>>> MORE THAN 200 HOURS OF
ANALYZING DATA.
HOW HISPANICS IMPACT THE
SOUTHERN ARIZONA MARKET.
>> YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE HISPANIC
TO BE PART OF THIS BOOM.
ALL YOU NEED IS A COMMITMENT TO
THAT DEMOGRAPHIC OF THE ECONOMY.
>>> AND A NEW PROGRAM DESIGNED
TO JOIN BUSINESSES IN THE U.S.,
MEXICO AND CANADA.
>> SHARING THE MARKETS, THE
PEOPLE, THE KNOWLEDGE, THE
TECHNOLOGY SO THESE ARE SOME OF
THE MAIN GOALS THAT WE ARE
HAVING IN SIGNING THIS
AGREEMENT.
>> THERE IS "ARIZONA WEEK."
>>> JUST THIS WEEK, THE TUCSON
HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
RELEASED ITS FIRST EVER SOUTHERN
ARIZONA HISPANIC MARKET OUTLOOK.
DATA FROM PIMA, COACH CHEESE AND
SANTA CRUZ COUNTIES.
MORE THAN 1 MILLION HISPANICS IN
THE REGION REPRESENTING 37% OF
THE POPULATION.
IT'S ESTIMATED BY 2035,
HISPANICS WILL BE THE MAJORITY
IN THE STATE.
IT TOOK RESEARCHERS FROM
TELEMUNDO NEARLY SIX MONTHS TO
COMPILE THE DATA.
THE END RESULTED, THE HISPANIC
STRENGTH OF HISPANICS IS STRONG
IN SHOWING STEADY GROWTH IN
AREAS WHERE THE MINORITY ONCE
LAGGED BEHIND.
S HERE THE PRESIDENT OF THE
TUCSON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, LEAH MARQUEZ PETERSON.
>> YOU KNOW, WE'VE BEEN
PROVIDING STATEWIDE HISPANIC
MARKET DATA FOR A NUMBER OF
YEARS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE
ARIZONA HISPANIC CHAMBER, WHICH
IS A GREAT PARTNERSHIP.
HOWEVER, WHAT WE REALLY WANTED
WAS MORE COMPREHENSIVE DATA
SPECIFIC TO PIMA COUNTY, SANTA
CRUZ COUNTY AND COCHISE COUNTY.
ABOUT A YEAR AND A HALF AGO, WE
STARTED RESEARCHING ADDITIONAL
PARTNERS THAT COULD COME ON AND
PROVIDE THAT KIND OF RESOURCE TO
US AND TELEMUNDO CAME FORWARD.
THEY HAVE BEEN A GREAT PARTNER
IN PROVIDING A LOT OF SECONDARY
RESEARCH SPECIFIC TO OUR MARKET.
>> HOW DO THEY GATHER THE
RESEARCH?
>> THEY HAVE A SENIOR RESEARCH
TEAM, JACKIE, LAND AND JESSICA
NIELSON WHO PULL IT TOGETHER
FROM SCARS BORE ROW, PEW
RESEARCH CENTER, CENSUS DATA, A
LOT THEY HAD ACCESS TO AS THE
CHAMBER, WE IDENTIFIED THE AREA
OR CATEGORY WES WOULD LIKE THEM
TO FOCUS ON SO WE ASKED FOR
INFORMATION ON HISPANICS IN THE
TUCSON AREA RETLOITD HEALTH CARE
OR EDUCATION.
WE WANTED TO TALK ABOUT LATINO
VOTING POWER, CONSUMER BUYING
BEHAVIOR, THINGS OF THAT NATURE.
SO WE WORKED WITH THEM
THROUGHOUT THE PROCESS OVER THE
LAST YEAR TO REALLY NARROW DOWN
THAT INFORMATION.
>> SO THEN YOU GET THE
INFORMATION, YOU ANALYZE IT AND
WHAT DOES IT TELL YOU ABOUT THE
HISPANIC MARKET IN SOUTHERN
ARIZONA?
>> I THINK THERE'S NOT A
SURPRISE THAT WE ARE CONTINUING
TO GROW DRAMATICALLY.
I THINK WHAT WE DIDN'T HAVE
PRIOR TO WAS, YOU KNOW, PRIOR
RESEARCH REPORTS WAS REALLY
DRILLING DOWN TO INDIVIDUAL
COUNTIES.
AS YOU KNOW, OUR CHAMBER HAS
EXPANDED BEYOND TUCSON AND WE
ARE NOW IN DOUGLAS, DOUGLAS
HISPANIC CHAMBER, SIERRA VISTA
AND NOGALES HISPANIC CHAMBER, SO
IMPORTANT TO US WE PROVIDE THIS
DETAILED INFORMATION FOR THE
COMMUNITIES WE ARE SERVING.
I THINK THE SURPRISE WAS
PROBABLY THE GROWTH IN THE
HISPANIC SMALL BUSINESS OWNERS.
WE HAVE SEEN DRAMATIC GROWTH,
EVEN OVER THE LAST YEAR, WHICH
IS REALLY ENCOURAGING.
