About Chamber of the Americas
The Chamber of the Americas is a not-for-profit organization with a simple, profoundly important goal: To help you make the most of your business opportunity in the Americas. The Chamber’s mission is to facilitate commerce and understanding between the businesses and governments of the Western Hemisphere. We connect industries, businesses, and investors with each other, and with the government sector, and disseminate the information, education and cultural knowledge vital to the advancement of our collective goals.Our History
Through trade missions, educational classes and other initiatives,
the Chamber facilitates your business contacts, promotes international
networking and encourages cultural understanding. We connect you
to the people, governments and companies that drive current and
emerging cross-border opportunities in the Americas.
A few years from now, the world will be wondering how certain firms
were poised to seize the opportunity in the Americas so quickly
and easily. Will you be one of those companies? The answer is "yes"
if you have the foresight to become a member of COTA today. It’s
easy.
Our Team
Managing Director and Senior Strategist, Hispanidad
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Laura Sonderup is the Director of U.S. Hispanic Marketing at Heinrich Marketing, Inc., a full-service advertising agency headquartered in Denver, Colorado. Laura’s division, Hispanidad, focuses on helping companies communicate with Hispanic consumers via culturally relevant marketing, advertising and messaging. As Director, she determines optimal multicultural communication strategies and manages the development and execution of marketing messages targeting domestic Hispanic consumers, as well as those in Mexico and Latin America. In addition, Laura coaches a number of regional and national organizations in cultural competency curriculums, including the Colorado State Patrol, Colorado Department of Transportation, Utah Highway Safety Office, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, and the U.S. Army National Guard. Laura is a recognized ethnic marketing expert and is frequently featured as a speaker at national and international conferences. Her writings on the subject have been featured in USA Today, US Industry Today, IFA Franchising World, ColoradoBiz, Advertising & Marketing Review and DirectLine. In 2007, the American Bar Association published her white paper, “The Business of Immigrant Markets: Providing Access to Financial Services” — a guide to understanding the legal ramifications of serving undocumented individuals within the financial services industry. She serves as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of The Chamber of the Americas and sits on the Board of Advisors of U.S. Travel Professionals of Color. She is an active member of the Denver Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, National Council of La Raza (NCLR), Colorado Business Committee for the Arts (CBCA), The Rocky Mountain Direct Marketing Association (RMDMA) and the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies and mentors an at-risk Latina with Save Our Youth. |
President and CEO, Chamber of the Americas
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As president and CEO of the Chamber of the Americas, Denver, Colorado, Gil Cisneros is responsible for day-to-day operations. He is also President of the Chamber of the Americas Foundation. Gil co-founded the Chamber of the Americas in 2001. In 1993, he co-founded the U.S.-Mexico Chamber of Commerce, Rocky Mountain Region, and was first president and then executive director until April 30, 2001. As president of Grupo Cisneros Internacional, Denver, Colorado, an international consulting firm, Cisneros helps U.S. companies develop Latin American markets. With his broad range of contacts on both continents, he is also able to assist foreign firms wanting to export to the United States. In August of 2002, Hispanic Magazine recognized Gil with the 2002 Hispanic Achievement Award, “U.S.-Latin American Friendship Award.” The Mexican Government honored him as Businessman of the Year for the Rocky Mountain Region, 2000. In 1991, Hispanic Business Magazine honored Gil as one of the most influential Hispanics in the United States. In 2007, the Institute of International Education presented Gil with “Global Colorado Award.” Prior to his position with the U.S.-Mexico Chamber, he enjoyed a seven-year term as regional administrator, United States Small Business Administration, Rocky Mountain Region, serving both presidents Reagan and Bush 41. Previously, he was community relations field manager, Rocky Mountain States, Adolph Coors Company, Golden, Colorado, and executive director, Denver Minority Business Development Center. Gil also co-founded the Chicano Education Project in 1972 and was its co-director for 10 years. Gil is the former Vice Chairman of the board of directors of the North American Institute, Santa Fe, New Mexico. He serves on the advisory board of the BNSL (Bi-national Sustainable Laboratory), based in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, which promotes economic development on the U.S.-Mexico Border. Gil also serves on the board of directors of the Colorado Community Colleges Foundation and the Ports to Plains Trade Corridor. He was recently appointed to be a director of the Institute of Mexicans Abroad working with the Economic Development Commission. He is currently an ad-hoc member of the District Export Council for the Colorado/Wyoming Office of the U.S. Department of Commerce. He is a member of the International Development Committee, World Trade Center, Denver; former state chairman, Colorado Republican National Hispanic Assembly, Denver, and was a vice-chairman of the John McCain campaign for president in Colorado, and a former member of the board of directors, Latin American Management Association, Washington, D.C. Gil received his BA from Adams State College in 1970 and his MA from the University of Colorado in 1972. Gil is a Vietnam veteran having served in the U.S. Navy from 1962-1966. Gil and Rosie Cisneros reside in Golden, Colorado.
