Tarrant County College Board of Trustees President Teresa Ayala and TCC Chancellor Elva LeBlanc were among Leaders and Emerging Leaders honored by the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce on Sept. 16 at “Hecho en Fort Worth,” the organization’s 50th Anniversary Gala.
Also representing TCC as Leaders were Director of Creative Services Arturo Martinez and TCC Foundation Board Member Daniel C. Villegas.
The roster of Emerging Leaders included four administrators at TCC Trinity River — Health Sciences Dean Brandon Hernandez, Vice President for Student Affairs Jason Abreu, Learning and Development Coordinator Jonathon Perez, and Assistant Director of Student Success and Advising Jeronimo Aviles.
“I’m grateful, of course, for this honor, but I’m even more pleased to see four TCC individuals on the Emerging Leaders list,” LeBlanc said. “It’s a recognition that the future is in good hands. The work of the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber is vital to the effective representation of our business community, and we celebrate with them 50 years of successful service to the community.”
“Being nominated and selected as an emerging leader by the Hispanic Chamber is a true honor for myself and my Trinity River colleagues,” Hernandez said. “Members of the TCC community work closely to ensure that our students are positioned for success. The designation and award are a recognition, not just of individuals, but also of all the good work being done throughout the entire service area.”
The Hispanic Chamber was chartered on August 3, 1973, with 30 members. Among the officers was Pete Zepeda, a member of TCC’s Board of Trustees, who later became chamber president. In addition to the anniversary gala, the chamber plans to mark its 50th year with an anniversary magazine and a video containing interviews of significant figures.