WE HAVE SEEN SOME REAL STRIDES
IN LESSENING HISPANIC DROPOUT
RATES BY EACH OF THE COUNTIES,
SANTA CRUZ COUNTY LEADING THAT
AND SOME INTERESTING NUGGETS I
DON'T THINK WE WERE ABLE TO SEE
BEFORE WHEN IT WAS MORE
STATEWIDE INFORMATION.
>> AND WHAT DO YOU ATTRIBUTE
THAT TO?
I MEAN, DROPOUT RATES ARE LOWER,
EDUCATION IS INCREASING, SPEND
IS INCREASING WHAT DO YOU
ATTRIBUTE THOSE THINGS TO?
>> THAT'S TOUGH QUESTION.
I THINK AS THE ECONOMY GETS
BETTER AFTER THIS RECENT
ECONOMIC RECESSION, YOU KNOW,
JOBS ARE GETTING A LITTLE EASIER
TO COME BY, YOU SEE A LOT OF JOB
GROWTH, YOU SEE REINVESTMENT IN
THE COMMUNITY, ALL OF THAT PLAYS
INTO I THINK HOW THE HISPANIC
BUSINESS COMMUNITY IS GROWING.
IN RELATION TO EDUCATION, WE ARE
CONTINUING TO TRY TO BE ROLE
MODELS TO LATINO YOUTH
THROUGHOUT ARIZONA TO TALK ABOUT
THE IMPORTANCE OF GRADUATING
FROM HIGH SCHOOL.
WE HAVE SEEN EFFORTS RECENTLY BY
OUR MAYOR OF TO YOUSON, TRYING
TO LEAD INITIATIVES DOOR TO DOOR
RECRUITING STUDENTS TO COME BACK
TO SCHOOLS.
THERE ARE A NUMBER OF STATEWIDE
INITIATIVES THAT ARE FOCUSED ON
THIS, AS THERE ALWAYS HAS BEEN
BUT I'M HOPING THAT MESSAGE IS
SLOWLY SINKING IN TO A LOT OF
THE LATINO YOUTHS IN OUR
COMMUNITY TO REALIZE HOW
IMPORTANT IT IS TO PERHAPS GO ON
TO COLLEGE AND GET A FOUR-YEAR
DEGREE.
>> ON THAT NOTE, ALSO A LOT OF
BILINGUAL LANGUAGE IN THE
HOUSEHOLD.
SEEING FAMILIES ARE MAINTAINING
THEIR ROOTS AND CULTURE.
HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE THAT?
>> THIS IS INTERESTING,
ANECDOTAL BUT OVER MANY
GENERATIONS, YOU HAVE SEEN A
REAL FLEX OF BILINGUALISM, I
THANK YOU GROUP IN THEIR 40s,
50s OR SO NOT AS BILINGUAL AS
THEY HAVE IN THE PAST FOR
PRESSURES TO BE MONO LINGUAL,
SPEAK ENGLISH IN THE CLASSROOM
AND AT HOME AND SO ON.
BUT THIS REPORT SHOWED THERE WAS
A LARGE PERCENTAGE OF TUCSON
AREA HISPANICS, I BELIEVE IT WAS
72%, THAT ARE BILINGUAL.
SO, THEY ARE READING, THEY ARE
WATCHING TV IN SPANISH.
THEY ARE SPEAKING SPANISH AT
HOME.
AND THAT'S INTERESTING.
SO, FROM A BUSINESS PERSPECTIVE,
WHEN WE WORK WITH MANY OF THE
SMALL AND LARGE BUSINESSES IN
OUR REGION AND THEY TALK TO US
ABOUT TRANSLATING MARKET
MATERIAL OR RUNNING AN AD
CAMPAIGN, SPANISH IS IMPORTANT,
AN IMPORTANT COMPONENT OF THE
MARKETING PLAN.
MORE HISPANICS IN THE REGION,
THEY HAVE HEALTH CARE NOW.
>> THEY DO I THINK THE
AFFORDABLE CARE ACT HAS BEEN
POSITIVE IN THAT ASPECT.
THINK SOME STILL CERTAINLY
CONCERNS OF THE COST AND
IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROGRAM,
BUT SEEN MORE OF OUR HISPANIC
COMMUNITY HAVING HEALTH CARE AND
I THINK THAT'S GOOD.
>> ONE OF THE NUMBERS THAT I
READ THAT I HAVE TO ASK IF THIS
IS RIGHT, $30 BILLION IN
PURCHASING POWER IN ARIZONA
ALONE?
IS THAT CORRECT?
>> THAT IS CORRECT.
AND THEIR SOMETIME SEX THIS IS
GOING TO GROW TO $50 BILLION
WITHIN A FEW YEARS.
SO, I MEAN, OUR POINT IN THE
HISPANIC CHAMBER IS REGARDLESS
OF INDUSTRY OR BUSINESS YOU'RE
WORKING WITH, WHO DOESN'T WANT A
PIECE OF $40 TO $50 BILLION IN
PURCHASING POWER?
AND WHERE IN YOUR BUSINESS PLAN
AND MARKETING PLAN ARE YOU
FOCUSED ON THIS DYNAMIC
DEMOGRAPHIC, THE HISPANIC
COMMUNITY?
