Luisa Baars Named 2024 Hispanic Business Person of the Year

Luisa Baars

The Rochester Hispanic Business Association (RHBA) has named Luisa Baars its 2024 Hispanic Business Person of the Year. Luisa began her professional life as a physical and occupational therapist working with Hispanics in various settings, helping individuals regain function, return to work, and alleviate pain and suffering.

This included times of service at both Mary Cariola and Ibero American Action League. For many years, Luisa also worked in the area of drug and alcohol addiction treatment with The Health Association, finding new ways to provide culturally-appropriate treatment to clients.

She founded MAS Translation Services in 1988 in response to needs she observed for appropriate translation and interpretation services for Rochester’s Hispanic population.

Longtime Rochester community leader, Julio Vazquez, who nominated Baars for this esteemed award had this to say about her, “[Luisa] is a role model for the Hispanic community by working hard, showing compassion and understanding for the needs of the community, and living with faith in the Creator and fellow human beings. She tends to see the many positive aspects of individuals, believing that there is more good in the world than bad.”

During her many years living in Rochester, Luisa has served on multiple boards of directors, always working to bring attention to the needs of the Hispanic community. They include: Catholic Family Center, Women’s Commission of the Diocese of Rochester, Common Ground Latino Health Coalition, United Way’s Committee on Aging, Pastoral Council at St. Margaret Mary and St. Kateri churches, Rochester Rotary Club, Secretary and President of the Irondequoit and the Rochester Latino Rotary clubs, Assistant Governor for Rotary District 7120, President of the American Occupational Therapy Association New York and Puerto Rico Chapters, and President of Occupational Therapy of Examiners in Puerto Rico.

In 2014, Luisa founded the Rochester Latino Rotary Club, “a volunteer community service organization seeking to embrace the talents of…Latinos and others who are interested in enriching the lives of local and World Latino Communities.”

The RHBA will honor Baars as the 33rd annual Hispanic Business Person of the Year at a gala luncheon on September 17, 2024, at the Joseph A. Floreano Rochester Riverside Convention Center. RHBA will welcome Rochester Genesee Regional Transportation Authority’s (RGRTA) CEO, Miguel Velazquez, as keynote speaker.

Visit the RHBA Business Person of the Year page to learn more about the award and purchase tickets. Sponsorships are available.