The Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce officially cut the ribbon on its new, larger headquarters at 908 First Ave. in downtown Silvis on Friday, May 22, 2026. Community leaders, staff, board members, and supporters gathered to celebrate the milestone, which marks a new era of growth for the organization.
The Chamber had been located in Moline’s Floreciente neighborhood since 2019, operating out of a 1,000-square-foot space at 709 4th Ave. After outgrowing that location, Executive Director Jesse Noriega and Programs and Operations Manager Sebastian Mireles — the Chamber’s only two full-time employees — spent the better part of a year searching for a new home across the Quad-Cities before landing in Silvis. The new 4,100-square-foot building, the former QC Custom Tees location, was fully renovated by East Moline-based Mayorga Home Improvements at a cost of $60,000. The space will also soon be home to Moore Caffeine, an international coffee and energy drink shop run by Noriega’s wife, Terrian, set to open in June with a stage and event space. The shop is named in honor of her brother, David Moore, who passed away two years ago from a sudden heart attack.
“Today is a proud day for the greater Quad Cities,” Noriega said at the ribbon-cutting. “We all have different backgrounds. We come from different cities. We all have different experiences. But we’re all standing here together. That’s what a strong community looks like. For many people, a chamber is just a business organization. For us, it’s personal. This chamber represents sacrifice. It represents hard work. It represents entrepreneurs who took risk in themselves and their families — people who work long hours, face obstacles, and continue moving forward even when things get difficult. This chamber represents belief that opportunity should belong to everyone who’s willing to work for it.”
Noriega emphasized that the Chamber’s mission extends beyond the Hispanic community. “While our name says Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, our mission has always been for the bigger community. We believe in partnership. We believe in inclusion. We believe when small businesses succeed, the entire community becomes stronger. When entrepreneurs grow, jobs grow. When businesses thrive, families thrive. When people come together and share a vision, regions move forward.”
Noriega, who took over as executive director in early 2025, came in with ambitious goals. “When I was hired, I did not have the intention of being the little chamber anymore,” he said. “I’ve noticed a lot of the outlying areas don’t have a chamber to represent them. There’s a large Latino, minority, African American, and other communities out there that just don’t have a chamber of their own. So I said, let’s do it for all of them.” He has plans to expand the Chamber throughout eastern and central Iowa, including Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, and Des Moines — a process already underway. Sebastian Mireles, who joined the Chamber in March 2025, reflected on the journey to the new location. “From the day that I was hired on, I knew that we were creating something larger than ourselves — something that would not only benefit us, but benefit the community at large. While the Moline location served its purpose, we knew we were going to outgrow it fast. Watching this place transform, little by little, the vision came to life. And the moment our new sign went up front, it felt like home. From small business seminars to networking events to simply stopping by for a cup of coffee, this space was built for you.” Mireles credited Noriega as the driving visionary behind the move.
Luis Cruz, board chair for the Chamber, also praised Noriega’s leadership. “I could just tell from the get-go the passion that he had for the work we do here in the Quad Cities. He holds a vision for the mission to support, promote, and enhance growth within the local communities. He has recognized his roots here in the Quad Cities and how that has flourished — and he wants to make sure he provides the same thing for everybody else.” Cruz noted the Chamber currently serves 220 members, with the new facility positioned to open even more doors for collaboration and community engagement.
Marcela Cartagena, chief of staff of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, traveled from Chicago with two colleagues to attend the ribbon-cutting, representing over 120,000 Latino-owned businesses across the state — one of the fastest-growing segments of small businesses in the country. “Today is much more than opening a new office. It’s a reflection of growth, resilience, and the continued advancement of Latino businesses and community throughout the Quad Cities and the region,” she said. “This new space will serve as a hub for advocacy, collaboration, and economic empowerment for many years to come.”
Cartagena added, “Hispanic-owned businesses continue to be one of the fastest-growing segments of our economy. Organizations like this one ensure that these businesses have the support and the resources they need to grow. Together we are building stronger pipelines for entrepreneurship, expanding access to capital and opportunity, and ensuring that all small businesses — not only Hispanic businesses, but all small businesses — have a seat at every table where decisions are being made.” The new upscale location features colorful art throughout, a conference room for board meetings, training, and classes, and space for one-on-one business assessments. The Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce serves as the leading advocate for Hispanic and multicultural business owners and entrepreneurs across the Quad-Cities region, and the new Silvis location represents a bold next step in that mission.