WITHIN A FEW YEARS, WE WILL BE A
MAJORITY OF THE STATE OF ARIZONA
SO I THINK ALL OF THIS, THESE
DATA POINTS ARE IMPORTANT TO
STRESS TO OUR REGION AND OUR
STATE.
>> IS THERE MORE THAT BUSINESSES
CAN BE DOING TO LURE THE
HISPANIC SHOPPER, THE HISPANIC
PURCHASING POWER?
>> THERE IS.
I MEAN, WE DIFFERENTIATE BETWEEN
HISPANICS IN ARIZONA AND MEXICAN
NATIONALS.
OFTENTIMES, WE WILL DO
PRESENTATIONS ON BOTH, IN TERMS
OF HOW YOU RECRUIT MEXICAN
NATIONALS AS POTENTIAL CONSUMERS
IN YOUR BUSINESS.
BUT WHAT THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY
HERE IN ARIZONA, ABSOLUTELY, I
THINK ARE CULTURAL SENSE IF THE,
THERE'S OUTREACH.
WE OFTEN TALK ABOUT THE
FACE-TO-FACE RELATIONSHIP.
MANY OF US DO IN TERMS OF DOING
BUSINESS.
WE HAVE A REPUTATION IN OUR
COMMUNITY AS A HISPANIC CHAMBER
FOR DOING A LOT OF EVENTS AND WE
DO, BUT WE DO THAT BECAUSE WE
BELIEVE IN THAT FACE-TO-FACE
MARKETING.
YOU DO BUSINESS WITH YOUR
FRIENDS AND I THINK THAT'S
RELATIONAL AND THAT'S SOMETHING
THAT IS CERTAINLY PROMINENT IN
THE HISPANIC COMMUNITY.
>> YOU SAID THAT THE NUMBER OF
HISPANIC-OWNED BUSINESSES IS
GROWING.
THERE IS MORE SUPPORT?
IS THAT THE CASE?
>> I THINK THAT COULD ALSO BE
THE CASE, I ALSO THINK A
CHALLENGING ECONOMY MEANS THAT
OFTEN TIMES, PEOPLE SPLIT A
FULL-TIME JOB AND START A SECOND
BUSINESS.
WE DO SEE A LARGE NUMBER OF
BUSINESSES STARTING THAT WAY.
UNFORTUNATELY THOUGH, ACCESS TO
CAPITAL IS TOUGHER THAN EVER
NOW.
SO GETTING YOUR BUSINESS STARTED
MIGHT OFTEN MEAN BOROUGH FROM
FAMILY OR FRIENDS.
IN THE PAST, PEOPLE MIGHT USE
HOME LINES OF CREDIT OR CREDIT
CARDS AND YOU DON'T SEE THAT AS
OFTEN.
SO I MEAN, AS A CHAMBER, WE
ATTEMPTED TO TACKLE THAT WITH
WORKING WITH OUR MEMBER BANKS
AND CREDIT UNIONS AND THEN
ULTIMATELY, WE HAVE JUST
LAUNCHED A NEW ASSET-BASED
LENDING PROGRAM THROUGH CREDIT
JUNCTION TO HELP BUSINESSES WHO
HAVE -- ARE HARD TO COME BY WITH
LOANS.
>> THIS IS AN EXCITING REPORT,
BASED ON WHAT YOU'RE SAYING.
SO, WHEN YOU LOOK AT THESE
NUMBERS AND THE DATA, WHAT ARE
YOU MOST PROUD OF AND MAYBE
LOOKING FORWARD TO IN THE
FUTURE?
>> THIS REPORT IS VERY
MEANINGFUL TO US.
THE FACT THAT WE CAN DRILL DOWN
INTO OUR COMMUNITY, THE PIMA,
SANTA CRUZ AND COCHISE COUNTIES
IS VERY, VERY IMPORTANT.
WHAT WE HOPE TO DO IS KIND OF
CHANGE THAT MEDIA MESSAGE.
A LOT OF TIMES, WHEN YOU SEE THE
LATINO COMMUNITY DEPICTED IN THE
MEDIA, TV OR PRINT AND SO ON,
IT'S NEGATIVE STORIES, FOCUSING
ON POVERTY AND CRIME AND THINGS
OF THAT NATURE.
IF WE CAN HIGHLIGHT KEY
COMPONENTS OF THIS REPORT TO
FOCUS ON INCREDIBLE PURCHASING
POWER, CONSUMER BUYING BEHAVIOR,
SOME REALLY POSITIVE TRENDS
GOING ON, THAT WILL BE A REAL
WIN FOR OUR CHAMBER AND FOR OUR
COMMUNITY.
>> WE WILL TAKE ANOTHER LOOK AT
THE REPORT RELEASED LATER IN THE
SHOW, BUT FIRST, A NEW
NETWORKING RESOURCE FOR
BUSINESSES ALONG THE BORDER.
CONNECT BIEN IS A FREE ONLINE
PLATFORM THAT CONNECTS
ENTREPRENEURS AND ORGANIZATIONS
IN THE U.S., MEXICO AND CANADA.
THE PROGRAM WAS UNVEILED TWO
WEEKS AGO.
HERE'S MY INTERVIEW WITH THE
NATIONAL PRESIDENT OF THE GROUP
KNOWN AS THE NATIONAL CHAMBER OF
INDUSTRY TRANSFORMATION IN
MEXICO.
