Calling a workplace a “family” has become cliché — so overused it has lost the weight of true togetherness.
That’s not the case at the Statewide Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of New Jersey, where familia is more than a word. It’s the essence of everything the chamber does.
That spirit was on full display Thursday night at the Legacy Palace in Pompton Plains, during the group’s annual gala — a festive occasion that set a high bar for celebration.
The sense of familia began with CEO Carlos Medina, who reflected on a year marked by personal loss. He told the audience that the chamber’s support carried him through.
“As much as this year was very difficult, I also realized that there’s a family you choose, like all of you here today,” he said. “And that family really uplifted me in a way that was unexpected.”
Each speaker and honoree echoed that theme.
- Deb Visconi, CEO of Bergen New Bridge Medical Center and Latina Community Advocate of the Year, thanked her colleagues as she always does — but reserved her deepest gratitude for her mother, her guiding inspiration.
- Alberto Garofalo, head of Bank of America in New Jersey and Latino Trailblazer of the Year, honored the women in his life — his mother, wife, and two daughters — and spoke of his commitment to ensuring the bank serves communities in need.
- Roly Acosta, presenting the inaugural Juan Gutierrez Resilience & Excellence Award, shared the moving story of his father, who as a teenager was part of Operation Pedro Pan, the secret airlift that helped 14,000 Cuban children escape the country.
- Andres Acebo, president of New Jersey City University and the award’s first recipient, was visibly humbled. His father also fled Cuba in search of a better life. “I don’t believe I fully have earned this recognition,” Acebo said. “But I accept it humbly as fuel to be worthy.”
The evening’s most emotional moment came from Maria Neives and Miguel Menez, owners of Las Marias Delicias Poblanas Restaurant in New Brunswick, honored as Business of the Year.
In a video, Neives recounted the struggles she and her husband faced after arriving in the U.S. She credited SHCCNJ — and specifically Chairman Luis De La Hoz — with guiding their nearly 10‑year journey.
“He is the angel that God placed in our path,” she said. “Without knowing who we were, he showed us the way.”
Her words drew a standing ovation. They should have. Las Marias is a true American success story, personifying the resilience of Hispanic business owners across the state.
De La Hoz used the moment to remind the audience of the importance of supporting small businesses every day.
“Remember, 90% of businesses are micro businesses — they have fewer than 10 full‑time employees,” he said. “Entrepreneurship is the best way we have to overcome poverty. Please support small businesses every single day if you can. The little dollars you spend at a restaurant or with any service from our community mean more if it’s a family business.”
He closed with a message of resilience: “We overcame the financial crisis. We overcame the pandemic and natural disasters. No matter what happens, we will figure it out. Please support each other.”
Because that’s what familia does.
