Business
CEO of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando Meets with Business and Political Leaders in Puerto Rico
ORLANDO, Fla – Gaby Ortigoni, President and CEO of the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando (HCCMO), visited Puerto Rico to continue developing relationships with business and government leaders, as part of their mission to drive economic growth by strengthening Hispanic businesses in Central Florida.
Most of HCCMO efforts with Puerto Rico are focused on the southern region, as the recent earthquakes severely impacted this area in addition to the hurricanes, economic crisis, and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Thanks to the partnerships HCCMO is building with the Cámara de Comercio del Sur de Puerto Rico, Ortigoni met top business and government leaders in San Juan, Ponce, Lajas, and Juana Diaz. She also met with Pedro Zorrilla, CEO at GFR Media and former HCCMO Board Member, with whom HCCMO is also developing alliances to promote the economic relations between Puerto Rico and Central Florida.
Hispanics drive over 30 percent of Central Florida’s economy. Puerto Ricans represent more than 50 percent of this economic force in our region. The multiple daily direct flights from the Orlando International Airport to Puerto Rico, the exodus of hundreds of thousands of Puerto Ricans to Central Florida over the last three decades, and Central Florida’s fertile ecosystem for small business owners and professionals are some of the key factors that make Central Florida and Puerto Rico strategic business partners.
Salvador F. Rovira, President-Elect, and Jessica Fernandez, Executive Director of the Cámara de Comercio del Sur de Puerto Rico, coordinated strategic meetings to solidify the partnerships between their Chamber and HCCMO. Juan Quiroga, JCQ Services CEO, HCCMO board member; Justin Nickerson, and James Tattersall from Tavistock Development Company, organizers of the Lake Nona Flavors of Puerto Rico in partnership with HCCMO, also visited the Island with HCCMO during this business trip.
Ortigoni also met with prominent political leaders of the island like José Luis Dalmau, President of the Senate of Puerto Rico; Rafael “Tatito” Hernandez, President of the House of Representative of Puerto Rico; Jayson I. Martínez Maldonado, Mayor of the city of Lajas; Luis M. Irizarry Pabón, Mayor of Ponce; Francisco Rodríguez Alier, City Administrator; Jean Paul González, Director of Economic Development; Annette Rodríguez, Esq., Director of Legal Division and Marisaida Morales, Mayor’s Assistant; Anibal Acevedo Vilá, former Governor of Puerto Rico and host of Anibal Podcast; Luis Gierbolini, Esq., President; Cameron McKenzie, President-Elect; and Teresita Santiago, Board Member, Cámara de Comercio de Puerto Rico.
Business and cultural leaders in the meetings included Iván Rodríguez and Yashi Ruiz Bonet, Director and Regional Director of tourism company Porta Caribe; Rodroherick Correa, President, Global Mattress, one of the largest mattress manufacturers in the island with showrooms both there and in Central Florida; Oscar Misla Villalba, Owner/President, and Noris Torres Santiago, Vice-President & CFO, Ciracet Healthcare Innovation Center; Francés Torruella, founder of the Castillo Serrallés Museum; L. Derek Fleming, President, FB Property Group; Fernando J. Rodríguez, President, Prime Janitorial; Abel Misla Villalba, Architect and Vice President, Misla Villalba Engineers & Architects; Silmarie González Orengo y Juan C. Irizarry, owners of Hotel Parguera Plaza and organizers of the Festival de la Piña in La Parguera, Lajas; plastic artist Waded Alvarado, founder of Noches de Galeria in Ponce; and Yassette Rodríguez, General Manager, Hilton Ponce Golf & Casino Resort.
HCCMO will continue the strategic alliance with Puerto Rico with key events and initiatives that will be officially announced later this year.
The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando (HCCMO) is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to drive economic growth by strengthening Hispanic businesses in Central Florida.
Since 1993, HCCMO The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando is an epicenter for business acceleration – and a place where commerce happens every day. Members have access to exclusive benefits, programs, and events focused on three pillars – Commerce, Coaching, and Community Building. With more than 1,450 members, it is one of the largest in the region and one of the most recognized Hispanic chambers in the nation.