RODDING REGOES, THANK YOU FOR
BEING HERE.
>> NO, THANKS FOR YOU.
>> TELL ME ABOUT THIS PROGRAM,
THIS IDEA TO CONNECT BOTH
COMMUNITIES WHEN IT COMES TO
BUSINESS.
WHY IS IT NEEDED?
>> BECAUSE, AS YOU KNOW, BOTH
COUNTRIES, AND ESPECIALLY
ARIZONA AND SONORA HAVE
COMPLEMENTARY COUNTRIES.
WE HAVE NOTICED THAT SOMETIMES
EVEN -- THERE ARE REALLY GOOD
OPPORTUNITIES FOR MAKING THIS
BUSINESS.
THERE IS NOT ENOUGH ARTICULATION
OF THE BUSINESS.
SO, WE NEED TO MAKE A
MATCHMAKING COMMUNITY IN WHICH
WE CAN REALLY HOPE TO INCREASE
THE BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES AND,
OF COURSE, TRYING TO BE SHARING
THE MARKETS, THE PEOPLE, THE
KNOWLEDGE, THE TECHNOLOGY.
SO THESE ARE SOME OF THE MAIN
GOMES THAT WE ARE HAVING IN
SIGNING THIS AGREEMENT.
>> SO IT'S NETWORKING WITH EACH
OTHER?
>> YES, I CAN SAY A SMART
NETWORKING.
>> HOW IMPORTANT IS IT FOR
MEXICO TO KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON
IN THE U.S., FOR THE U.S. TO
KNOW WHO'S THERE AND FOR
THOSE -- THOSE BUSINESSES TO BE
FRIENDS AND TO SHARE
CONNECTIONS?
>> IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, BECAUSE
AS YOU KNOW, SINCE 1994, WHEN
MEXICO SIGNS THIS NAFTA, THE
NORTH AMERICA FREE TRADE
AGREEMENT, WE ARE VERY -- MEXICO
REALLY HAS A GOOD DEVELOPMENT OF
THE ECONOMY BASED ON THE EXPORT
INDUSTRY.
IN '94, FOR EXAMPLE, MAIN INCOME
OF DOLLARS WAS 70% WAS FROM OIL
INDUSTRY.
NOW, IT'S DIFFERENT.
NOW IT'S ALMOST 80% OF
MANUFACTURING INDUSTRY AND THE
OTHER INDUSTRY GOES DOWN.
SO, THAT IS WHY WE ARE VERY
INTERESTED TO INCREASE AND KEEP
INCREASING NOT ONLY IN THE BIG
COMPANIES BUT ALSO IN THE SMALL
AND MEDIUM ENTERPRISES THAT CAN
BE CONNECTED TO BIG BUSINESS.
>> SOME PEOPLE MIGHT BE ASKING
HOW STRONG, HOW HEALTHY IS THE
MEXICAN ECONOMY?
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY?
>> I CAN SAY THAT IF YOU COMPARE
WITH OTHER SIMILAR
LATINO-AMERICAN ECONOMIES, WE
ARE REALLY DOING NOT SO BAD
BECAUSE WE ARE GROWING
CONSTANTLY.
RIGHT NOW, RATES ARE 2.1% OF THE
GDP EACH YEAR.
THAT IS NOT BAD.
MAINLY, IF WE CAN SEE THAT THE
AVERAGE OF THE GROWING IN
AMERICA IS 1%.
SO, NOW THAT REALLY IT IS MAKING
A REALLY TOUGH TIME BECAUSE SOME
FINANCIAL SPECULATION OF, YOU
KNOW, THE -- THE INCREMENT OF
THE RESERVE FED RATE, SO ALL THE
MARKETS ARE MAKING A LITTLE BIT
VERY STRANGE MOVEMENTS.
SO, MEXICO IS GOING GOOD IN THE
RELATION, THIS DIFFERENT RATE IS
HELPING US TO IMPROVE OUR EXPORT
CAPACITY.
SO, I GUESS THAT THE REST OF THE
YEAR AND 2016 COULD BE GOOD
YEARS IF WE TAKE ADVANTAGE OF
THIS ECONOMIC SITUATION.
>> YOU'RE HOPEFUL FOR THE
FUTURE, RIGHT?
>> YES, I'M HOPEFUL BECAUSE
ALSO, THE UNITED STATES' ECONOMY
IS GROWING.
IT HAS REALLY GOOD EXPECTATIONS
FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR AND
NEXT YEAR.
SO AS YOU KNOW, THE MAIN UNITED
STATES ARE OUR MAIN PARTNER,
COMMERCIAL PARTNERS, SO, THE
UNITED STATES MAKES GOOD, MEXICO
GOES IN THE SAME DIRECTION.
>> GREAT, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD
LIKE TO ADD?
>> JUST TO SAY THAT WE ARE VERY
EXCITED ABOUT THE SIGNING THIS
AGREEMENT AND WE HOPE TO COME
BACK LATER WITH SOME OTHER GROUP
OF ENTERPRISES, BY SECTORS AND
TRY TO MAKE THIS NEXT MEETING IN
LIFE, WITH LIFE, PERSONS WITH
VERY PRECISE REQUIREMENTS SO WE
CAN TRY TO DO REALITY OF THIS
AGREEMENT.
