Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for Ohio

The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for Ohio is an organization that promotes Latino-owned businesses in Ohio.

For most of Ohio's history, very few Latinos settled in the state, but beginning in the 1960s, a surge in Hispanic immigration to the United States occurred. Most Latino immigrants came from Central and South American countries rather than from Spain, hoping for more economic opportunity in the United States. Ohio's Hispanic population soared. By 2006, almost 264,000 Ohioans claimed Latino heritage. This number amounted to 2.3% of Ohio's entire population. Between 1960 and 2006, the heaviest concentration of Hispanic Ohioans occurred in central Ohio. Distinct Latino communities formed in Columbus and other major Ohio cities. Most Hispanics found employment as factory or farm laborers, but several Latinos succeeded in opening successful restaurants and specialty stores.

As Ohio's Hispanic population increased during the late twentieth century, numerous institutions also formed to assist these new arrivals. The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce for Ohio is a private organization created to help Ohio's Latino business community. Founded in 1982, the organization is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. It helps Ohio's Hispanic population create new businesses, as well as promotes established ventures.