With slightly higher attendance numbers than last year’s record-breaking event, the convention reported good traffic and leads, giving visitors plenty of networking opportunities as well as the annual Hall of Fame awards presentation. This year’s recipients are Helen Chavez-Hansen, owner and president of La Tapatia Tortilleria Inc., Fresno, Calif., and Eugene Suarez Sr., president of Abuelita Mexican Foods, Manassas Park, Va.
Chavez-Hansen began her career at 19, working for a local grain company, and soon became more involved with business matters, saving money to purchase her first corn tortilla production line. From that purchase, she developed a small company that produced corn and flour tortillas called La Tapatia Tortilleria, which grew and allowed her to become the sole owner of La Tapatia in the late 1980s.