>> LAST YEAR, ARIZONA EXPORTED
$8.6 BILLION TO MEXICO.
AND IT'S ESTIMATED VISITORS FROM
MEXICO SPEND MORE THAN $7
MILLION IN ARIZONA EVERY DAY.
THOSE FIGURES COME FROM THE
ARIZONA MEXICO COMMISSION, A
CROSS-BORDER NON-PROFIT
ORGANIZATION.
HERE'S PRESIDENT OF THE BOARD OF
DIRECTORS, DAVID FARKA.
>> IT'S A 56-YEAR-OLD
ORGANIZATION, VERY VISIONARY AT
THE TIME IT WAS FORMED.
IT'S HAD ITS UPS AND DOWNS WITH
DIFFERENT ADMINISTRATIONS, BUT
IT'S AN ORGANIZATION THAT'S BEEN
REALLY BEEN SEEN AS A MODEL, NOT
ONLY WITHIN OTHER STATES WITHIN
ARIZONA BUT WORLDWIDE.
WE HAVE HAD OTHER COUNTRIES COME
AND SEE HOW THE COMMISSION
OPERATS AND THE SUCCESS IT'S
HAD WITH ITS RELATIONSHIPS WITH
MEXICO.
SO ORIGINALLY, IT WAS CREATED TO
ENHANCE THE RELATIONSHIPS FOR
THE STATE OF SONORA, OUR
NEIGHBOR TO THE SOUTH.
AND WHAT WE ARE TRYING TO DO NOW
IS FOLLOW INDUSTRY, INDUSTRY HAS
GONE BEYOND SONORA.
THE RELATIONSHIP WITH SONORA
WILL CONTINUE TO BE AT THE TOP
OF OUR LIST, BUT WE WANT TO LOOK
FURTHER.
THERE'S SOME STRENGTH THAT THE
STATE HAS, LIKE IN THE AEROSPACE
INDUSTRY, IN MINING INDUSTRY,
AND AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY THAT ARE
IN REGIONS LIKE BAJA, MAYBE
CHIHUAHUA AND THEY ARE ALREADY
THERE.
OUR LARGEST COMPANY, PUBLICLY
TRADED COMPANY IN ARIZONA, HAS
PLANS IN JALISCO, PF CHANG'S,
ANOTHER ARIZONA-BASED COMPANY
HAS 28 CHAINS THROUGHOUT MEXICO.
I THINK WE, AS AN ORGANIZATION,
WE HAVE BEEN LAGGING THOSE
EFFORTS AND WE WANT TO BRING
THOSE OPPORTUNITIES TO OTHER
INDUSTRIES AND TO OTHER
BUSINESSES IN THE STATE OF
ARIZONA TO, NUMBER ONE, REALLY
HELP WITH THE DEVELOPMENT, WITH
WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, WITH
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, HAVING
THAT TRADE AND RESEARCH, HAVING
STUDENTS GO BACK AND FORTH
BETWEEN UNIVERSITIES AND JUST
HELP TO BE THE CATALYZER OF
THOSE RELATIONSHIPS.
>> THE GOVERNOR TRAVELED TO
MEXICO AND TALKED ABOUT THE
IMPORTANCE OF THE ECONOMIES
BOUNCING OFF OF EACH OTHER.
WHERE DO YOU SEE THAT GOING IN
THE FUTURE?
>> WELL, IT'S ENCOURAGING AND
IT'S NICE TO SEE A GOVERNOR THAT
HAS AN INTEREST IN HIS NUMBER
ONE TRADING PARTNER.
UM, ARIZONA TWRASD MEXICO ABOUT
$16 BILLION A YEAR.
AND FOR ME, I COULDN'T FATHOM
THAT AN ARIZONA GOVERNOR HAD NOT
VISITED THE MEXICAN CAPITAL IN
OVER A DECADE.
SO, THAT WAS THE FIRST STEP THAT
HE TOOK TO RE-ESTABLISH THOSE
CONNECTIONS, TO BE ABLE TO
REENGAGE.
AND NOT ONLY AT A GOVERNMENT
LEVEL, BUT HE WENT DOWN WITH THE
DELEGATION OF 40 BUSINESS PEOPLE
FROM AROUND THE STATE.
AND REALLY PUT THEM TOGETHER
WITH THEIR PEERS TO START
TALKING, BECAUSE BUSINESS IS
DONE BETWEEN PEOPLE THAT ARE IN
BUSINESS.
BUSINESS IS NOT DONE WITH
GOVERNMENT TALKING TO INDUSTRY.
SO, THAT WAS THE PURPOSE OF THE
TRIP.
IT'S JUST THE FIRST PART OF WHAT
WE ENVISION FOR THE STATE.
WE ARE HAVING -- WE ARE PLANNING
A COUPLE OF DIFFERENT MEETINGS
AND EVENTS WITH INDUSTRY FROM
MEXICO AND ARIZONA TO TRY TO
ENGAGE THESE PEOPLE IN
CONVERSATIONS AND REALLY BE
SOMEBODY THAT CAN BRING THAT
BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT TO THE
STATE.
>> HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE
ARIZONA'S ECONOMIC PICTURE?
>> VERY ENCOURAGING.
I THINK WE ARE -- WE HAVE A
VERY, UM, UNIQUE GEOGRAPHICAL
LOCATION, WHICH IN THE WORLD
ECONOMY, IT'S PRIVILEGED.
BEING A BORDER STATE, IT'S A
HUGE ADVANTAGE, NOT A
DISADVANTAGE, AND IT'S -- AS A
REGION, I DON'T THINK -- I WOULD
FIND HARD TO THINK ABOUT ANOTHER
PLACE THAT WOULD RIVAL US
GEOGRAPHICALLY COMPARED TO WORLD
ECONOMICS.
>> SO OFTEN, WE HEAR THE ECONOMY
OF BOTH COUNTRIES DICTATE WHAT
HAPPENS HERE IN THE U.S.
IS THAT A TRUE STATEMENT?
>> YES, IN A SENSE.
IT IS DEFINITELY A COLLABORATIVE
EFFORT.
IT IS SOMETHING THAT AS A
REGION, WE HAVE TO DEVELOP
TOGETHER.
>> ARIZONA IS A HUGE TRADING
PARTNER WITH MEXICO.
DO YOU SEE THAT RELATIONSHIP
CONTINUING AND GROWING, GOING
BACK TO THAT MISSION THAT THE
ORGANIZATION HAD BACK 56 YEARS
AGO?
>> NO DOUBT.
JUST IN THE LAST QUARTER,
EXPORTS AND IMPORTS FROM AND TO
MEXICO HAVE GROWN BY OVER 20%.
THAT'S THE EXPECTED ANNUAL
GROWTH AS WELL.
YES, IT'S THEIR NUMBER ONE
TRADING PARTNER WITH $16 BILLION
OF TRADE, BUT IF YOU PUT THINGS
INTO PERSPECTIVE THAT IS ONLY
ABOUT 8% WHAT TEXAS TRADES WITH
NEXT DLOECHL ARE STATES LIKE
MICHIGAN AND ILLINOIS THAT TRADE
MORE WITH MEXICO THAN ARIZONA
DOES.
SO THERE'S A LOT OF ROOM TO
GROW.
MEXICO'S A GROWING ECONOMY.
IT'S MIDDLE CLASS WITH
PURCHASING POWER AND LIKING
GOODS THAT ARE MANUFACTURED IN
THE U.S.
IT'S LARGER THAN THE ENTIRE
POPULATION OF CANADA.
SO AS THE CONSUMER MARKET FOR
ARIZONA COMPANIES, IT'S A PRIME
MARKET.
>> AND NOW BACK TO THE HISPANIC
MARKET OUTLOOK.
THE TUCSON HISPANIC CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE RELEASED ITS REPORT ON
TUESDAY AND THE KEYNOTE SPEAER
AT THE EVENT TRAVELLED IN FROM
AUSTIN, TEXAS.
MARK RODRIGUEZ, THE IMMEDIATE
PAST PRESIDENT OF THE CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE, THANK YOU FOR BEING
HERE.
WELCOME.
>> TALK ABOUT THE TUCSON MARKET,
UP THERE WITH MOST CHAMBERS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY?
>> MOST DEFINITE LABOR DAY THE
REASON I CAME TODAY.
I LIKE TO GO WHERE THE ACTION
IS.
THERE'S A LOT OF ACTION HERE
WITH YOUR TUCSON HISPANIC
CHAMBER.
THE EVENT SCENE IS HISPANIC
MARKET OUTLOOK AND I'M GOING TO
TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT
THAT -- WHAT THAT MEANS ON A
NATIONAL LEVEL, BUT IT'S ALSO
SPECIFIC TO TUCSON AS AN AREA
THAT IS GROWING, THAT HAS A
SIGNIFICANT HISPANIC
ENTREPRENEUR SPIRIT, IT HAS
CORPORATIONS THAT UNDERSTAND THE
ECONOMICS OF THE NEW
DEMOGRAPHIC.
AND ITS PROXIMITY TO OUR
NEIGHBOR, MEXICO.
ALL THAT TOGETHER MAKES IT
PRETTY INTERESTING FORMULA AND
I'M GLAD TO SPEND TIME HERE
TODAY, ALL DAY REALLY, HERE IN
TUCSON, AS THE IMMEDIATE PAST
CHAIR OF THE UNITED STATES
HISPANIC CHAMBER OF COMMERCE.
>> WHAT IS IT ABOUT THE HISPANIC
POPULATION IN THE COUNTRY THAT
IS JUST BOOMING WITH THAT
ENTREPRENEURIAL SPIRIT THAT YOU
ARE TALKING ABOUT?
>> IF YOU LOOK AT UNOFFICIAL
STATISTICS SHOWING AN HISPANIC
ENTREPRENEUR RATE OF 3:1 IN THE
COUNTRY, ONE IS EVERYBODY ELSE.
YOUR IMMIGRANT ENTREPRENEUR RATE
IS 6:1.
70,000 LATINOS TURN 18 EVERY
MONTH.
