We are extremely excited about what the FCHCC accomplished in 2007 under the leadership of Leon Carrero and look forward to reaching new goals for 2008! If you are interested in helping us to continue to foster the strength and vitality of the Hispanic community, I have a few suggestions for you:

-Join a Hispanic Chamber committee. Please send an email to fchcc@comcast.net if you would like to participate in the education, programs, government affairs or membership committees. The FCHCC cannot function without the support of its members!

-Participate in the election process. In 2008, Hispanics will play a significant role in the election of a new U.S. President. Hispanics comprise about 9% of the eligible electorate nationwide, and we usually make up about 6.5% of voters. Eligible Hispanic voters should take part in Florida's primary nomination on January 29 and continue to be involved through the general election.

-Take a daily reenergizing walk and make your well- being a priority. A short walk can breathe new life into your body, mind, and spirit and will allow you to accomplish more. I look forward to working with you to make 2008 a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous year!

My name is Ellia Pico, but I am known affectionately as "Eppie". As a Hispanic woman, I take pride in my heritage and have always emphasized the importance of family to my three wonderful children Sheylla 32, Hector 29, and Jamie 27. It makes me so proud to observe how they have flourished under American culture, while still staying true to their Puerto Rican roots.

I was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico and attended the University of Puerto Rico, graduating with a major in Secretarial Science. I decided to come to the U.S. for my children and for the life I hoped for them. I believed that here, with hard work, and determination anyone can succeed. At first, my arrival to this county was challenging since I fought to overcome stereotypes, cultural differences, and language barriers. However, I held true to my principles and managed to integrate fully into the Jacksonville community, and although I already knew English quite well, became fully bilingual. As a result, I am now assistant to the Labor/Employment Litigation General Counsel of CSX Transportation, Inc.

Even though I am a driven professional, I still hold tight to my beliefs which revolve around my home, my family, and my spirituality. I am an avid gardener, decorator, and most importantly, a family-oriented woman. My grandsons Javier and Antonio (the last, is "still" baking in Mommy's tummy), remind me of how far I have come and inspire me to look forward to a bright and prosperous future.

FCHCC thanks Ellia for her outstanding commitment to upholding the Hispanic heritage while achieving a remarkable integration to the Northeast Florida community. Ellia you make us proud.

Position Title: Rating and Billing Coordinator Reports To: Supervisor, Documentation and Billing

Overview of Responsibilities: The Rating & Billing Coordinator is responsible for maintaining a current tariff and contract file. This position works with minimal supervision to document and apply appropriate tariff and contract charges to all bills of lading, including but not limited to vehicles and northbound cargo, within established deadlines. The Coordinator also provides other documentation and clerical support to the department as directed.

Essential Functions: Southbound Cargo "« Collects missing information or corrected information, including SED¡¦s and values, from shipping sources. "« Documents and prepares bills of lading for mailing in accordance with customer requirements. "« Researches and applies applicable rates to assigned bills of lading. "« Verifies accuracy of bills in accordance with department procedures. "« Assists in problem solving discrepancies with bookings. "« Maintains current tariff and contract files. "« Works closely with Supervisors on daily rating audits to ensure that rates are accurate. "« Sets up profiles for new accounts. "« Handles voyage file maintenance, including boxing files for offsite storage.

May handle duties associated with one or more of the following areas: Northbound Cargo "« Processes northbound Bills of Lading to include Driver Pac¡¦s, and packages for USDA, and CET . "« Process Proofs of Delivery (POD¡¦s) to include checking for overages and damages for Claims Department, detention for Billing. "« Researches and applies applicable rates to assigned bills of lading. "« Verifies accuracy of bills in accordance with department procedures. Shipper Owned or Leased (SOL¡¦s) "« Documents and prepares bills of lading in accordance with customer requirements and applies applicable rates. Miscellaneous Supplemental Billing "« Documents, prepares and mails other miscellaneous billing as directed. "« Prepares Split Bills as required by customer to share charges between Shipper and Consignee. "« Handles Storage Bills by researching storage time at BIT and preparing bills according to contracts.

Additional Duties & Responsibilities"« Assists with other duties as directed by the Manager or Supervisor. "« Follows written procedures as documented in the Trailer Bridge ISO9001:2000 quality processes. "« Maintains Administration Department Standards of Excellence. "« Upholds company policies.

Qualifications:"« 2-3 years previous administrative experience. "« Experience in trucking or ocean transportation preferred. "« High school diploma or equivalency, some college preferred. "« Excellent data entry skills with minimum 45 WPM typing. "« Excellent telephone skills, must be customer service oriented. "« Strong verbal communication skills. "« Detail oriented with ability to process paperwork accurately and in a timely fashion. "« Bi-lingual (English/Spanish) strongly preferred.

Other Characteristics:"« Punctual with excellent attendance. "« Ability to work effectively on a team. "« Ability to handle multiple priorities and meet deadlines.

If interested, please send resume to mpierce@trailerbridge.com Trailer Bridge, Inc. is an EEO/Affirmative Action Employer

I would like to thank the following companies for their generous offer to host an FCHCC Meeting in 2008. We had an overwhelming response. Thank you again!

