"Occupation: President and CEO, Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce; Latin Chamber Pioneer:Born in Havana, Cuba, Otto Merida came to America as a political refugee in 1961. He made his way to Las Vegas in 1974, where he worked for the Nevada Department of Education and the Comprehensive Employment and Training Program. In the late 1970s, Merida helped establish the Las Vegas Latin Chamber of Commerce. Today, it has more than 1,500 members. Merida also is the past chair of the Las Vegas Housing Authority. In 1999, Gov.