Our Impact

1977-1994

• 1977 — U.T.B. United Third Bridge, Inc. founded in New York City.
• Established Equal Employment Opportunity Task Forces with Brevard County to evaluate Affirmative Action Plans.
• Worked with County Government to recruit qualified minorities for employment, construction contracting, and purchasing.
• 1994 — Advocated for Hispanic representation on the Brevard County Charter Study Committee.
• 1994 — Encouraged local radio stations to play Latin American music, especially Salsa.
• 1994 — Contributed to national dialogue on North Korea’s nuclear inspections.

1995–1999

• 1995 — Joined statewide protests opposing denial of public services to undocumented residents.
• 1995 — Established the John A. Rodriguez Memorial Fund for Hispanic American Police Cadets at Eastern Florida State College.
• 1996 — Visited the White House twice to discuss national Hispanic issues with President Clinton.
• 1996 — Established the Irma Lozada Memorial Scholarship for Hispanic American Corrections & Probation cadets at Eastern Florida State College.
• 1996 — Created additional EFSC scholarships in nursing, finance, firefighting, legal assistance, and the Maxwell King Education Scholarship.
• 1996 — Provided public commentary on responsible pet gifting.
• 1997 — Established Brevard County’s first Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade.
• 1997 — Secured the first Puerto Rican reporter at Florida Today and obtained resolutions declaring November as Puerto Rican Heritage Month.
• 1997 — Honored Puerto Rican leaders ahead of the annual Puerto Rican Day Parade in Palm Bay. Those honored were Senator Anibal Marrero, Dr. Ramon S. Velez, and Luis DeRosa, president of the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of South Florida.
• 1998 — Supported the 2nd Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade; Sponsored by United Third Bridge, Inc., proceeds funded Brevard Community College scholarships.
• 1999 — Hosted the Family Salsa Festival and Miss Puerto Rico of Brevard County Pageant which was founded, produced and hosted by United Third Bridge Inc. to raise scholarship funds and help celebrate National Hispanic Heritage Month.

2000–2009

• Established the Florida Puerto Rican/Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Inc.
• Completed the Don Juan Ponce de León Landing Statue Project (Phase I & II) in Melbourne Beach.
• Defeated the Anti‑Immigration Ordinance proposed by Palm Bay City Council, alongside community partners.
• 2002 —Bought the building on Aurora Rd. for U.T.B. operations.
• 2002 — Hosted Hispanic Heritage Month events: parade, banquet, and business networking open house At the New Florida Puerto Rican/Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Inc. located in Melbourne FL.
• 2003 — Invited 14 Brevard schools to participate in the Puerto Rican Day Parade.
• 2003 — Launched “Latin Visions,” a civil‑rights and political education TV program That will target Hispanic residents living in Brevard County. The goal of the show is to educate them regarding their civil rights and the role of Hispanics in politics.
• 2005 — Organized a Business Expo through the Florida Puerto Rican/Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.
• 2006 — Co‑hosted the 10th Annual Puerto Rico Day Gala, and the 5th Annual Hispanic Art Exhibit in Melbourne, Fl and the 10th annual Puerto Rican Day Parade in Palm Bay Florida on November 5th. with over 13,000 attendees.
• 2007 — April 5, Led the Ponce de León Awards Banquet, supported and commissioned a local artist to create the Juan Ponce de León statue.
• 2008 — Participated in a Kissimmee town hall with Barack Obama on Puerto Rico–U.S. issues. Representatives from 12 Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce were expected to attend and discuss possible trade agreements between the US and Puerto Rico and discuss the environmental concerns in Vieques Puerto Rico caused by a US military base station there that was used for bombing exercises.
• 2009 — Hosted the 3rd Annual Three Kings Gala. The event will also include a Paranda which is a Christmas Carol dance tradition in Puerto Rico. The gala was hosted by UTB United 3rd Bridge Inc and attendees were asked to bring a toy and make a donation.
• 2009 — Attended celebration of Justice Sonia Sotomayor’s Supreme Court appointment In Palm Beach which was hosted by the Puerto Rican Chamber of Commerce of Palm Beach. The event was to celebrate the swearing in of the first Puerto Rican Supreme Court judge Sonia Sotomajor. One hundred people attended the celebration
• 2009 — Co‑hosted a Roberto Clemente tribute and donated a bronze plaque in his honor. During this tribute the U.T.B. proposed that the Space Coast Stadium should be renamed after Roberto Clemente Walker to honor his memory.
• 2009 — Successfully petitioned NASA to send the first Puerto Rican astronaut, Joseph M. Acaba, aboard Shuttle Discovery.
• 2009 — Co‑hosted the 15th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade and 13th Annual Gala at the Melbourne Hilton Hotel; proceeds funded scholarships.

2010–2020

• 2010 — Announced the 15th Annual Salsa Festival and Miss Puerto Rico of Brevard Pageant.
• 2013 —March 28, Led the 500‑Year Juan Ponce de León Landing Park Commemoration; ribbon cutting, reenactments, gala Which was held at the Melbourne Rialto Hotel, and unveiling of a 15‑foot statue. These events celebrated Juan Ponce de Leon’s first landing in Melbourne Beach FL. On Tuesday April 3rd there was a daylong event celebrating the landing of Wampanoag de Leon’s landing in Melbourne Beach FL 500 years ago. The schedule included a Catholic Mass at Immaculate Conception Church, a presentation by the mayor of Santervas de Campos, Which is a municipality in Spain where Juan Ponce de Leon was born, a reenactment of the Juan Ponce de Leon voyage and a ceremony to unveil the new 15 foot statue of Juan Ponce de Leon, located at Juan Ponce de Leon Landing Park. The statue costs $65,000 and the United Third Bridge raised money to fund it.
• 2013 — Advocated for renaming streets, immigration reform, and designed the first “Hispanic Achievers” license plate. (see Florida Today Newspaper March 31, pg E1 & E3)
• 2014 — Hosted the Puerto Rican Day Parade, Festival & Gala.
• 2015 — Hosted the 19th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade, Festival and Gala.
• 2017 — Commented on Puerto Rican migration to Palm Bay; advocated against Confederate flag displays at city events. Samuel was interviewed and expressed that the influx of Puerto Ricans should influence the diversity of the workforce population in Brevard County as local employees hire the newcomers and they influence local elections.
• 2019 — Co‑hosted the 17th Annual Hispanic Business Expo, Job & Health Fair at the Greater Palm Bay Senior Center with The Florida Puerto Rican/ Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Inc.
• 2020 — Co‑hosted Along with Eastern Florida State College, the Seafarer Exploration Corp of Brevard and the Brevard County School’s Adult Education Division, a Three Kings Day celebration supporting 285 Puerto Rican families displaced by Hurricane Maria In September 2017. Margarita Chavez is the director of the United 3rd Bridge Puerto Rico Relief Fund that assists these families with finding jobs and housing in Brevard County.

2021–Current

2021 — Founder Samuel C. Lopez passed away; U.T.B. commits to carrying forward his legacy.

2021 — The baseball complex at Fred Poppe Regional Park was named after Roberto Clemente Walker, a change U.T.B. advocated for over 25 years.

2021 — Celebrated 25 years of partnership with the School Board of Brevard County.

2021 — The City of Palm Bay named the main entrance to City Hall “Samuel C. Lopez Way” in honor of our founder.

2022 — Created the Samuel Casiano Lopez Memorial Scholarship.

2022 — Participated in community events with Green Gables, Aging Matters, Magnus Solutions, and Train to Succeed, supporting families, seniors, and holiday initiatives.

2022 — Hosted the 25th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade & Multicultural Festival, with participants from Florida, Puerto Rico, Connecticut, and New York.

2023–2024 — Continued annual Parade, multicultural festival, scholarship awards, and statewide cultural celebrations.

2023–2025 — Received multiple Hispanic Heritage Month Proclamations from the City of Melbourne and City of Palm Bay.

2023–2025 — Sponsored Eastern Florida State College Performing & Visual Arts Scholarships, Mother’s Day Salute Brunch, and community cultural events.

2024–2025 — Expanded BORIKÉN WEEKEND: Awards Banquet, Parade, and Multicultural Festival with statewide partners.

2024–2025 — Continued Thanksgiving drives, toy drives, and Three Kings Day celebrations for local families supported by our Partner Gary Yeomans Ford Palm Bay.

2025 — Participated in National Puerto Rican Day Parade, multicultural festivals, and community fundraisers.

2025 — Supported Green Gables, Mujer Emprende Latina, BCASCA, and other partners through community events, galas, and relief drives.

2025 — Continued awarding the Samuel Casiano Lopez Memorial Scholarship to outstanding students.

2026 — Partnered with WICCS for the Three Kings Gift of Giving celebration, supported by our Partner Gary Yeomans Ford Palm Bay.

2026 — Announced BORIKÉN WEEKEND October 23rd and 24, Friday Night and Saturday, Save the Date for Florida’s 29th Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade Signature Awards Banquet, Parade and Multicultural Festival .

2021–2026 — Annual Puerto Rican Day Parade continues into its 29th year, the oldest Puerto Rican Day Parade in the state of Florida, drawing thousands of attendees.