For the first time, two of the South Coast’s fastest-growing business organizations will hold a joint networking mixer.

The Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and the Santa Barbara Chapter of the National Association of Women Business Owners will host the mixer from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Wednesday at Business First Bank, 1035 State St. in downtown Santa Barbara.

Admission is $10 with a reservation and $15 at the door, which includes food, wine, tequila tasting, music and door prizes. Click here for reservations.

“The Oct.13 joint mixer between our Hispanic chamber and NAWBO is significant not only because it represents the first collaboration between the two organizations, but more important, the two groups represent the two fastest-growing entrepreneurial segments in business: Latinos and women,” said Luis Villegas, Hispanic Chamber of Commerce member and vice president of Santa Barbara Bank & Trust.

“I believe the reason behind the success of both organizations, and why their events are well attended, is that both reflect a re-energized commitment to small business.”

Maeda Palius, president of the NAWBO-Santa Barbara Chapter, said having the joint networking event with the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce was a logical step in growing the organization.

“Our organizations have a lot in common, and we are both growing in spite of the economic situation,” she said. “We started talking with Sergio (Villa) and Luis (Villegas) earlier this year to find a time that would work for us, and Oct. 13 turned out to be perfect. We are grateful to Business First Bank for sponsoring it.”

Palius said NAWBO tries to host evening networking events several times a year to include members and potential members who can’t make their regular breakfast meetings on the fourth Wednesday of the month. But the timing of the group’s meetings hasn’t slowed NAWBO’s growth. The chapter was started several years ago.

“We just got our 110th member, which is truly amazing when you realize we started the year with 65 members,” Palius said. “NAWBO-SB is one of the fastest-growing chapters in the United States. It’s a great group, and we are going to be offering even more benefits to our members, and the community, in the coming year.”

NAWBO’s next regular breakfast meeting will include a panel of health experts discussing “Taking Care of Your Business By Taking Care of You” on Oct. 27 at the Canary Hotel.

Now in its 15th year, the Santa Barbara Hispanic Chamber of Commerce has regular networking mixers throughout the year, in addition to a trade show, a job fair, an awards banquet, a golf tournament and an upcoming holiday party.

— Noozhawk business writer Ray Estrada can be reached at restrada@noozhawk.com. Follow Noozhawk on Twitter: @noozhawk or @NoozhawkNews.