SO, IF YOU'RE THE VP OF FORD, IF
YOU'RE THE VP OF DUNKIN' DONUTS,
IF YOU RUN THE REPUBLICAN
NATIONAL COMMITTEE OR THE
DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE,
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE WORKING
LONG IF DON'T PAY ATTENTION TO
THOSE STATISTICS.
AND THAT'S WHAT'S GOING ON ON A
NATIONAL LEVEL.
THE HISPANIC ENTREPRENEUR IS
MORE THAN A MARKET.
IT'S ABOUT THE COMMITMENT TO
DIVERSITY.
IT'S ABOUT THE COMMITMENT.
TO A NEW ECONOMY.
I USED TO SAY THE NEW
DEMOGRAPHIC A LOT, IT'S PRETTY
OBVIOUS, WE ARE THE NEW
DEMOGRAPHIC, AS A POPULATION.
I'VE CHANGED THAT A LITTLE BIT.
I LIKE THE PHRASE DEMOGRAPHIC OF
THE NEW ECONOMY.
WITH AN ENTREPRENEUR RATE OF
3:1, YOU HAVE A NEW ECONOMY.
WE ARE ARE PAYING THOSE BILLS
FOR THE AMERICAN ECONOMY AND PAY
THE FUTURE BILLS FOR AMERICA'S
ECONOMY.
HOTBEDS SUCH AS TUCSON AND THE
ARIZONA ECONOMIC MARKET IN SPITE
OF PREVIOUS CONTROVERSY, IN
SPITE OF PREVIOUS CON THROW
--
--
CONTROVERSY, THE ECONOMY IS
BOOMING.
>> HOW DOES THE BORDER ECONOMY
PLAY INTO IT?
>> ALTHOUGH VERY POLITICAL,
THAT'S WHY I SAY TRADE WITH OUR
NEIGHBOR, BUSINESS WITH OUR
NEIGHBOR, I DON'T EVEN SAY
INTERNATIONAL TRADE, OKAY?
BEING FROM TEXAS, IT'S SOMETHING
THAT WE HAVE DONE WELL.
ARIZONA HAS HAD -- DUE TO SOME
PREVIOUS CONTROVERSY, CHAMBERS
OF COMMERCE, LIKE THE TUCSON
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, LEAH
MARQUEZ PETERSON AND
PROFESSIONAL STAFF, FANTASTIC
LEADERSHIP AND VOLUNTEERS DON'T
VIEW THAT AS A CHALLENGE, THEY
VIEW IT AS AN OPPORTUNITY AND
I'M JUST SO ENENLIGHTENED AND
HAPPY THAT OTHER CHAMBERS HAVE
THEIR LOCALS UP ON THE WEBSITE
OF THE TUCSON CHAMBER OF
COMMERCE.
SO, WHAT YOU SEE IS THE
COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE FROM
TUCSON TO THIS BORDER, WHICH IS
REALLY JUST A CHECKPOINT ON
BUSINESS WITH OUR NEIGHBOR.
>> WHO IS THE HISPANIC
ENTREPRENEUR?
WHAT DOES HE OR SHE LOOK LIKE?
>> HE OR SHE, IT'S ALL -- ALL
SHADES, COLORS, SIZES.
THERE'S THE NON-HISPANIC
ENTREPRENEUR THAT WANTS TO BE
THE HISPANIC ENTREPRENEUR.
IT'S JUST -- HISPANIC
ENTREPRENEURISM IS A SPIRIT.
IT'S A COMMITMENT.
YES, WE HAVE TO PAY QUARTERLY
TAXES, BUT WE'RE CREATING JOBS
EVERY SINGLE DAY WE GO TO WORK.
HOWEVER, AS A CULTURE, WE SEE
THINGS A LITTLE DIFFERENT,
RIGHT?
WE ARE USED TO A LITTLE BIT MORE
DRAMA.
WE ARE USED TO 40 PEOPLE AT OUR
HOUSE ON THANKSGIVING.
WE ARE USED TO GOING A LITTLE --
A LITTLE FURTHER FOR THAT OLDER
GENERATION, WHICH IS DEFINITELY
PART OF OUR GROWING POPULATION.
HOWEVER, YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE
HISPANIC TO BE PART OF THIS
BOOM.
ALL YOU NEED IS A COMMITMENT TO
THE DEMOGRAPHIC AND THE ECONOMY.
I THINK MAJOR CORPORATIONS ARE
STARTING TO REALIZE THAT, DAY
IN, DAY OUT.
WE ARE CHANGING AS A COUNTRY.
WE ARE CHANGING AS AN ECONOMY.
AND BEV TO STAY ON THE FOOTBALL
FIELD, STAY COMMITTED TO THAT
BORK AND IT TAKES WORK AND AN
ENTREPRENEUR KNOWS EXACTLY WHAT
A LONG DAY MEANS.
>> LOCAL, NATIONAL BUSINESS, CAN
THEY AFFORD TO IGNORE THE
HISPANICS?
>> I DON'T THINK SOCIAL,
CULTURAL OR POLITICAL COMPONENTS
OF THIS COUNTRY CAN -- CAN
IGNORE THE HISPANIC POPULATION,
SIMPLY BECAUSE THEY CAN'T
SURVIVE WITHOUT THE HISPANIC
POPULATION.
