GABRIELLE ARSIAGA/NEWS-SUN
Sometimes leaders are born, not made – close friend and prior Hispano Chamber of Commerce Board President Susana Arvizu said of Sergio Polanco being named the new Hispano Chamber President and CEO.
“Sergio is perfect for this position. Leadership is definitely his thing. He has always been willing and eager to learn during some of our toughest times and that I think is what allowed us to come to the decision to elect Sergio as our new leader,” Arvizu said of Polanco.
Polanco was elected as the Hispano Chamber board president and CEO on April 18. Prior to his being named president, Sergio served as the treasurer and then the interim president for four months before eventually being named to the position.
Born and raised in Hobbs, Polanco has always had a drive in him to work hard and excel in anything that he does.
“Growing up, I attended Hobbs Schools and graduated from Hobbs High in 2008. I immediately jumped into the work force with high hopes of becoming a leader and making a difference in my community. I have a passion for helping others and have made it my life long mission to help others succeed in any way I possibly can,” Polanco said. “I have volunteered in my community for many years and I love lending a helping hand any chance I get.”
After school, he began working at Wells Fargo Bank in 2010 and continued to build on his career until he left in 2021.
“I began my career as a teller and quickly worked my way up to management roles. Throughout the years I obtained ten plus years of management and customer service experience. I attained many certifications some which included Business Advocate, Community Outreach Advocate, and several others. I gained the respect of many community leaders and retained a long list of clients by executing excellent customer service and providing a wealth of financial literacy,” Polanco said.
Which is why Polanco is perfect for the leadership role at the Hispano Chamber.
“Sergio was the first person I met when I moved to Hobbs and he was my manager at Wells Fargo,” Arvizu said. “Maybe I’m a little biased but I’ve seen Sergio grow in his career… He was the treasurer for two years and after that you have to understand (when Sergio was named interim) he learned from scratch. He started going in and volunteering to keep the office going and then we really saw his drive. He always had questions as to why things were done the way they were and how we could make some changes and he dove right in even though it was just an Interim position. He carried the organization in a time when we didn’t know what to do and he took ownership of that and dove right in and slowly mastered all of our programs.”
“Sergio is such a positive and active member of our community and his commitment to diversity and inclusion makes him the perfect choice to lead the Hispano Chamber,” Marcus Sparenberg United Way’s Event Coordinator said. “It’s exciting to see where the Hispano Chamber is heading, especially with Sergio’s experience and passion for the community.”
According to Polanco, he came to the decision to become a volunteer of the organization in 2016 and through his “hard work and dedication to the community” is what eventually led him to becoming a part of the Hobbs Hispano Chamber of Commerce and serving on various committees.
Polanco has served as a Hispano Board Member since 2017 and took on the role of treasurer in 2020. Not long after taking on the role as treasurer was Polanco named an interim board director and then president and CEO.
He has also been a part of a number of community projects as well. He worked on the 2020 Census, the Local Support Locals Campaign, and alongside United Way’s many community projects.
“He has been a part of the Habitat Restore Grand opening, he has hosted the Fiesta De Salud, which was an event that provided health information to the Hispanic community,” Sparenberg said of Polanco’s projects he’s assisted with.
In Polanco’s own words, he is always looking for opportunities to help and be an asset to the community.
“I currently serve on the committee for Keeping Hobbs Clean, a project with the objective to make Hobbs a better and beautiful place to live in,” Polanco said. “I aspire to be a center of influence to our community and be able to connect people to a variety of resources available. I am thrilled to master all aspects of non-profit and continue to deliver our mission statement to all in our wonderful community.”
