385-3828
Email: leonduquella2000@yahoo.com
Leon Duquella is an Emergency Management Specialist in the Emergency Management Team with the Department of Energy - Oak Ridge Operations Office. In this capacity, Leon is responsible for directing the Emergency Operations Center during an emergency, as well as planning drills and exercises and completing evaluations and inspections of the emergency readiness of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) and the East Tennessee Technology Park (ETTP), and other areas. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez and has taken numerous Masters level courses in Environmental Engineering from the University of Tennessee, and the Polytechnic University of Puerto Rico. He began his career 20 years with the Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, and has worked there ever since. He has been an active member of the Knoxville and Oak Ridge community. As a DOE employee, Leon volunteered to serve as the Hispanic Employment Program Manager. Leon has been involved in several executive boards and organizations throughout his time in Knoxville. Some of these include, founding the first League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC) chapter in East Tennessee, Knoxville International Festival Organization, Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers (SHPE), Hora Latina (HoLa), National Coalition for Community and Justice (NCCJ), Alianza del Pueblo, Knoxville Museum of Art Volunteer, the Hispanic Youth Symposium, and the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce. Leon also was very proud to serve in the Advisory Committee for Latinos Admission and the Hispanic Latino Relations Task Force which provided direct input to the University of Tennessee’s Vice Provost Rodgers regarding Latino issues in the University of Tennessee community. Leon also maintains his volunteer spirit active by participating with the Knoxville Opera Company, and the Appalachian Chapter of the American Red Cross. Leon was deployed for 3 weeks to assist in the Hurricane Katrina relief efforts, for Hurricane Isabel in North Carolina, and was also able to respond for several local house fires, and other incidents.
 Carlos Alejandro Ponzio
board member
Email:
Alejandro Ponzio was born in 1975 in Córdoba, Argentina. He lived, studied, and worked in Córdoba until June of 2003 when he moved into the U.S. to pursue his Master's degree.
He attended Universidad Católica de Córdoba where he graduated with a his Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration in July of 2000. In 2002 he enrolled for the MBA program offered by ICDA, the prestigious graduate business school of the Universidad Católica de Córdoba. Since ICDA had several exchange agreements with universities abroad, he decided take advantage of the program in order to fulfill his life-long dream to study in the United States of America. In July of 2004 he got his Master's degree in Business Administration (concentration in International Business) from San Diego State University. Immediately after his graduation, he moved to Knoxville.
Alejandro has more than 15 years of experience in developing, implementing, and managing sales plans and marketing strategies. He has worked on his family business for more than 10 years where he was in charge of sales and marketing. As an entrepreneur, he became very familiar with the challenges and skills needed to successfully manage a small business in an ever-changing and dynamic environment. In February of 2005 he joined 21st Mortgage Corporation in downtown Knoxville, where he helped with developing and leading the first bi-lingual team in the company. Since then he has been promoted twice and currently works as a Credit Manager for the Direct Lending Department.
Alejandro is married to Viviana Ponzio who was born in Buenos Aires, but raised and educated in Córdoba. She is a freelance pastry chef and is currently in the process of developing her own business that will focus on gourmet desserts, cakes, and cookies. Their son Dino Ponzio was born in Knoxville in March of 2007.
 Genny Martinez
board member
Email: genny.martinez@expresspros.com
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