I MEAN, THE UNOFFICIAL RESULT,
70,000 LATINOS TURN 18 EVERY
MONTH.
WE ARE THE FASTEST GROWING
SEGMENT OF AMERICA'S POPULATION.
THE NON-HISPANIC WHITE
POPULATION WILL NO LONGER BE 50%
BY THE YEAR 2042.
WITH PEOPLE LIKE ME HAVING FOUR
DAUGHTERS, I THINK WE ARE GOING
TO HIT THAT NUMBER QUICKER.
BUT IT'S A SPIRIT AND THE
COMMITMENT THAT MANY PEOPLE IN
THIS COUNTRY ARE DEDICATED TO IN
SPITE OF THE CONTROVERSY.
IN SPITE OF THE RHETORIC.
IN SPITE OF THE CHALLENGES THAT
ARE OUT THERE.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS
OPPORTUNITY.
WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT IS
CREATION OF WEALTH.
WE ARE LOOKING AT OPPORTUNITY,
CREATION OF JOBS.
THAT DEFINITELY BENEFIT THE
WHOLE ECONOMY, FOR EXAMPLE, OF
TUCSON AND SOUTHERN ARIZONA, BUT
THE HISPANIC ENTREPRENEUR IS
ALSO BENEFITING THE WHOLE
AMERICAN ECONOMY.
WE ARE PAYING THE BILLS.
>> ARE HISPANICS STILL SCEPTICAL
OF GETTING INTO THE BUSINESS
WORLD?
>> SURE.
I THINK IF YOU TALK TO A COUPLE
OF MY AUNTS AND UNCLE SUNCLES,
LITTLE SCARY.
QUARTERLY TAXES SCARE THE
MULTIMILLIONAIRE, IT SURE IS
GOING TO SCARE THE ENTREPRENEUR.
WE ARE JUST NOT ESTABLISHING
RESTAURANTS.
WE ARE ESTABLISHING TECHNOLOGY
COMPANIES.
WE ARE ESTABLISHING SERVICE
COMPANIES.
WE ARE DEFINITELY SIGNIFICANTLY
IN THE FINANCIAL SERVICES,
INSURANCE AND BANKING SECTORS.
WHAT I ALSO SEE IS A LOT MORE
HISPANIC ENTREPRENEUR AND
INTEREST IN THE HARD SECTORS OF
OIL AND GAS, THE HARD SECTORS OF
WATER AND RESOURCE DEVELOPMENT,
BILLION DOLLAR TRAIN DEVELOPMENT
IN A STATE LIKE CALIFORNIA.
YOU WANT TO HELP A LATINO?
BUY CONCRETE.
WE ARE GOING TO BE ON THIS
FOOTBALL FIELD FROM NOW TO THE
END OF TIME.
AND IT'S CHANGING AND WE HAVE
GOT TO CHANGE WITH IT AND WE
HAVE TO BE FLEXIBLE, BUT WE HAVE
TO REALIZE THAT COMMITMENT, LIKE
I WAS TALKING ABOUT, STAYING ON
THE FOOTBALL FIELD.
>> WHAT DOES THE FUTURE LOOK
LIKE?
>> THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT.
BUT IT'S GOING TO TAKE A LOT OF
HARD WORK.
WHAT'S SO IMPORTANT IN THE
BUSINESS WORLD, IN MY OPINION,
IS STAYING ON THE FOOTBALL
FIELD.
YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO PUNT
ONCE IN A WHILE.
IT'S OKAY.
YOU'RE NOT GOING TO GET A FIRST
DOWN EVERY TIME.
BUT YOU HAVE TO STAY ON THE
FOOTBALL FIELD.
YOU HAVE TO STAY ON THE FOOTBALL
FIELD.
WE HAVE TO BE HISPANIC
ENTREPRENEURS THAT ARE PRESENTLY
IN BUSINESS HAVE TO HELP BRING
UP OTHER HISPANIC ENTREPRENEURS.
AT THE SAME TIME, WE HAVE TO
HELP EACH OTHER REALIZE THAT WE
DON'T HAVE NECESSARILY ALL THE
ACUMEN THAT A MAINSTREAM
ENTREPRENEUR HAS BUT RATHER BE
AN EXCUSE, LET'S HELP EACH OTHER
TO GET THAT ACUMEN, TO GO SEE
THE BANKER, TO WRITE THE
BUSINESS PLAN, TO VOTE, YOU
KNOW, ALL OF THAT IS IMPORTANT.
IF WE DO THAT, THE FUTURE IS
VERY, VERY BRIGHT.
>> IF YOU'D LIKE TO SEE THE
HISPANIC MARKET OUTLOOK REPORT,
WE HAVE PUBLISHED IT ON OUR
WEBSITE, AZWEEK.COM.
NEXT WEEK, JOIN US AS WE EXPLORE
WORLD HEALTH CARE IN ARIZONA AND
HOW THE CLOSURE OF THE DOUGLAS
HOSPITAL WILL IMPACT THAT
COMMUNITY.
FOR ALL OF US AT ARIZONA PUBLIC
MEDIA, I'M LORRAINE RIVERA.