By Ruth Ann Ruiz
The Post Newspaper Features Editor
‘It’s a New Day in Santa Fe’ with Rebecca Martinez leading the way as the president and CEO of the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce.
Martinez said she got a phone call asking her if she would step into a paid job, leading the chamber.
She said yes, and since February 16 she has been the woman in charge at Santa Fe’s Chamber of Commerce.
“I am finally being paid for all the skills I learned over the years as a volunteer,” said Martinez.
Her volunteer work began when her children started school and she got involved with their PTO. Then she moved into volunteer work with the Santa Fe Education Association. She has been serving as the volunteer chairwoman of the Santa Fe Parks Board since 2019.
Martinez hails from Tyler, Texas, where she grew up on a ten-acre farm with chickens, horses, dogs, cats and a cow named Loretta. That was true until her parents divorced, and she was introduced to Galveston County through her father’s home on Tiki Island.
“I spent spring breaks with my dad and found the beaches were super cool,” said Martinez.
Since getting married to a Galveston County resident, she has resided in the coastal region and claims Santa Fe as her own.
“I claim Santa Fe all day, I love living here. I love being part of the community and working with business, the city, and people,” said Martinez.
She plans to stick around for a long time as chamber president and is working on making sure the chamber follows through on what was agreed on with chamber members. She asks them to keep her informed of their significant events so she can support them.
For every ribbon cutting and grand opening of a chamber member business, Martinez dedicates time to be sure the owners are recognized with a certificate from a state or US elected official. When possible, the elected official or a representative from their office will attend the event.
Birdies Golf Lounge was the most recent grand opening with a ribbon cutting. Martinez is excited to have them as members of the Chamber of Commerce and as a new business in Santa Fe.
“It’s awesome because we need entertainment in Santa Fe,” said Martinez.
For her first year, the chamber is hosting an inaugural event, Bags and Bullets Bingo Night.
The evening will feature designer purses and guns as bingo prizes. Martinez said anyone who wins a weapon will have to go through the required background check.
“They won’t just walk out with a gun,” said Martinez.
Martinez is particularly excited about the purses designed for concealed weapons, which will be part of Bingo Night prizes.
Concealed weapons lessons will also be prizes.
A Louis Vuitton bag valued at $3,000 will be raffled at the bingo event.
“It’s not a knockoff, I’ve got the receipt and whoever wins it will get the certificate, it’s the real deal,” said Martinez.
Bags and Bullets will be held on August 21st at the Santa Fe Firehouse. For more information and tickets please go to:
https://www.santafetxchamber.com/events/details/bags-bullets-bingo-9921 or contact the chamber office at 409-925-8558.
