Business
24th Don Quijote Awards Finalists Announced at Dr. Phillips Center
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Source: Hispanic Chamber of Commerce Metro Orlando // Excitement builds for the 24th Annual Don Quijote Awards as the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando (HCCMO) and Prospera revealed the finalists of the four categories, along with this year’s Lifetime Achievement and Hispanic Community Champion award recipients during a press conference that was held at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The press conference was sponsored by Walt Disney Parks & Resorts and Wells Fargo.
The Don Quijote Awards recognize businesses and individuals committed to excellence and to the development of Central Florida’s Hispanic community. The winner of each category will be announced at the 24th Don Quijote Awards Celebration on Saturday, December 11, 2021, at the Epcot’s World Showplace Pavilion. This black-tie award celebration will be from 6:00pm to midnight with Telemundo 31 news anchors Olga Aymat and Carlos Rausseo as this year’s masters of ceremony.
The 2021 Don Quijote Awards finalists are:
Hispanic Business of the Year, Five Years or Less:
This year’s Don Quijote Awards Business of the Year-Five Years or Less finalists were announced at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. Photo: Harry Castiblanco/Florida National News.
- Capella Immigration Law, PLLC, Represented by Attorney Camila Pachón Roldán
- Prime Services LLC, Represented by the owner Milna Maldonado
- Vinali Staffing, Represented by its owners Ruth and Israel Vélez
Hispanic Business of the Year, More than Five Years:
This year’s Don Quijote Awards Business of the Year-Five Years or More finalists were announced at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. Photo: Harry Castiblanco/Florida National News.
- Castillo Engineering Services, LLC, Represented by owners Richard and Christopher Castillo
- JIRACOR, Represented by owners Jeannette and Richard Coronado
- Total Nutrition Technology, Represented by company founder Lourdes McAgy
Professional of the Year:
This year’s Don Quijote Awards Professional of the Year finalists were announced at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. Photo: Harry Castiblanco/Florida National News.
- Diana Almodovar, Deputy Director and County Engineer at Orange County Public Works Department
- Dr. Cyndia Morales Muñiz, Director of Hispanic Serving Institution Culture and Partnerships at the University of Central Florida
- Karla Muñiz, Executive Director of Strategic Workforce Integration at AdventHealth
Excellence Award:
This year’s Don Quijote Awards Excellence Award finalists were announced at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. Photo: Harry Castiblanco/Florida National News.
- Dr. Luis Martínez-Fernández, Professor of History at the University of Central Florida
- Orlando Rolón, Chief of Orlando Police Department
- Carlos Torres, Uniform Patrol Division Commander at Orange County Sheriff’s Office
The Hispanic Community Champion and Lifetime Achievement awards recipients are uniquely chosen by the Don Quijote Awards Selection Committee.
Hispanic Community Champion Award
OUC CEO and General Manager Clint Bullock was announced as the 2021 Don Quijote Awards Hispanic Community Champion at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. Photo: Harry Castiblanco/Florida National News.
This award is given to a non-Hispanic individual who has led by example in supporting the progress of the Hispanic community in Central Florida. The recipient of this award is chosen by the Don Quijote Awards Selection Committee focusing on contributions to the Hispanic community; evidence of promoting Hispanic professionals, executives, and board members within the nominee’s respective organization and in the general community; demonstrated leadership or community involvement to benefit the Hispanic community; and honors or awards.
The winner of the 2021 Don Quijote Hispanic Community Champion Award is Clint Bullock, General Manager and CEO at Orlando Utilities Commission – OUC The Reliable One. Bullock serves as the CEO and General Manager of OUC, Florida’s second-largest municipal utility. They provide electric and water services to approximately 400 thousand accounts in Orlando, St. Cloud, and unincorporated Orange and Osceola counties. Mr. Bullock began his career with OUC as a summer student and excelled in progressive roles during the past 30 years. His leadership has been integral in upholding OUC’s reputation as The Reliable One.
Lifetime Achievement Award
Univision’s Paul Gamache was announced as the 2021 Don Quijote Awards Lifetime Achievement Award recipient at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts in downtown Orlando. Photo: Harry Castiblanco/Florida National News.
