Hispanic Chamber Forms

NEW ROCHELLE (Journal News) October 16, 2004) - A dinner dance tomorrow night in New Rochelle will benefit an emerging chamber of commerce representing the interests of Hispanic businesspeople in the city.

City Councilman Roberto Lopez is president of the new organization, the Bellas Artes Business Council. Lopez runs Tostadas Quitupan, a Mexican deli on Union Avenue, and owns property in the city. Bellas Artes is Spanish for "high aspirations."

About 15 to 20 Hispanic businesses have joined the organization since its formation in recent weeks. Maria MuNoz-Kantha, a consultant and psychotherapist who serves as the council's first vice president, said at least 63 Hispanic businesses are based in New Rochelle.

Language barriers — many Hispanic business owners don't speak English — are a barrier to membership in the existing business group in the city, the New Rochelle Chamber of Commerce, MuNoz-Kantha said. She and Lopez added that a formal Hispanic group would be able to seek grants and loans from national organizations that could be used to help local businesses.

Their goals include facade improvements to storefronts in the west end of the business district where many Hispanic businesses are based. Lopez said he also is looking for sidewalk improvements, street cleanups, and perhaps the planting of a few trees.

Bellas Artes is looking to work with the local chamber, and welcomes non-Hispanics to join, Lopez said. Membership is available for $50.

MuNoz-Kantha said she hoped the new group would raise the profile of Spanish businesses in the city.

"We want the non-Hispanic community to look at our stores, our businesses," she said.

Anyone interested in joining may contact Lopez at 914-469-3575. Tomorrow's dinner dance starts at 6 p.m. at Juliano's Catering Hall at 700 Main St. Admission is $65 per person.

The National Association of Securities Dealers levied a $14,000 fine against Austin Securities Inc. of Forest Hills, Queens, and its president, Brian R. Mitchell of Granite Springs. Mitchell employed a person at the company whose registration with NASD had expired because he failed to complete a continuing education requirement, the NASD said. Mitchell said yesterday that the company had taken steps to ensure that education requirements are kept current, and he said the charges did not involve activities with clients. In an unrelated action, the NASD suspended Coastal Financial Security Inc. of Orangeburg from membership in NASD for failing to comply with its requests for financial information. Coastal's telephone number was out of service and officials could not be reached for response.

Traffix Inc. of Pearl River said yesterday that it had a third-quarter net loss of $124,300, or 1 cent a share, on net revenue of $10.2 million. For the comparable quarter a year earlier, it had net income of $662,000, or 5 cents a share, on net revenue of $8.5 million. The company provides on-line direct marketing and database management.

The New York state Office of General Services approved a five-year contract with a Dutchess County business to provide telephone and other communications equipment and services to local governments and certain agencies in three regions of the state that include Westchester, Rockland and Putnam counties. Superior Telephone of Salt Point will offer Vodavi Communications Systems Inc. equipment at costs below what could be obtained outside of the state contract.