For more information about the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, please visit hccmo.org or call 407-428-5870.
Florida National News and FNN News en Español will provide on-site coverage of the Hispanic Heritage Month celebration at Cranes Roost Park.
ALTAMONTE SPRINGS, Fla. (FNN) — Hola at the Park will bring Hispanic culture, local businesses and live entertainment to Cranes Roost Park on Saturday, Oct. 3, from 2 to 6 p.m.
Hosted by the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando and presented by AdventHealth, the event celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month through food, entertainment, entrepreneurship and community connections.
According to the chamber’s event announcement, admission is free, the celebration is open to the community and no registration is required.
FNN to Spotlight Businesses and Community Voices
Florida National News and FNN News en Español, official media sponsors, will be on location covering the festivities.
The FNN team will spotlight chamber representatives, sponsors, participating businesses and community leaders, while sharing attendees’ perspectives throughout the afternoon.
Coverage will highlight the people, businesses and cultural traditions contributing to the celebration.
Photo: Florida National News
Food, Entertainment and Family Activities
The chamber’s announcement lists authentic cuisine, live entertainment, local businesses, wellness experiences, community resources, networking and family-friendly activities among the event’s offerings.
Attendees will have opportunities to explore Hispanic traditions, connect with entrepreneurs and learn about organizations serving Central Florida.
Photo: Florida National News
A Waterfront Setting in Uptown Altamonte
Cranes Roost Park, located in Uptown Altamonte, features a waterfront setting with scenic walkways around Cranes Roost Lake and the Eddie Rose Amphitheater and floating stage.
The park will serve as the gathering place for an afternoon celebrating Hispanic heritage and the connections between culture, business and community.
Event Details
- Date: Saturday, Oct. 3, 2026
- Time: 2–6 p.m. EDT
- Location: Cranes Roost Park, Altamonte Springs
- Host: Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando
- Presenting sponsor: AdventHealth
- Admission: Free and open to the community
- Registration: Not required
Photo: Florida National News
Vendor Inquiries
For information about vendor opportunities, contact the Hispanic Chamber of Metro Orlando at info@hispanicchamber.com or events@hispanicchamber.com.
The refrigerated lineup includes five single-serve dishes and two family-size meals.
BATAVIA, Ill. (FNN) — ALDI will begin rolling out seven ready-made meals in select stores in early October, with single-serve dishes priced under $8 and family-size options under $15. The grocer expects the full lineup to be available nationwide by January 2027.
The collection includes five single-serve meals: beef Bolognese spaghetti, beef brisket with white mac and cheese, butter chicken and rice, a chicken burrito bowl, and chicken fettuccine Alfredo. The two family-size dishes are chicken and bacon mac and cheese and a meat lovers pizza bake.
“Our shoppers are looking for meals that fit into busy lives,” said Joan Kavanaugh, vice president of national buying for ALDI U.S. She said the company developed the lineup with shoppers’ budgets and demand for convenient meals in mind.
Price and preparation
ALDI said the single-serve meals contain 30 to 46 grams of protein each. The family-size dishes contain 16 to 22 grams per serving. The company announced price limits for the two sizes but did not list a price for each individual meal.
“We tested hundreds of recipes as we developed this collection,” said Terry Jackson, head of food at Kitchen Food Company, ALDI’s supplier for the meals. Jackson said the team focused on flavor and ingredients while developing the dishes.
The meals are refrigerated, not frozen. ALDI says the single-serve dishes can be heated in a microwave, while the family-size meals are prepared in an oven. Shoppers should follow the directions on each package.
2026 Hispanic Chamber Hola at the Park. Uptown Altamonte Springs, Florida at beautiful Cranes Roost Park Saturday, October 3, 2026 (2:00 PM – 6:00 PM) (EDT)
When and where to find them
The meals will be stocked in the refrigerated meals section near the front of ALDI stores. Availability will vary during the rollout, which begins in select markets in early October and expands through the fall. ALDI also plans to offer additional meals through its limited-time ALDI Finds assortment each month over the following year. corporate.aldi.us
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