.png)
.png)
.png)
CLODOMIRO J. FALCON
Clodomiro Jose Falcon was born and raised in the musical city of Barquisimeto, Venezuela. He completed a college degree majoring in Sociology at “Universidad del Zulia” in 1982, as the valedictorian. In November 1986, he immigrated to the USA to complete a master’s degree in business administration, MBA, majoring in advertising and marketing and graduated in 1989 from the University of Bridgeport.
He worked for Radio Cumbre Broadcasting, Inc. as General Sales Manager from 1989 to 1996 when he started his own business, Falcon Advertising, a Spanish Media Advertising Agency focused on small businesses in Fairfield and New Haven Counties, CT. For 16 consecutive years, from 1997 to 2013, Clodomiro published The Hispanic Commercial Guide, “La Guía Hispana”. The first edition of The Guide to Fairfield County came out on October 24, 1997. Expansion of The Guide into New Haven County took place on March 30, 2001. Further growth led to the first edition for Westchester County coming out for distribution on January 30, 2004, and the first edition for Hartford County in May of
2004. Clodomiro grew company advertising sales from the ground up, accomplishing over $820K in ten years. Due to the impact of the Internet on the Yellow Pages Industry, Clodomiro decided to close The Guide on March 31, 2013. He then went to work for The Spanish American Merchants Association/SAMA in New Haven as a Small Business Specialist, where he was responsible for providing business counseling and technical assistance to start-ups and established businesses in the Greater New Haven Area and surrounding towns. In addition, he served as an instructor of building capacity workshops until his departure in December 2017. In 2018, Clodomiro ran his own small business consulting firm, Falcon, Vargas & Associates, LLC, with his wife Aida Vargas de Falcon. Their passion is helping small business owners succeed in business and in life. Their firm provided tailored professional business consulting, technical assistance, growth planning, and educational and mentoring services to help start-up and established businesses thrive and grow. In addition, Clodomiro was on a temporary working contract with the US Department of Commerce, US Census Bureau, as Partnership Specialist. He was responsible for planning, developing, and coordinating the partnership agreements with local government and local businesses and community groups to develop specific strategies to eliminate enumeration barriers in specific regions in support of the Decennial Census in Connecticut. Upon competition of the contract with the US Department of Commerce in September 2020, Clodomiro went back to work with the Spanish American Merchants Association/SAMA from December 2020 to present. Clodomiro is a very active member of the community. He has served on many boards of non-profit organizations throughout the State of Connecticut such as the American Red Cross Bridgeport Chapter, the Bridgeport Regional Business Council, The Workplace, Capital Workforce Partners, the Connecticut Institute for Immigrants and Refugees, formerly the International Institute of Connecticut, to name a few. Currently, he is serving as Secretary of The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Greater Bridgeport and prior to this, he was the President from 2008 to 2012. Clodomiro also serves as president of The Venezuelan Association of Connecticut, Inc. and he is co-founder of that organization. Clodomiro has been involved with small businesses for his entire professional career. He has been recognized by The U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE, The City of Bridgeport, New Haven, and Hartford for his contributions to the small business community. He received the” Impact Award” by the Bridgeport Regional Business Council/BRBC and was recognized as the “Businessperson of The Year” by the Westchester Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Spanish Merchants Association of Greater Bridgeport, and the Waterbury Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, among other awards for community service. In August 2023, Clodomiro was chosen one of the 50 Outstanding Latinos of Connecticut and awarded “El Latino de Oro” based on his personal achievement and outstanding contributions to the Latino community in Connecticut. In September Clodomiro also received the Leaders & Legends Award by Latinos on Real Estate of Stamford, CT. His personal charisma, his commitment to service, and his manner of relating to other people have made him worthy of recognition and esteem not only by people in the Hispanic community, but also by members of other ethnic groups. A significant number of businesspeople, both men and women, to whom he has served during the past 36 years, can attest to his personal integrity and professionalism. Clodomiro currently resides in Stratford CT with his wife Aida. They are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints where he is currently serving in the High Council of the Fairfield CT Stake. Prior to this, Clodomiro served as President of the Sunday School, Member of the High Council of the New Haven CT Stake, Second Counselor of the Connecticut Hartford Mission President, Ward Mission Leader, Elders Quorum President, and Branch President. They have three children, two granddaughters and one grandson. Clodomiro loves music and sports. He plays the Venezuelan “cuatro”, guitar, harp, mandolin and loves to sing and to play tennis.
%20(9)_edited.png)
.png)
EDGAR RODRIGUEZ
Edgar Rodriguez is the Owner and Funeral Director for the Families First at Luz de Paz, (Funeraria Luz de Paz), Bridgeport, CT; He is a lifelong Bridgeport resident where he attended Central High School, class of 1988. He attended the Briarwood College where he received his degree in Applied Sciences with focus on Mortuary Science.
He opened the funeral home in 1997 realizing there was a dire need to provide funeral services with the highest of standards and ethical practices the public and families deserve. He is extremely passionate in what he does and focuses on the needs of the families the funeral home serves. There is nothing Edgar will not do to make the family burden easier considering the circumstances they are confronting. Although the funeral home has grown where other employees are needed to also serve families, He is always just a phone call away to make sure things run as smoothly as possible because Families ALWAYS come first!
THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS
