NHLA Founding President Honored with Hispanicize Positive Impact Award for Commitment to Educating Hispanic Workforce

MIAMI, March 18, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- The National Hispanic Landscape Alliance (NHLA) is proud to announce that founding member and immediate past president, Jesus 'Chuy' Medrano has been selected as one of twenty winners of the 2014 Hispanicize Positive Impact Award. This award recognizes those who contribute selflessly for the betterment of their communities. The award will be presented during the Positive Impact Awards Gala in Miami, Florida on April 3, 2014 at the Intercontinental Hotel Miami.

In the running for Positive Impact Person of the Year, Medrano, owner of CoCal Landscape, is being honored for his commitment to the development of his community at home and abroad. Among his many initiatives, Chuy has dedicated himself to the advancement of Hispanic workers in the landscaping and lawn care industry by providing educational initiatives and training programs that help them achieve supervisory and managerial positions.

"Having come to this country as an immigrant and raised children of my own, I understand the difficulties that many Hispanics in this country face to get ahead," said Medrano. "It has always been my mission to help those achieve what I have achieved."

In addition to his work in the industry, Chuy supports his local community of Denver, Colorado by donating resources and materials for fundraisers and medical centers while also giving back to his hometown of Chihuahua, Mexico by supporting athletic programs and donating money, clothing and computers to an orphanage.

"Chuy Medrano is truly a credit to our industry. He not only helps his employees get ahead, but is also supportive of former employees that leave to start their own companies. In addition to being a generous donor to a variety of causes and actively volunteering, Chuy has established a giving culture at CoCal that encourages his employees to do the same," said Ralph Egues, executive director of the NHLA. "He is a truly special leader, is very supportive of NHLA members across the country, and is a model for others to follow. He is a worthy recipient of the Hispanicize Positive Impact Award and deserving of recognition as Person of the Year."

Chuy Medrano's desire to provide better training and resources for the Hispanic landscape workforce contributed greatly to the founding of the NHLA as a vehicle for empowering and mobilizing Latinos in the industry, and he continues to guide the NHLA's development as a Director and Officer. He is also a founding member of Professional Landcare Network's (PLANET) Academic Excellence Foundation (AEF), which provides scholarships annually to college students majoring in horticulture, landscape design, and other areas of study related to the landscape industry.

You can vote for Jesus 'Chuy' Medrano for Hispanicize 2014 Positive Impact Person of the Year here: http://www.hispzpia.com/2014/index.php/2014-winners/jesus-chuy-medrano.html

About NHLA
The National Hispanic Landscape Alliance is an association that facilitates and promotes the advancement of Hispanics as landscape industry professionals and leaders and provides the nation's half million Hispanic-American landscaping professionals a voice in the national dialogue on environmentally responsible landscape practices, and a means through which to advocate on behalf of their businesses, the livelihood of their employees, and the quality of life in their communities.

SOURCE National Hispanic Landscape Alliance