January 10, 2008, Wilson Lending, Contact: John Renny, 8160 W Baymedows Way suite 140, Jacksonville, FL 32256, johnrenney@bellsouth.net

February 14m2008, Alterman & Johnson Family Chiropractors, Contact: Franca Alterman, 423 N Third Street, Jax Bch, 32250, francabernal@yahoo.com

March 13, 2008, Merrill Lynch - cafeteria Contact: Alida Lupari 4804 Deer Lake Drive East (bldg 3) Jacksonville, FL 32246 (w) 634-6057; Alida_Lupari@ml.com

April 10, 2008, Havana Jax - not confirmed

May Scholarship Lunch - No Meeting

June 12, 2008, JAXPORT Contact: Joanne Kazmierski 2831 Talleyrand Avenue Jacksonville, Florida 32206 Joanne.Kazmierski@jaxport.com Phone: 904-354-1230

July 10, 2008, Law Offices of Arthur Hernandez, P.A. Contact: Arthur Hernandez 2223 Oak Street, Suite 711 Jacksonville, Florida 32204 904.389.6989 arthur@arthurhernandez.com

August 14, 2008, AAA - Southside location Contact: Carmen Sostre 8101 Southside Blvd., Suite 2 Jacksonville, FL 32205 (904) 565-7740 csostre@aaasouth.com

September 11, 2008, PHH Mortgage Contact: Matt Leturmy 5201 Gate Parkway Jacksonville, Florida 32256 Matthew.Leturmy@mortgagefamily.com Phone: 904-445-4506

October 9, 2008, BCBSFL / HOLA Hispanic Organization for Leadership & Advancement Contact: Jose Rodriguez 4800 Deerwood Campus Parkway Jacksonville, Florida 32246 Jose.Rodriguez@bcbsfl.com

November 13, 2008

December 11, 2008, State Farm Insurance Contact: Becky Vasko becky.vasko.iam8@statefarm.com

Reminder that ALL Meetings are the 2nd Thursday of each month and will begin at 6:00pm, sharp!

Are you in need of Notary Services? If so, contact Erin Foster at FCHCC@comcast.net. I am a certified Notary for the State of Florida and am happy to now provide a FREE Service to all FCHCC Members. If you are interested, please contact me so we can set up a time and place to meet.

Please be aware that as of January 1, 2008, the FCHCC will begin collecting $5 at the door from each NON-MEMBER to attend the monthly networking meetings.

We ask that you please bring exact change as it will help us when collecting the funds.

If you have any questions or would like to become a member, please email me or view the FCHCC website at www.FCHCC.com for membership information.

Upon reaching the second half of life, have you selected Entrepreneurship as your second career? If so, there is a new resource, the Boomerpreneur Roundtable, to help you make this selection a success.

The Boomerpreneur Roundtable is for individuals that have decided on an idea for a business or have recently started a business and would like the opportunity to: Ø obtain information Ø discuss areas of concern with their peers under the guidance of a facilitator.

As a member you will benefit from the following: Ø Roundtable Discussions The roundtable provides an informal format that encourages interaction, time for questions and answers, and the opportunity to learn from successful entrepreneurs and advisors/experts. Members will meet twice a month for 90 minutes with their peers under the guidance of a group facilitator to discuss a variety of topics related specifically to boomer entrepreneurs.

January 17th Introduction Session: What is a Boomerpreneur?  Get acquainted session/Explanation of roundtable concept  Where are you in the process of becoming a Boomerpreneur?  Insights from a Boomerpreneur that has made a successful transition · Speaker: Byron McCuthen, 557-3215 byronmccutchen@iib.ws

January 31st Making the transition from the corporate to the entrepreneurial world  What is different: being in business vs employment?  Making the risk taking rewarding: finding the balance · Speaker

The FCHCC will immediately begin accepting Paypal payements. You can pay for your membership this way and even workshops. You MUST have a Paypal account already or set up an account before being able to use this feature. There are 2 options for you regarding using Paypal. They are as follows:

OPTION #1: Invoice Payments If you would like to remit payment this way, please send an email to fchcc@comcast.net and let me know what you need to be invoiced for - membership, workshops, both, sponsorships, etc. I will in turn send you an invoice/request for payment through Paypal. There is a direct link to pay once I send the invoice.

OPTION #2: Direct Pay Directions for sending money (without my invoice) would be as follows: 1. Go to www.paypal.com and log in. 2. Go to the top of the page to the tab that reads "send money". 3. Fill in the information required: *"To" should always be FCHCC@comcast.net, *"Amount" - what ever amount you owe, *"For" should always be Services/Other", *Hit "continue" and after reviewing screen, hit send payment. A payment will automatically be made to the FCHCC. 4. You can also add a note to us if you would like.

In either case, both parties, the payor and the FCHCC, will be notified of payment via email. If you have any trouble using this option, please send an email to FCHCC@comcast.net and I will be more than happy to walk you through the process. If you would like to do a TRIAL payment, please use either method above and send $0.01 (one cent) to the FCHCC as described in Option #2, above. If you would like to be invoiced for the $0.01 (one cent), as described in Option #1, above, please send an email to FCHCC@comcast.net, requesting an invoice be sent.

The FCHCC recognizes the leadership and support of these leading organizations which are also our trustees. The Trustee Program offers First Coast businesses with the opportunity to enter into a partnership through which the organization will gain brand recognition and exposure in the Hispanic community, while facilitating the Chamber's operation at its maximum potential. If you would like additional information about this important program, please do not hesitate to contact us at fchcc@comcast.net.