Port San Antonio announced earlier this week major expansions could bring new talent to the former Air Force base, and the San Antonio Hispanic Chamber of Commerce — which moved its headquarters to the Port SA in February — is fully on board with the workforce development mission.
The SAHCC's new facility at 3006 General Hudnell Drive has helped the Chamber boost its connections with industries like cybersecurity and aerospace that are booming at the Port and across the region, according to President and CEO Marina Gonzales.
Each of the upcoming Port projects will bring local jobs and movement to the area during development — and bring new individuals and companies to San Antonio, she said. One project, a new multi-story office building, may attract small businesses and entrepreneurs from across the city to "set up shop."
A diverse population of tenants offers networking opportunities to the Chamber in different sectors that were maybe less accessible before.
Since the Chamber's mission prioritizes education, Gonzales said it offers leadership development programs such as CORE4 STEM, one of the largest STEM conferences in San Antonio geared toward 7th and 8th grade students. This year, the conference will be hosted at the new Tech Port Center and Arena, which opened in April.
Gonzales said she continues to see one of the Chamber's roles as providing information and opportunities to members about doing business with the Port.
"As the area continues to develop, so will the need for businesses supporting the development," Gonzales said. "We want to make sure our small, minority and locally owned companies have the information to bid and be considered for those opportunities."
The purpose of the Port's expansion was to bring industries together from all over the city to partner with Port San Antonio on these upcoming projects, she noted.
Between now and August, Port San Antonio and the Hispanic Chamber will also be hosting workshops for local businesses to learn how to do business with the port, and will include business-to-business matching for small businesses to work alongside larger companies, Gonzales told the Journal.