Gilberto (Gil) M. Cisneros |
Chairman Emeritus, Chamber of the Americas
With a vision for building a company that would take direct response marketing to a new level of excellence and international respect, George Heinrich founded Heinrich Marketing 25 years ago. Today, the company is an internationally acclaimed, full-service direct marketing and advertising agency specializing in customer acquisition and retention for its clients. With deep roots in financial services direct marketing, Heinrich is master of a broad spectrum of advertising disciplines and serves clients across many industries and international borders. Heinrich Marketing’s services include strategic and creative development, marketing research and response analysis. The agency’s exceptional work in direct mail, print advertising and web development has earned relationships with some of the best-known companies in the Western Hemisphere, including First Data Corporation, Wells Fargo, Federated Department Stores, Visa®, Banorte Bank of Mexico, Citibank Puerto Rico, GE Capital and many others. Heinrich Marketing is headquartered in Denver, Colorado, with a satellite office in Mexico City. This office assists clients in Mexico and throughout Latin America with marketing in their own countries and with efforts that extend beyond their borders. Heinrich’s United States Hispanidad division specializes in marketing to the Latino population in the United States, which has grown by an incredible 60% in the past decade alone. Equally important, Heinrich Hispanidad assists Western Hemisphere companies outside the U.S. that wish to market their products and services in the United States. In addition to his role as President and Owner of Heinrich Marketing, George Heinrich is also the founder and Chairman Emeritus of the Board of the Chamber of the Americas. Click here to learn more about Heinrich Marketing or call 1-303-239-5216. |
and Committee Leaders
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: ERIC ATWOOD GERMAN CEREZO, COTA Vice President for Guatemala GIL CISNEROS, COTA President/CEO DR. JOHN COCHRAN BRADFORD COOKE PAT CORTEZ, COTA Senior Vice President ADELA DURAN EDUARDO A. FORTUNATO, COTA Vice President for Brazil STEPHEN GOTTESFELD GEORGE P. HEINRICH, COTA Chairman Emeritus KENNETH D. (KEN) HUBBARD, COTA General Counsel JOE KIELY CARLOS KLINGER, COTA Vice President and Treasurer FRANCISCO E. MIRAVAL, COTA Vice President and Secretary NORMA MOZEE, COTA Secretary of the Board MICHAEL MUNOZ JUAN MANUEL GONZALEZ OLGUIN ARQ. XAVIER ORENDAIN SR. JUAN FERNANDO PERDOMO, COTA Vice President for Mexico TED R. RIEPLE JORGE SANCHEZ LAURA SONDERUP, COTA Chair AWILDA MERCADO TORRES PAUL ZECCHI COTA BOARD OF ADVISORS: CONSUL DE COSTA RICA CONSUL GENERAL DE MEXICO CONSUL GENERAL DE NICARAGUA CONSUL GENERAL DE PERU CONSUL GENERAL DE URUGUAY CONSULATE OF CANADA EMBASSY OF BRAZIL EMBASSY OF COSTA RICA EMBASSY OF THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC EMBASSY OF MEXICO JUAN CARLOS NAVARRO EMBASSY OF PERU AMB. ANDRES ROZENTAL DR. JOHN U. TREFNY COMMITTEE LEADERSHIP: LEONARD HARRIS PUBLIC RELATIONS/AFFAIRS: FRANCISCO E. MIRAVAL |