Credit union sets Ybor chamber mark

What does it take to be the top sponsor of the Ybor City Chamber of Commerce? Its newest member just set the bar at $5,000.

The chamber says GTE Federal Credit Union contributed that amount, making it the “largest ever” sponsor of the organization. The sponsorship will support chamber initiatives and events, representing the interests of local businesses as well as supporting the preservation and revitalization of Tampa's National Historic Landmark District.

John Trujillo, GTE Federal's vice president of member resolution and a member of the chamber board, says the sponsorship has deeper meaning to him as a fourth-generation Tampa native with roots in Ybor City. “Both my mother's and father's parents were part of the cigar culture, and my grandmother's family operated a local mattress company from a small warehouse on family property,” he says.