Hispanic Chamber promotes executive director to president and CEO

Guillermo Cisneros Courtesy West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

The West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce board of directors promoted Guillermo Cisneros to president and CEO.

The board of the West Michigan Hispanic Chamber of Commerce (WMHCC), which is based in Grand Rapids, said last week that it promoted executive director Guillermo Cisneros to president and CEO of the organization due to his “outstanding performance” in his leadership role during the past four years.

As executive director, Cisneros grew the organization from two employees (himself and an administrative assistant) to eight team members and three interns. From 2017-21, the WMHCC budget increased from $200,000 to $1.2 million, and Cisneros’ vision for growth and program development led to the development of three key initiatives:

  • Transformando West Michigan: This program works with local Latinx business owners to improve processes through the knowledge, resources and cohorts provided by the Hispanic Chamber.
  • Building Bridges Through Education: This initiative partners with local colleges and corporations to create a pipeline that connects local Latinx talent with area employers.
  • The Accounting Initiative: This offering, which is launching soon, will aim to create solid financial structures that will allow growth and access to capital for Latinx businesses.

“Guillermo’s vision for West Michigan is to change the systems in place in order to level the playing field for Latinx businesses and communities of color in general — goals that will be achieved through the relationships he has developed with the WMHCC and the community,” said Caryn Zavala, board president.

Cisneros’ community involvement includes serving on several task forces and committees in Grand Rapids and representing the WMHCC on various boards, including the Grand Action 2.0 executive board of directors, The Economic Club of Grand Rapids, and The Economic Development Corporation and Brownfield Redevelopment Authority board for the city of Grand Rapids.