Entrepreneur Hector Delgado, owner of Delgado Travel.
Doris del Valle has barely arrived in Queens following her husband's change of jobs. She came with dreams of opening up a novel and unique business, and found success with her company Borough Excursions.
Doris del Valle is now one of thousands of immigrants driving the economy forward in the most diverse borough in New York and the world during a critical moment for the nation.
Queens is a pass-through borough for the middle-class, according to the results of a study by St. John's University titled Q-626. The study analyzed the economic growth of 626 large businesses in Queens, 105 of which are owned by first- and second-generation immigrants.
Between 1990 and 2002, minority-owned enterprises increased by 44 percent. Asians own the highest number, followed by Latinos, according to Q-626, which was headed by law professor Leonard M. Baynes.
Among the 10 largest minority-owned companies in Queens, Latinos run two of them: Delgado Travel, founded by Hector Delgado, originally from Ecuador, and managed by his daughter Linda Delgado; and Dial-a-Mattress (currently going through bankruptcy), also owned by an Ecuadorian, Napoleon Barragan. According to Q-626, Delgado Travel managed a total of $58.6 million in 2002, with more than 250 offices throughout the New York Metropolitan area.
The study states that: "Serious studies are hard to carry out. The results indicate the growth of communities as shown by the US Census." The Latino-owned businesses examined by the study include Associated Food Stores, El Dorado Coffee Distributors in Maspeth, and the United Print Group owned by Robert Sanchez in Long Island City.
William Sanchez, the poster boy
Despite the economic downturn that is impacting small businesses, both government and private foundation programs exist to help them get a leg up; for example, Goldman Sachs' 10,000 Small Businesses or the competition offered by the Queens Economic Development Corporation.
"The 10,000 Small Business programs doesn't receive many applications from minorities, so we invite them to participate for free so they can enhance their businesses," said Rosa Figueroa, director of the Small Business Development Center at LaGuardia Community College. "There are successful cases like that of William Sanchez, owner of Technical Digital Services (TDS). He is the poster boy for Goldman Sachs."
Last winter, Sanchez inaugurated the new TDS factory. "We were able to purchase the building thanks to a Seedco bank loan, programs that assist small businesses in Queens, and the 10,000 Small Businesses program," said Sanchez.
TDS manufactures huge advertisements from various materials. Customers include Columbia University, local restaurant chains, supermarkets like Western Beef, and banks. TDS also specializes in projects for architects.
10,000 Small Businesses is a $500 million initiative committed to helping 10,000 small businesses prosper in the United States. In Queens, the program is headquartered at LaGuardia Community College, which serves as incubator for businesses.
Immigrants clearly drive the borough's growth, and there are cases like that of Doris del Valle, who recently arrived and became familiar with system. She entered the business plan competition of the Queens Economic Development Corporation and won first place.
Doris del Valle, founder of tourism company in Queens
Doris del Valle, of Puerto Rican descent, grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts. "When I came to Queens," said del Valle, "I was trying to figure out what to do. I had a lot of ideas but not all of them were realistic if I wanted to be successful. That's when the idea for Borough Excursions came along, a company devoted to promoting tourism in Queens, which opened for business on July 1st."
The competition prize allowed del Valle to buy a sports vehicle, and gave her access to free consulting in the areas of marketing, Internet and business management.
Immigrants continue to be an economic engine and Latinos continue to propel growth for the good of Queens, New York, and the United States.
