June 2026—Business Advocate

Welcome to the Business Advocate page, your digital companion to the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce’s monthly newspaper segment. Here you'll find all the highlights featured in this month’s print edition, including a letter from our President, upcoming events, member spotlights, ribbon cuttings, and more—kept up to date so you never miss a beat in Santa Fe’s vibrant business community.

From the President's Desk

The Chamber Sits at the Intersection of Everything
 
One of the things I appreciate most about the Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce is that we sit at the intersection of so many important conversations happening in our community.
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People often think of the Chamber as networking events, ribbon cuttings, and business celebrations. While those activities are certainly part of what we do, they are only a small glimpse into the broader role we play in helping bring people together around issues that impact Santa Fe's future.
 
After returning from a short vacation last week, I was reminded just how diverse those conversations can be. In the span of only a few days, I reviewed more than 100 Business Achievement Award nominations, spoke with an individual researching broadband and fiber infrastructure and its impact on economic development, participated in discussions surrounding homelessness and the community conversations taking place around potential solutions, met with county leaders to learn more about improvements to their permitting process, attended our Women's Educational Series, celebrated the growth of local businesses through ribbon cuttings, and prepared for an upcoming panel discussion focused on the importance of childcare.
 
At first glance, those topics may seem unrelated. They're not.
 
Broadband impacts economic opportunity. Permitting impacts entrepreneurship. Childcare impacts workforce participation. Addressing homelessness impacts businesses, neighborhoods, and quality of life. Leadership development and professional growth help shape the future of our community.
 
Each conversation represents a different piece of a much larger puzzle.
What continues to inspire me is the number of people throughout Santa Fe who are working every day to make our community stronger. Business owners, nonprofit leaders, educators, elected officials, community advocates, and residents all bring valuable perspectives and a shared desire to move Santa Fe forward.
 
The spirit of Santa Fe is alive in entrepreneurs taking risks, organizations serving others with compassion, and leaders willing to tackle complex challenges together.
In a world that often feels divided, I am continually reminded that progress happens when people come together, listen to one another, and focus on solutions.
That is why this work matters. And that is why I remain grateful for the opportunity to sit at the intersection of these conversations and help build a stronger, more connected, and more prosperous Santa Fe.
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Bridget Dixson, IOM
President and CEO
Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce

New Members

AFLAC – Kevin Lorenzen
Insurance
Kevin Lorenzen
(505) 604-4216
aflac.com
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Amare Santa Fe
Apartment Complexes
Kelsey Robertson
(505) 395-7105
4820 Rail Runner Rd.
Santa Fe, NM 87106
santafe.amare-homes.com

Axcess Financial Group
Financial Services
Mark Zaptka
(505) 872-4900
6605 Uptown Blvd. NE, Suite 280
Albuquerque, NM 87110
axcessfinancialgroup.com

CENTER Santa Fe
Arts & Education
Laura Wzorek Pressley
(505) 933-9146
1570 Pacheco St. B-1
Santa Fe, NM 87505
centersantafe.org

CFG Realty/Sotheby’s International Realty
Real Estate
Cathy Griffith
(505) 500-2729
231 Washington Ave.
Santa Fe, NM 87505
santafecathy.com

Heart Lead Organizing
Household Services
Lauren Mang
letmeorganizeit.com

SantaFeBusiness.AI
Curt Hess
(505) 412-9428
santafebusiness.ai
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YDF Global Consultancy
Business Consultants
Yuri Findlay
(505) 795-9331
120 S. Federal Pl., Suite 101 #2454
Santa Fe, NM 87501

Chamber Calendar

A Path to Success – Chamber Orientation
Wednesday, June 3, 10:00 AM — Via Zoom Meeting
 
Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce Pickleball Social
Thursday, June 4, 3:00 PM — Forked Lightning Racquet Club, 2398 Brenner Way, Santa Fe, NM 87507
 
2026 Business Achievement Awards
Thursday, June 11, 5:00 PM — Scottish Rite Temple, 463 Paseo de Peralta, Santa Fe, NM 87501
 
Chamber Summer Social: Celebrating Our Members!
Thursday, June 18, 11:00 AM — Santa Fe Chamber of Commerce Office, 1611 Calle Lorca, Suite 301, Santa Fe, NM 87505
 
A Path to Success – Chamber Orientation
Wednesday, June 24, 8:30 AM — Via Zoom Meeting
 
Feria After Hours: Noche de Bingo y Kombucha - ¡En Español!
Thursday, June 25, 5:30 PM — FOP, 3300 Calle Maria Luisa #3, Santa Fe, NM 87507

Ribbon Cuttings

On Monday, May 4, 2026, Del Charro celebrated their reopening after 10 months of renovations to the Del Charro Saloon area. They are excited to once again share the same Del Charro spirit, but refreshed to better serve their guests.  Learn more at delcharro.com 

On Monday, May 11, 2026, Bienvenidos Visitor Information Booth held a ribbon cutting in celebration of the 65th season opening of the only Visitor Information Booth on the historic Santa Fe Plaza. 

On Thursday, May 28, 2026, Malibu Skin celebrated the grand opening of their new location with a ribbon cutting. Malibu Skin offers skincare, makeup, spa gifts, HydraFacials, Spa Facials, Makeup Lessons and more. Learn more at malibu-skin.com

Members of the Month

Big Brothers Big Sisters of New Mexico creates and sustains impactful mentoring relationships for youth across the state. By matching caring adult volunteers ("Bigs") with children who need guidance ("Littles"), BBBS NM helps young people excel in school, build self-confidence, and avoid risky behaviors. Big Brothers Big Sisters’ evidence-based programs produce measurable results: Littles are 20% more likely to enroll in college and earn 15% more over their lifetime. Learn more at BBBSNM.org.

The Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) Foundation specializes in fundraising and philanthropic partnerships that support IAIA. Through scholarships, donor engagement, corporate sponsorships, and community support, the Foundation helps create opportunities for Indigenous students and emerging creative leaders in fields including contemporary art, computer science, creative writing, Indigenous liberal studies, museum studies, Native American art history, and performing arts. They are looking forward to the upcoming 2026 IAIA Benefit & Auction, An Evening of Turquoise. Learn more at iaia.edu/support/iaia-foundation.
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