Andrade bestows Sagamore of the Wabash award on two local leaders
Friday (April 19), State Rep. Mike Andrade (D-Munster) bestowed a Sagamore of the Wabash award on Northwest Indiana residents Joseph Alamillo Jr. and Deborah Trevino. Granted by Gov. Eric Holcomb, the award is the highest honor awarded by the governor and recognizes significant leadership, community involvement and contributions to the State of Indiana.
Andrade submitted a request to Gov. Holcomb that Alamillo Jr. and Trevino be recognized and presented them both with their awards at the Hammond Hispanic Community Committee 8th Annual Scholarship Dinner on Friday.
Alamillo Jr. is the president of NSP Consultants, LLC, where he assists public jurisdictions and nonprofit agencies in creating affordable housing. Additionally, he served as public manager of Hammond's Community Development Block Grant from 1975 – 2008 and was a founding member of the Hammond Mayor's Housing Taskforce and the Lake County Housing Taskforce.
In the community, Alamillo Jr. is a founding member and past president of the Hammond Hispanic Community Committee (HHCC), serving the organization for 31 years.
“Joseph Alamillo Jr. has spent his career in service to Northwest Indiana and the Hispanic community,” Andrade said. “From working to ensure all members of our community have safe housing to making sure that the Hispanic community is thriving, Joseph represents the best of the Hoosier State. I am honored to present him with a Sagamore of the Wabash in recognition of his extraordinary contributions.”
Trevino is both an entrepreneur and school administrator. She has run Trevino Motors in East Chicago for almost 50 years along with her husband Eddie and was one of the first Hispanic businesswomen to open a boutique in Whiting and Highland. Additionally, she has served as the School City of Hammond registrar for over 30 years at Clark and Morton High Schools. She was one of the first Hispanic secretaries hired to meet the growing needs of the Hispanic community she continues to serve in Hammond.
In the community, Trevino sponsored Clark and Morton High School's Spanish Club for seven years, served as a past president of the Hammond Secretaries group, and serves as treasurer of the Clark and Morton Parent Teacher Association. She is a long-time member and current president of the HHCC. Trevino is also a resident of Highland and a constituent of Andrade's.
Under Alamillo Jr. and Trevino's leadership, the organization has raised over $25,000 annually to provide Hammond students with scholarships for college or trade school. HHCC also runs a Latino Resource Fair, where over 500 families are served annually with a variety of health, legal and financial services and other resources and community activities.
“Deborah Trevino has tirelessly built up our community through her work as a small business owner and community builder,” Andrade said. “She is a strong leader in the Hispanic community and a strong woman who has dedicated herself to ensuring that our community is thriving, not just surviving. I was proud to present a Sagamore of the Wabash to someone who is so deserving of it.”