Hispanic community connected by paper

Argueta's successful endeavor marks its 10th anniversary.

By: Rex L. Troute, Business Editor The Burlington Hawk Eye 

MOUNT PLEASANT - Until Oscar Argueta and his El Heraldo Hispano newspaper came along, few businesses tried to reach customers in the Hispanic population. Argueta's endeavor has helped connect the Hispanic community, and given them a voice as the newspaper celebrates its 10th anniversary at the end of the month.

Argueta, a native of Guatemala, started El Heraldo Hispano on Sept. 1, 2000. The first issue sported four pages, and Argueta was the only employee for the first six years. Today, there are a total of three employees, and most issues consist of 24 pages of stories and advertising. The reach of El Heraldo Hispano goes from Des Moines to western Illinois, and is distributed free of charge in 32 cities.

"I was not a businessman," said Argueta. "I started it because I love to write."

The Spanish newspaper gave businesses an avenue to relay their message to potential customers.

Trailways, a bus line with a terminal in West Burlington, has advertised in El Heraldo Hispano for four to five years.

"We have a lot of Hispanic passengers pass through," said Ron Moore, president of the local Trailways location.

Routes to and from Texas bring plenty of Hispanics through the area, where there are stops in Fort Madison and Mount Pleasant. His advertising in the Spanish newspaper has gotten Trailways some local passengers.

Southeastern Community College, the West Burlington campus, has had a presence in the newspaper for three or four years.

Jeff Ebbing, SCC's director of marketing and communication, said when he first started the ads he was promoting English as a Second Language classes. But now the advertising is more directed at enlisting full-time students.

"Certainly, we would like to attract Hispanic students," said Ebbing.

Several recent ads have been positive testimonials from Hispanic students, who've graduated from SCC.

"I'm happy to participate with Oscar's paper," said Ebbing. "It serves a population."

Argueta said about half of the advertising in his newspaper comes from Latin-owned businesses, and the other half from businesses trying to reach the Latin community.

"They are trying to reach the American dream," Argueta said of the Latin businesses.

One such business is Pro Automotive Solutions Inc., located at 300 W. Harlem Ave., in Monmouth, Ill.

Victor Flores, owner of the auto repair shop, has been open for two years and a large portion of his customer base is Hispanic.

Flores only recently, the last three months, started running coupons in El Heraldo Hispano. He hasn't seen the results he would like yet, but is happy such a publication exists.

Argueta's newspaper might not have gotten off the ground without the support of Metrogroup Corp. and Lomont Molding Inc. The two Mount Pleasant businesses helped him cover his printing costs, and he credits them for getting the paper off to a decent start.

"Oscar has been a real leader," said J.D. Schimmelpfenig, president of Lomont Molding Inc. "He's helped a lot of Hispanic people."

Schimmelpfenig met Argueta originally in a group that was addressing diversity issues in the community.

Lomont Molding has several Hispanic employees, and Schimmelpfenig has made sure to run an ad in El Heraldo Hispano ever since the first issue.

Another way Argueta's non-Hispanic advertisers reach out to potential customers is through language.

"Most of the businesses have someone who speaks Spanish," Argueta said.

Along with getting a new edition out every two weeks, Argueta is in the middle of writing a novel, which is a blend of fiction and reality. The book deals largely with the love story of his parents in Guatemala in the 1950s.

But El Heraldo Hispano remains his chief concern.

"The paper has the potential to grow," he said.

In 10 years, its footprint in the Hispanic community has widened and has attracted non-Hispanic businesses into the fold.

Article reposted with permission from The Burlington Hawk Eye. Rex Troute, Business Editor for the Hawk Eye can be reached at rtroute@thehawkeye.com.