Laredo Chamber Names Ernest M. Bruni, IV.

2019 Businessperson of the Year

Laredo, Texas – (January 9, 2019) – The Laredo Chamber of Commerce is pleased to announce the selection of Ernest M. Bruni, IV.  as Laredo 2019 Businessperson of the Year. The Chamber made the official announcement at a breakfast held on Wednesday, January 9^th, 2019, hosted by BBVA Compass.

The coveted award will be presented at the 33^rd Distinguished Business Award Banquet Ceremony on February 13^th, 2019 at the Laredo Country Club.

David Dodier, Chairman Pro-Temp of the Small Business Committee of the Laredo Chamber of Commerce made the official announcement and highlighted the rapid growth and success of Ernest Bruni, owner of Bruni Supply Chain Solutions.

A native to Laredo, Ernest attended local schools and is a graduate of the University of Notre Dame receiving his Bachelor of Business Administration in 2006. Ernest was issued his US Customs Broker license in April 2009. Ernest first got his start in the industry in 2006 as an entry writer and bonded warehouse supervisor and has since taken his knowledge and passion into building his own business - Bruni Supply Chain Solutions, Inc., founded in March 2010 - initially starting out as a warehousing operation in 10,000 square feet with friends and relatives acting as employees that would load/unload trailers by hand. 

A year later, the corporation was issued its US Customs Brokers License and added Foreign Trade Zone to its existing warehousing operation that allowed Bruni Supply Chain Solutions to offer complimentary logistics services to its existing and potential clientele.  As business continued to grow so did the need for more warehouse space and employee, and after five years, Bruni SCS was able to consolidate 3 warehouse operations in two buildings and is now currently operating approximately 135,000 SF of warehouse space with over 20 employees. 

The early addition of a Foreign Trade Zone operation allowed the company to compete on a global level as importers/exporters were able to significantly reduce costs from customs duties, taxes and tariffs & improve global market competitiveness.  Although Bruni SCS has only been in business for 8 years, they continue to grow upon a solid foundation.

The selection of the honoree is based on an adaptation of the criteria used by the U.S. Small Business Administration for their annual awards, including:

• Demonstrate staying power, a substantiated history as an established business;
• Growth in the number of employees, which judges the impact of business on the job market; and
• Response to adversity, which assesses problems faced in the nominee’s business and methods used to solve them

"We're honored to host this event with the Laredo Chamber of Commerce," said BBVA Compass Laredo City President Susana Valencia. "Businesses play a key role in any thriving community, including the great city of Laredo. As a city business leader in this area, it is BBVA Compass's privilege and responsibility to help recognize the Business Person of the Year” said Susana Valencia, City President at BBVA Compass.

The 33^rd  Distinguished Business Awards banquet will be held on Wednesday, February 13^th, 2019  at 6;00 p.m. at the Laredo Country Club. For ticket and sponsorship information please call (956) 722-9895 or email miriam@laredochamber.com .

The Laredo Chamber of Commerce is the oldest established business organization in Laredo, Texas and represents over 600 members in various industries ranging from financial institutions and retailers to transportation, logistics and service providers.

The Laredo Chamber of Commerce is accredited by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce with a 5-star accreditation rating. It is a member of the Texas Association of Mexican American Chambers of Commerce (TAMACC), the American Chamber of Commerce Executives (ACCE), and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.