Meet our Team
Cesar Ruiz, Jr.
As President and CEO of Golden Years Home Care, Cesar Ruiz leads an organization that provides quality and compassionate home care services to those who need assistance performing their day-to-day tasks due to disability, injury or aging. The organization was named Entrepreneur of the Year for 2020 by BusinessWest magazine. Ruiz was also featured by Hispanic Executive, a publication spotlighting business’s most influential Latinos.
Ruiz also serves as Board Member and Clerk for the Western Mass Economic Development Council, a private, not-for-profit corporation that provides resources and information to businesses operating in or entering the region by aiding in expansion, relocation and networking.
Ruiz is also a Corporator for Monson Savings Bank, elected in 2022.
Ruiz served as a Springfield Public Schools Board Member from 1980-1986, and was the first Hispanic person to hold public office in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the youngest at age 25. This honor was acknowledged with a citation by the Massachusetts State Senate, signed by Senate President William M. Bulger, attested by the Clerk of the Senate Edward B. O’Neill and offered by State Senator Martin T. Reilly.
Honors & Awards
Springfield School Board Member
1980-1986 Springfield School Board Member-Elected at Large, First Hispanic elected in the State of Massachusetts to hold public office and the youngest at age 25. Citation by the Massachusetts State Senate signed by the President of the Senate William M. Bulger, Attested by Clerk of the Senate Edward B. O’Neill and Offered by State Senator Martin T. Reilly.
Andrew Melendez
Andrew Melendez is the Director of the Latino Economic Development Corporation. Its mission is to connect the state’s Latino businesses to capital investments and grants, advocate for policies that directly impact Latino economic development in the Commonwealth, and provide a hotline that coaches business owners to grow and succeed. This is done by coordinating partnerships throughout the Commonwealth to work with Latino business leadership organizations that are doing the work in their respective communities.
In his last role, Melendez was tasked to help lead Partners for Community and its affiliates as the Chief Advancement Officer, ensuring processes are put in place to help continue the growth of PFC that manages four nonprofits with an annual revenue of $80 million.
Melendez recently was the Western Massachusetts Director for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts, the largest business association in Massachusetts with over 700 members, providing support through labor law, HR, and connecting businesses with advocates on Beacon Hill. Under Melendez, the organization’s 700+ members brought in $4.3 million in membership dues, and he was able to retain and grow membership during the pandemic when other membership organizations were struggling. His former experience as an Executive Director and Director of Diversity and Inclusion at the YMCA prepared Melendez to understand community needs in Western Massachusetts and Greater Boston.
Melendez is also Founder and Director of Unidos in Power, a non-partisan statewide Latino advocacy coalition. Its mission is to advocate for the social, political, and economic opportunity and empowerment of the Latino/x community in Massachusetts.
Cristina Berrios
Cristina Berrios has been employed with Golden Years Home Care Services since May of 2019, currently holding the title of the Office Manager. She loves taking on the leadership role and her goal is to inspire others to do the same. She enjoys training as she goes, in hopes to encourage others that anything is possible with dedication and commitment. Cristina is looking to be more involved with improving her networking skills within the community. She is currently actively working with two amazing female health/fitness coaches both outside of the Chicopee and West Springfield area in Massachusetts and her journey with them has been incredible. She enjoys spending time with family and friends in her spare time. The best part of it all is that Cristina has the most amazing children a mother could ever ask for and will be attending school in the Fall for Healthcare Management.