Luis Simón, founder and CEO of Simón Landscape, was named 2026 Businessman of the Year at the Metropolitan Savannah Hispanic Chamber of Commerce’s 10th annual awards gala on Nov. 7. The recognition arrives the same month Simón Landscape celebrates 22 years in business.

“I’m proud to accept this award on behalf of the entire team at Simón Landscape,” said Simón. “When I started the company 22 years ago, I believed that if we showed up, kept our word, and took pride in our work, people would give us a chance. Savannah did exactly that. I’m grateful to the customers who have trusted us over the years and to the crew that earns that trust every day.”

Simón, who moved to Savannah from Havana, Cuba, in 2004 and studied economics in Havana, started a landscaping company with a handful of residential accounts. Over more than two decades, the organization grew through referrals and word of mouth into a full-service residential and commercial firm serving Savannah, Pooler, Bluffton, Hilton Head Island and surrounding communities.

Simón’s story reflects a larger trend. According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, Georgia is home to more than 144,000 Hispanic-owned businesses, nearly 11% of all businesses in the state. Nationally, Stanford University’s State of Latino Entrepreneurship report found that Latino-owned businesses grew 44% between 2018 and 2023.