A Message From the VAHCC President The Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is vital to all Virginians. This is your organization. Make your voice heard and get involved in Chamber membership, educational programming, or community outreach activities through the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Foundation. I encourage you not just to join, but to take an active role. Connect with us, join us, and grow with us. Michel Zajur, President & CEO

Michel Zajur was born in Mexico City, Mexico. He moved to Richmond, Virginia in the early 1960’s. His family opened a restaurant in the 1960’s and introduced the citizens of Richmond to Mexican cuisine. Michel was an integral part of this business and was instrumental in presenting Latin American foods to Richmond. www.lasiestarestaurant.com

Michel and his wife, Lisa, opened to the public over twenty years ago a cultural program for school children so they could experience the Hispanic culture and to motivate them to speak the Spanish language. This organization was known as Siesta Town and served over 100,000 school children throughout Virginia. Siesta Town was so successful in that they have now expanded their organization now known as the Spanish Academy and Cultural Institute. This business not only serves school age students for cultural and educational purposes, but includes many Fortune Five Hundred business organizations, governmental institutions and the United States military facilities. The Spanish Academy and Cultural Institute specializes in developing and offering products and services to businesses to help them learn Spanish and the Hispanic culture. www.spanishwithin.com

Michel founded the Virginia Hispanic Chamber of Commerce in May, 2000. The VAHCC serves as a bridge linking the Hispanic community with the community-at-large in Virginia. He developed the Chamber into a powerful state-wide organization with hundreds of businesses and individuals being members. The Virginia Hispanic Foundation was brought into existence during the formative years of the Chamber and is now an integral entity of its own offering education and resources to the Hispanic community, mentorship programs, loan programs, legal assistance, Small Business Administration seminars, economic endeavors and much more. www.vahcc.com

Michel and the Chamber have branded many state wide events that thousands attend each year (for over 8 years) to help promote Hispanic awareness and business opportunities, these are

Que Pasa Festival. www.quepasafestival.com.

Feria Job Fair. www.feriajobfair.com

The Hispanic Gala. www.Thehispanicgala.com

All have their own purposes and have been successful and grown for over eight years.

Appointments

         Michel Zajur has served on many boards governmental appointments. Some of these are:

• 2001- appointed by Congressman Eric Cantor to the Congressional Safety and Security Council
• 2002- appointed by Governor Mark Warner to the Commission on National and Community Service
• 2003- appointed to Governor Mark Warner’s Latino Advisory Commission where he chaired the Business Issues Committee in 2004
• 2005- appointed to Governor Tim Kaine’s Governor’s Latino Advisory Board
• 2006- appointed to Governor Tim Kaine’s Governor’s Economic Development Steering Committee
  
• 2006 - Served on the Congressional Safety and Security Council
  
• 2006 - Served on the Chesterfield County Blue Ribbon Committee Economic Development
• 2007- appointed by Attorney General Bob McDonald to the Government and Regulatory Reform Task Force
• 2007 - Appointed to the Virginia Crime Commission
• 2009 - appointed to Governor McDonnell's transition team

Service on Current and Past Board of Directors Sorensen Institute for Political Leadership, Lead Virginia, The Retail Merchants Association, The Red Cross, United Way, Catholic Charities, Richmond Memorial Health Foundation, National Latino Coalition, The Richmond Chamber of Commerce, The Performing Arts Foundation, The Virginia Latino Advisory Board, The Richmond Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau, Bon Secours Health System, Venture Richmond Robins School of Business                                                              Executive Advisor board

In the News Click on the cover of Metro Business of the Richmond Times-Dispatch for a Fall 2009 profile on Mr. Zajur.