Issue link: https://www.epageflip.net/i/1469827
Sister cities and brotherly love Like Maggi, Carlos Chicas has been involved in the chamber's Hispanic Heritage Festival since its inception in 2010. Chicas is a sports presenter for Azteca TV Arkansas and the Voice of the Razorbacks in Spanish. He was born in Santa Lucia Cotzumalguapa, a city in the State of Escuintla, in Guatemala. He came to the United States in 1993, settling in Los Angeles, CA and then making the city of Rogers his home in 2000. Chicas is also on the Board of Directors of the Mt. Sequoyah Center, Vice President of the Board for Northwest Arkansas Technical Institute, on the Board of Directors for First Tee of NWA, and a counselor at Fayetteville High School West Campus. Chicas' ties to both the Northwest Arkansas and Guatemalan communities keep him thinking about tourism, trade, education, sports, and business opportunities in both countries. Chicas visited San Vicente Pacaya while on vacation and was intrigued. "It's a popular tourist spot in Guatemala because of the active volcano, trails, and mountain biking activities. In that way, it reminded me of Fayetteville," he noted. He and Clark began conversations about the small town in Guatemala. Guatemala comes to Northwest Arkansas Last Thanksgiving weekend, a delegation from San Vicente Pacaya visited Northwest Arkansas—including the town's mayor Axel Gonzalez, two city councilmen and a chief of staff. "We met with the Chamber of Commerce of Fayetteville, Chamber of Commerce of Springdale, met with Mayor Jordan and visited various businesses and organizations in our region to explore opportunities," Chicas explains. One of the businesses they visited was the 211 Café in Bentonville, to explore coffee import possibilities. The delegation also met with Northwest Arkansas Technical Institute, Carlos Chicas, sports anchor, Azteca TV Arkansas, was a key liaison between Northwest Arkansas representatives and the delegation from San Vicente Pacaya. San Vicente Pacaya City Councilman Miguel Catalino Echeverria (L) and Carlos Chicas. 12