Mark Madrid has been named the next president and CEO of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, effective Feb. 10.

"I am extremely thrilled and honored to serve as the new president and CEO," Madrid said in an interview with Community Impact Newspaper. "Coming back to Austin, to me, represents coming back home. ... I grew up in a one-stoplight community in the Texas Panhandle, and I got my first big break when I was offered a full scholarship to The University of Texas."

Madrid took a job on Wall Street after college, where he worked until his return to Austin in 1997 to pursue a banking career, he said. He has spent the past 10 years working in Houston. With more than 20 years of executive experience, Madrid recently served as chief operating officer of the Houston Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

The GAHCC board of directors unanimously selected him after a nationwide search yielding 12 applications, according to Geronimo Rodriguez, immediate past chair of the GAHCC.

"I am confident Mark will help us support small business and entrepreneurial growth and increase our economic development efforts as we build our members' personal, business, educational and financial wealth," Rodriguez said in a Jan. 31 news release.

Madrid said he will bring energy and experience to his new role. He said he is pursuing a master's degree in nonprofit administration at The University of Notre Dame Mendoza College of Business. His background includes training in finance, human resources, nonprofit law and corporate partnerships.

The GAHCC represents 33,000 Hispanic-owned businesses in Central Texas. Madrid said he hopes to help the organization increase that number to 47,000 businesses by 2020. Another goal is to become a "Center for Excellence" for entrepreneurs and businesses in Central Texas, he said.

"When you look at the Hispanic demographic in Central Texas and the base of Hispanic entrepreneurs, that opportunity to represent a vibrant, energetic and diverse group is really the opportunity of a lifetime," Madrid said.

Madrid will replace interim President/CEO Lupe Morin, who replaced interim President/CEO George Gutierrez. For more information, visit www.gahcc.org.