Statewide Hispanic Chamber 2025 Awards Gala!

December 12, 2025

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The Legacy Castle– By Oscar Alberto Quintana.-

Photos by @AmericanoNewspaper

It was on Thursday December 11th, 2025. The Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the most influential Hispanic business chamber in the State of New Jersey held its 2025 Awards Gala at the elegant Legacy Castle in Pompton Plains. The Chamber represents more than 120 thousand Hispanic businesses in the Garden State.

*José A, Taveras of Wells Fargo Bank presents Deborah Visconi with the Community Advocate of the Year Award!*

Alberto Garofalo (right), President, Bank of America New Jersey took the Latino Trailblazer of the Year Award.

This year awardees were: Deborah Visconi with the Community Advocate of the Year Award;

Andres Acebo, right, President of New Jersey City University was presented with the Inaugural Juan Gutierrez Resilience & Excellence Award by Rolando (Roly) Acosta, President/CEO–JAG Companies, Inc.

Andres Acebo, President of New Jersey City University was presented with the Inaugural Juan Gutierrez Resilience & Excellence Award;

Awards Galas Media sponsors including our Americano and Tayakan digital newspapers!

Alberto Garofalo, President of the Bank of America New Jersey took the Latino Trailblazer of the Year Award from the hands or Carlos Medina, President and CEO of the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

Maria Nieves and her husband Miguel Menez took home the Business of the Year Award. They own Las Marias Restaurant in New Brunswick, NJ. Translating was Tatiana Vivas in red dress.

And Maria Nieves and her silent husband Miguel Menez took home the Business of the Year Award. Maria and Miguel own Las Marias, Delicias Poblanas, Restaurant in New Brunswick, NJ.

Photo by @AmericanoNewspaper (l-r) Elisa Charters, Dr. Melissa Baralt, Dana Rodríguez, Lilia Ríos, Middlesex Surrogate Judge Claribel Cortes, John Lucas, Shccnj President & CEO Carlos Medina, Marcos González, María Nieves, Luis Alamo, Shccnj Chairman Luis De La Hoz, Monica Martínez Milán, Maximiliano Menez, Eli Menez, Miguel Menez and Steven Vitale.

On stage were the Mistress of Ceremony, Vanessa Coppes, Bella Media CEO and Editor in Chief of Bella Magazine; Carlos Medina, President and CEO of the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the prolific and “Angel” PNC banker Luis O. De La Hoz, Chairman of the Board of the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.