HOUSTON, Texas – Luis Munoz Marin International Airport (LMMIA) is connected to George Bush Intercontinental Airport is Houston by daily flights and seats on them are in great demand and the fast-growing Texas city continues to grow.

Houston has close to 4 million inhabitants and 35% of them are Hispanic but most of those are Mexican-Americans with the 2000 Census only reflecting 7,000 residents Puerto Ricans. While that figure has grown modestly the impact of Puerto Ricans is not very noticeable but there are some exceptions.

The most impressive turns out to have a CARIBBEAN BUSINESS association. Rosi Feliciano de Hernandez is the executive vice president of the Houston Astros and the highest ranking Hispanic female in major league baseball. Rosi has come a long way from San Juan where she was born. She attended Academia San Jose before going to Syracuse University. Returning to Puerto Rico in 1989 she was offered a reporter’s job at CARIBBEAN BUSINESS by then editor Juan Woodroffe.

“I loved my brief stint there where my beat was new business,” she recalled. Her short journalist career was cut short when she returned to Syracuse U. to get her Masters. There she met her future husband who was from Houston and she subsequently returned to his home town.

She likes her job with the Astros very much. When La Cumbre had to be moved as the result of the New Orleans evacuees Rosi was a key member of the team that adapted Minute Maid Park to host the event. “While it hosts numerous affairs during the year this was a big challenge for the Astros organization and we stepped up to the plate and hit a home run,” she said. “We were able to do it because the team was on the road.”

The most spectacular event at La Cumbre was a luncheon for more than a thousand which was held on the baseball diamond itself and hosted by Houston’s Mayor Bill White and Continental President Jeff A. Smisek. The roof of the stadium was covered for the luncheon which resulted in the entire edifice being air-conditioned. “We were very pleased to sponsor this event along with the Greater Houston Convention & Visitors Bureau and Avis,” said Rosi.

The Astros are big business for Houston. “We have 100 full time employees and another 1,350 part time ones,” she said. “40,000 can attend a game and we average 35,000 to 36,000 per game. During a regular season we have 2.8 million in attendance and if this season goes into play offs we could hit 3 million. 25% of our attendees are Hispanic which reflects how much Houston fans like baseball and the Astros.”

“I am very sad to hear about the decision of the Puerto Rico government to close the Federal Affairs Administration office here in Houston,” said Rosi. While acknowledging the budgetary difficulties the government is experiencing, Rosi said the closing makes most Puerto Rican residents in Houston unhappy because it has had a very positive influence in the community.”

Puerto Rican heads airport communications

Another Puerto Rican making a contribution to Houston is Richard A. Fernandez, the communications director of the Houston Airport System. Fernandez decided to settle in Houston after military service and loves it and is one of its biggest boosters.

“George Bush is the fourth largest airport in the U.S. and sixth largest in the world,” said Richard. “It is the most modern airport in the country and $3.1 billion has been invested in it during the past three years. It has emerged as a major international gateway and now has 84 immigration booths handling 4,500 passengers an hour. There are 1,500 flights a week to Mexico alone whereas Los Angles has only 700.”

PRFAA office head still helping Puerto Rico

Nick Rivera has headed the Puerto Rico Federal Affairs Administration (PRFAA) office in Houston for three years. Recently it was closed part of the government downsizing for budgetary reasons.. The decision came at a time when he was involved in assisting a trade mission from Puerto Rico scheduled to visit Houston in October. Because of the important role of his office, Rivera has been kept on under contract by Puerto Rico Trade to facilitate the mission which is expected to bring more than a dozen Puerto Rico business people to expand the trade relations between the fastest growing city in Texas and Puerto Rico.

CARIBBEAN BUSINESS caught up with Rivera in La Cumbre where he was assisting Continental Airlines which brought a large delegation to Houston including the Puerto Rico Tourism Co. and private sector representatives. “I’m also facilitating a visit of the University of Puerto Rico in October to both Houston and Dallas,” said Rivera. “They are coming to Texas to establish alumni chapters here as well as raise funds for the UPR.”

Continental Airlines is strongly supporting the Texas initiatives and Lisa Ildefonso, its general manager in Puerto Rico (CB Sept. 1), complimented Rivera for his assistance.

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