SALT LAKE CITY — The Suazo Business Center celebrated two major milestones: the unveiling of a community mural titled “Legacy of Dreamers” and the official renaming of its Utah headquarters to the Gladys Gonzalez Building. The dual celebration honors the center’s roots and its future as a cornerstone of Salt Lake City’s small business ecosystem.

Founded in 2002 to honor the legacy of the late state of Utah senator, Pete Suazo, the center has provided business development, education, and access to capital to thousands of entrepreneurs. By naming the facility the Gladys Gonzalez Building, the Suazo Business Center, and its Board of Directors honor the woman who transformed a personal mentorship from Sen. Suazo into a nonprofit that has helped launch over 5,000 businesses.

“Naming this building after Gladys is a tribute to her vision and the thousands of entrepreneurs who have walked through these doors to build their American Dream,” said Silvia Castro Bennett, president and CEO of Suazo Business Center. “This facility is more than an office; it’s a launchpad for generational wealth and community impact. Today, we celebrate the foundation Gladys built and the vibrant future represented by the new mural painted on the west wall of our building.”

Gonzalez, who served as the center’s founder and first executive director from its opening in 2003 — and as a board member until her transition to an emeritus board position in 2018 — was honored by the dedication.

“When Pete Suazo helped me with my first business plan years ago, he planted a seed of service that grew into this center,” said Gladys Gonzalez. “To see this building carry my name is a deeply humbling honor, but the true legacy is the success of the small business owners who prove every day that with the right support, anything is possible.”

The event also featured the formal dedication of “Legacy of Dreamers,” a mural on the building’s west wall painted by local artist Marla Love. The mural depicts the journeys of immigrant and minority entrepreneurs and features artwork by three generations of the Love family.

“This mural is a visual story of resilience and the beauty of our community. I wanted to capture the spirit of those who come to the Suazo Center — people who are working not just for themselves, but to create a better life for their children and grandchildren. Working alongside my father and my daughter on this project was a profound experience,” said Marla Love. “It mirrors the generational impact the Suazo Center has on the families who come here for help.”

There naming of the building was spearheaded by the center’s staff and Board of Directors to recognize Gonzalez’s more than two decades of dedication.

“The decision to rename our headquarters the Gladys Gonzalez Building was unanimous,” said Lorena Riffo-Jenson, board of directors chair for Suazo Business Center. “Gladys’s leadership in the early 2000s set the standard for how we serve our clients. As we look to the next 20-plus years, this building stands as a permanent reminder of the power of community-led economic development.”

The ceremony concluded with refreshments provided by Cakes by Edith, a thriving business that blends Mexican and American baking traditions, and a Suazo graduate business. Founded by former Suazo clients Edith and Jorge Lopez, the family legacy now continues through their daughters, Alma and Diana, who serve as advisors for the center’s current entrepreneurs.

About Suazo Business Center

Suazo Business Center is Utah’s most culturally responsive business development center, focused on economic empowerment through entrepreneurship. It works to end cycles of poverty, eliminate generational wealth gaps, and build self-reliance. The Suazo Business Center is one of only a handful of Community Development Financial Institutions (CDFI) in Utah and has served the community since 2002, assisting in educating, growing, and developing over 11,000 clients and small businesses. The center has created more than 7,000 new small businesses and helped generate billions of dollars in revenue as an investment into Utah’s local economies. For more information, please call (801) 521-1709 or visit suazocenter.org.