ORLANDO, Fla.—September 17, 2009—Yesterday, during its Annual Success Stories Luncheon in Orlando, the Hispanic Business Initiative Fund (HBIF) announced its three Success Stories winners for 2009. Juan Chirinos, owner of Rinse Cleaners, Luis Restrepo, owner of Professional Shoe Repair, and Martha and Alberto Santoni, founders of Santoni International Builders are the winners being recognized for their excellence as small business owners and leaders in the Central Florida community. Florida Chief Financial Officer and Democratic Gubernatorial candidate Alex Sink, the keynote speaker for the event, congratulated the winners and spoke to the impact small businesses have on the state’s economy.
“Juan, Luis, Martha and Alberto are a reminder of the importance of small businesses and the unique influence they have on a region,” says HBIF president Ed Bustos. “HBIF exists to develop entrepreneurs into leaders, and we feel these winners represent everything we strive to accomplish as an organization.”
Juan Chirinos has been operating Rinse Cleaners since 2008. Rinse Cleaners implements state-of-the-art wet cleaning technology. Considered a cleaner more environmentally-friendly alternative to dry cleaning, wet cleaning utilizes computer controlled washing machines, biodegradable soaps and specialized pressing equipment to eliminates the usual harmful chemicals found in dry cleaning. A native of Venezuela, Chirinos came to the United States 14 years ago in search of the American dream. Chirinos has been working with HBIF for more than 12 years, receiving help with business and marketing plans, presenting his business plan to the bank, and obtaining the loan.
Professional Shoe Repair (PSR) has been in business for 10 years. Owner Luis Restrepo left his native country of Colombia 15 years ago with the hopes of finding better opportunities. He gained his extensive knowledge in shoe repair from experience making women’s shoes in his native country. After arriving in the Unites States, Restrepo worked in a shoe repair shop in the Florida Mall for two years, where he first played with the idea of purchasing an existing business. In a process that lasted 10 months, HBIF helped Restrepo develop a professional business plan, present his business concept to three banks in order to obtain capital, and complete all of the paperwork required to open the business. Professional Shoe Repair has quadrupled its sales since it was acquired by Restrepo at the brink of bankruptcy.
Martha and Alberto Santoni are the founders of Santoni International Builders, which has been in operation for three years. Their portfolio includes projects with Orange County Public Schools, Habitat for Humanity, and the Orange County Convention Center. As part of their effort to develop and implement green technology, the Santonis participate in an $8.8 million dollar project for the placement of solar panels capable of supplying clean energy to the Convention Center. Santoni International Builders focuses most of its attention on clean energy projects in the Central Florida community.
With more than 450 attendees, the Success Stories Luncheon gathers Central Florida’s business community annually to recognize the true spirit of Hispanic entrepreneurship. Funds raised through this event help provide business scholarships to Hispanic entrepreneurs. These scholarships are used for business plan development, marketing plan creation or accounting services.
For more information about the Success Stories luncheon go to www.hbifflorida.org.
