Orlando Ramos

State Representative, 9th Hampden District

Orlando Ramos

Orlando Ramos when he was named to the 40 Under Forty class of 2014, and today (top)

Orlando Ramos has a small classic car collection.

He once had four vehicles, but recently sold a 1974 Corvette. He still has a 1970 Chevy Monte Carlo, a 1989 Chevy Camaro IROC-Z, and a 1991 Ford Escort, and shows them all at area shows.

The Escort doesn’t sound particularly sexy, and Ramos acknowledged that, but it has taken home a lot of hardware at those shows, as has the Monte Carlo, he said, adding that the Camaro wins at pretty much every competition he brings it to.

Beyond first-place ribbons, the cars bring Ramos memories, a chance to meet new people and add more friends to an already large roster, and, perhaps most importantly, some relaxing moments to counter the many chaotic ones at the State House and within his district.

“I try to drive them on the weekends when I get some downtime, and I do some car shows on the weekend if I’m not busy with work,” he told BusinessWest. “It takes my mind off things. That’s where I find my peace — driving my classic cars … no radio, just the sound of the engine with the windows down.”

He considers the cars a passion, one of two that he has, with the other being the city of Springfield, which is now his sole focus within the 9th District (he used to represent a small section of Chicopee).

He grew up in the City of Homes, among several other places (his family moved frequently in his youth), graduated from Putnam Vocational Technical High School, did some boxing in the city, and later settled in Indian Orchard, which he still calls home. He served on the City Council, including as its president, before being elected to the House, and ran, unsuccessfully, for Springfield mayor in 2023, leaving the door wide open for another run down the road.

Most of those who nominated Ramos for the Alumni Achievement Award — and there were several — called him an ambassador for the city, a mentor to young people, and, in many ways, an inspiration to those in the minority community.

In addition, he’s a prolific filer of bills designed, in many cases, to safeguard the interests of his constituents while also addressing inequalities that still exist on many levels.

Indeed, Ramos said he filed 27 bills at the beginning of this session, the most he’s ever filed, and they involve everything from regulations for facial surveillance technology (there currently are none) to measures to protect taxpayers and cities and towns from utility companies that withhold property taxes by closing existing loopholes.

“The law was intended to help small, mom-and-pop businesses and individual residents that were struggling to pay their tax bills,” he explained. “It wasn’t meant to help multi-billion-dollar utilities to abuse that loophole.”

In addition to all this work at the State House, Ramos remains actively involved with the community, whether it’s in his neighborhood, where he sits on the Indian Orchard Citizens Council; coaching in a basketball league; turning up at car shows; or supporting small businesses.

“I always try to show up at small businesses and festivals and community events and be supportive of everything that’s happening in the community,” said Ramos, who has a new initiative that touches on many of his priorities, goals, and efforts to make a difference.

It’s called Ties to Success, and it’s designed to teach young men in Springfield public schools how to tie a tie — what he calls an important but overlooked life skill.

“Eventually, I hope to reach every graduating class in the city,” he said, adding that, in this, the program’s inaugural year, he and others working with him started with about 30 students at Putnam.

“I’ve recruited about 15 volunteer mentors from the public and private sector,” he said. “In addition to learning how to tie a tie, each student will leave with a brand-new tie, written instructions, and the invaluable experience of connecting with positive role models from the business and government sectors.”

Speaking of tying the knot, Ramos, a proud single parent of daughter, Ariana, now 21 (who was his date at his 40 Under Forty gala), announced that he recently got engaged to a member of the 40 Under Forty class of 2024, Natalie Mercado, owner and CEO of Sweetera & Co.

That adds another passion to a man who has several, including those cars. You might say he’s a driving force for positive change. Many people do.

—George O’Brien