Latin Chamber of Commerce President Peter Guzman, left, and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo, second to the left, take turns speaking at an event hosted by the chamber Thursday Oct. 5., 2023.
Friday, Oct. 6, 2023 | 2 a.m.
Jessica Jordan-Tabares
Jessica Jordan-Tabares’ life changed forever about eight months ago.
The president and CEO of Las Vegas-based SW Marketing and Consulting, Jordan-Tabares was out with her husband, Jose Tabares, in the early hours of Feb. 5 when the vehicle they were in was struck by a wrong-way driver.
Jose died at the scene, and Jessica spent several months recovering from injuries sustained during the wreck.
The two started SW Marketing and Consulting in 2017, and quickly found success in the Las Vegas media market working with Hispanic businesses through strategic planning and cross-cultural promotions in both traditional advertising and digital marketing strategies.
But that all could have gone away, Jordan-Tabares said Thursday, if it had not been for support from friends, family and others at the company who stepped up during her rehabilitation.
“I lost my life partner. But not only that, I had to deal with physical and emotional challenges,” Jordan-Tabares said at an awards breakfast hosted by the Latin Chamber of Commerce at its office near downtown Las Vegas. “While I was in the hospital bed, my team kept going with my children and my best friend. Even with the help of my brother, the business kept going.”
Jordan-Tabares was one of three business owners recognized by the chamber for general excellence to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, along with Juan Mendez of M Con Inc. construction, and Luis Herrera of Tire Mart & Co.
Peter Guzman, president of the chamber, said it was especially gratifying to present Jordan-Tabares, whom he called a close friend, with an honor he called the Small Business Fighter award.
“This is the spirit of an entrepreneur,” Guzman said. “There just is no time to be a victim, sit around and say ‘why me?’ when you’re an entrepreneur, because there’s people counting on you to make payroll.
“But at the end of the day, she gets to remember him (Jose) by fighting and succeeding,” Guzman continued. “And that’s what she’s doing.”
The three were presented with plaques, as well as separate certificates from Gov. Joe Lombardo’s office, recognizing the trio for their contributions to the state. Lombardo was there personally to greet the dignitaries.
While at the event, Lombardo toured the chamber’s new resource center — an office within the chamber’s confines open to the public that features four computers, a printer and wireless internet access so residents can build résumés and fill out job applications, among other things.
The computer lab is also available to students to complete schoolwork after classes have ended for the day, Guzman said.
“Without small business, we all fail,” said Lombardo, who was also speaking later Thursday with state lawmakers and Metro Police Undersheriff Andrew Walsh about public-private prevention strategies to combat domestic violence. “But more importantly, the Latin Chamber stands for community. It’s always worried about their (members’) ability to prosper in the United States, and the Latin Chamber ensures safety and quality, and quality of life for their family members and themselves.”
The Latin Chamber is also home to a campus for Nevada State High School, a tuition-free public charter school with nine locations statewide, including in Summerlin, Henderson, North Las Vegas, Sunrise and Reno. Many students would hang around the building after school was done for the day, simply so they could have easy access to the internet, Guzman said.
Andrés Estrada, a member of the Latin Chamber’s board of directors, said having readily available internet access can almost seem like a given in the modern age. It’s an essential lifeline for sure, he added, but not everyone has that access from their home.
In addition to the resource center, Estrada said, anyone is free to use the chamber for translation services, or access to other nearby businesses.
“This is their portal to the world,” Estrada said. “Quality over quantity: that’s how we build from here.”
