December 16, 2021

San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce celebrated the region’s outstanding commitment to binational collaboration and honored those from San Diego and Baja who are leading the way at the International Tribute Awards.

This year’s International Tribute awardees are:

• International Business of the Year – Taylor Guitars the leading global producer of acoustic guitars with international operations headquartered in El Cajon and employing more than 1,000 people, with 45% in El Cajon– one of east county’s largest employers– and 52% in Mexico. And, roughly two dozen employees in Amsterdam.
• Cross-Border Leader of the Year – Melissa Floca, Senior Advisor for Cross-Border Initiatives at the University of San Diego’s Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice. Floca has developed a portfolio of research and programming focused on creating a peaceful and inclusive U.S.-Mexico border region.
• Cross-Border Collaboration – Consul General Ambassador Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez, San Diego County Board of Supervisors Vice Chair Nora Vargas, and Luis Lutteroth President of Consejo de Desarrollo de Tijuana . Through their collaboration, a mobile vaccination strategy was launched and brought vaccinations to more than 26,000 maquiladora workers in Baja California using vaccines donated by San Diego County’s Health and Human Services Agency.