IRVINE, Calif. — In its annual Hispanic Leadership Awards event earlier this month, the Orange County Hispanic Chamber of Commerce announced Antis Roofing & Waterproofing as one of the recipients. This is notable for a Caucasian-owned company to be given an award typically reserved for Hispanic-owned businesses; however, nearly 90% of Antis’ employees are of Hispanic descent.

The awards put particular emphasis on companies that have philanthropy and community outreach baked into their culture.

“At the end of the day, it’s part of our responsibility to give back and make a difference in the community,” said last year’s Leadership Award recipient, Albert Pujols, of the Los Angeles Angels. 

Pujols founded Open Gate International in Costa Mesa to help people with troubled backgrounds get job training within the restaurant industry.

CEO Charles Antis accepted this year’s award during the event with a tribute to the Antis team members of all ethnic backgrounds at the 30-year-old business. He mentioned the company’s annual Aguinaldo, an end-of-year bonus of up to one month’s salary, as one of the many sharing traditions that “we learned from Latin American culture.”

“It means so much to receive this now, during Hispanic Heritage Month, when we honor Latin American traditions,” Antis said. “We learn honor and respect from our Latin American employees, who show a deep philanthropic spirit."

Narciso Alarcon, senior field operations manager for Antis, said that giving back is the way the company has always been and it is what unites them.

“Watching us all work together … to me it reflects the (shared) culture that we have,” Alarcon said.

The chamber highlighted Antis’ deep commitment to philanthropic ventures, from Second Harvest food bank donations to giving free roofing services to Habitat for Humanity, and noted that COVID-19 didn't stop the roofing contractor from giving back.

“The pandemic hasn’t slowed them down one bit. It’s only strengthened their resolve to do more," said Chamber President and CEO Reuben D. Franco.

The 2020 Hispanic Leadership Award was also bestowed on OC Hospice, Memorial Care and Cambalache and Villa Roma restaurant owners Teresa and Leo Razo.

The annual event was held virtually earlier this month. Click here to view on YouTube.