By Dan Spalding
News Now Warsaw
WARSAW — A Grace College graduate who was born in Chile has seen his translation services business, Language Matters, continue to grow.
Company CEO Lucas Fonseca came to Grace with a desire to play tennis and ended up starting the company when he was a sophomore.
“I remember going to my dorm room. I was sitting down, and I thought to myself, I love this place, I love the opportunity that I’ve gotten to be here, and so I decided to start a company that would help others to experience the same,” Fonseca said during a recording on In The Know, the pubic affairs show you can hear this weekend on Kensington Digital Media radio stations.
His career started when he began working as a Spanish tutor in 2016, when many communities across the United States were seeing growing language barriers with the rise of immigration.
Language Matters is currently contracted with numerous municipalities, including Warsaw, which has used the services for four years and recently agreed to extend its contract for three years.
Warsaw Mayor Jeff Grose, a former longtime government teacher, applauded what the company has been able to achieve, saying it’s helping provide “good government.”
“It’s just been a great tool, and it continues to expand because I think people in this community, our county, the surrounding area, they’re trusting Lucas,” Grose said.
Fonseca said they’ve grown beyond just providing translation insights over the phone.
“We’re not just giving them information they don’t understand. We actually educate them through the process … and we’ve seen that we have helped people become more independent through that,” Fonseca said.
Fonseca and Grose said the services have extended beyond city limits and that the company has stepped in to assist in different scenarios, including medical emergencies.
Fonseca was also recently honored with the Grace College and Seminary Young Alumni of the Year award.
“It was just a very special full circle to come back to campus and to receive such a big recognition,” he said.
On his LinkedIn account, Fonseca posted about the award and wrote (in part):
“Huge thanks to my mentors — Austin Lehman, Rick Phillips, Bob Vitoux, and Mayor Grose — for continually investing in me and challenging me to grow as a leader. A special thank-you as well to my brother, Arturo Fonseca, for being an unwavering source of support and an exceptional business partner.
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In The Know can be heard at the following times:
News Now Warsaw (99.7 FM and 1480 AM):
Fridays at 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.
Saturdays at 7 a.m.
Sundays at 7 a.m. & 2 p.m.
WRSW (107.3):
Sundays at 6 a.m.
Willie (103.5 FM):
Sundays at 6 a.m.