This award recognizes an individual who has made significant and lasting contributions to the development and empowerment of the Hispanic community in Central Florida. This year the honor goes to Emmy Award Winner, Senior News Director and Producer at Univision Orlando Paul Gamache. A pioneer in the local Spanish-language news market, Paul Gamache is one of the most trusted sources of information in Central Florida and a regional Hispanic icon for nearly three decades.
Paul Gamache is a truly high caliber news professional and mentor for many young Latino journalists and interns that have had the privilege of working in the same newsroom with him. There is no doubt that when you speak of excellence and credibility in Spanish language news in the Central Florida market, there is one name that stands out: Paul Gamache – Senior News Anchor for Noticias Univision Orlando.
The Don Quijote Awards are made possible thanks to the support of Walt Disney World Resort, Wells Fargo, AdventHealth, Bank of America, Universal Orlando Resort, Florida Blue, Orlando Health, PNC Bank, VyStar Credit Union, Duke Energy, Fairwinds, Heart of Florida United Way, JP Morgan Chase, Kidsville Pediatrics, Nemours Children’s Hospital, Orlando Magic, T&G Constructors, Travel & Leisure, Valencia College, Addition Financial, The Trentham Santiago Group, University of Central Florida, Visit Orlando, Orlando International Airport, iHeart Media, Univision Orlando, Telemundo 31, La Prensa Newspaper, Florida National News among many more. For more information on the Don Quijote Awards, please visit www.donquijoteawards.com.
The refrigerated lineup includes five single-serve dishes and two family-size meals.
BATAVIA, Ill. (FNN) — ALDI will begin rolling out seven ready-made meals in select stores in early October, with single-serve dishes priced under $8 and family-size options under $15. The grocer expects the full lineup to be available nationwide by January 2027.
The collection includes five single-serve meals: beef Bolognese spaghetti, beef brisket with white mac and cheese, butter chicken and rice, a chicken burrito bowl, and chicken fettuccine Alfredo. The two family-size dishes are chicken and bacon mac and cheese and a meat lovers pizza bake.
“Our shoppers are looking for meals that fit into busy lives,” said Joan Kavanaugh, vice president of national buying for ALDI U.S. She said the company developed the lineup with shoppers’ budgets and demand for convenient meals in mind.
Price and preparation
ALDI said the single-serve meals contain 30 to 46 grams of protein each. The family-size dishes contain 16 to 22 grams per serving. The company announced price limits for the two sizes but did not list a price for each individual meal.
“We tested hundreds of recipes as we developed this collection,” said Terry Jackson, head of food at Kitchen Food Company, ALDI’s supplier for the meals. Jackson said the team focused on flavor and ingredients while developing the dishes.
The meals are refrigerated, not frozen. ALDI says the single-serve dishes can be heated in a microwave, while the family-size meals are prepared in an oven. Shoppers should follow the directions on each package.
2026 Hispanic Chamber Hola at the Park. Uptown Altamonte Springs, Florida at beautiful Cranes Roost Park Saturday, October 3, 2026 (2:00 PM – 6:00 PM) (EDT)
When and where to find them
The meals will be stocked in the refrigerated meals section near the front of ALDI stores. Availability will vary during the rollout, which begins in select markets in early October and expands through the fall. ALDI also plans to offer additional meals through its limited-time ALDI Finds assortment each month over the following year. corporate.aldi.us
Business
Addition Financial, Rosen Preschools Partner to Expand Financial Literacy for Central Florida Children
Now in its fourth year, ADDing FUNdamentals introduces children as young as 4 to saving, needs versus wants and other basic money concepts through classroom activities and take-home resources.
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Addition Financial Credit Union is expanding its ADDing FUNdamentals community impact program through a new partnership with Rosen Preschools, bringing financial literacy education to children as young as 4 while providing resources designed to extend those lessons into their homes.
Now in its fourth year, ADDing FUNdamentals introduces preschool-aged children to basic money-management concepts through interactive, age-appropriate learning experiences.
Developed through a partnership with Junior Achievement of Central Florida and the Early Learning Coalition of Orange County, the program uses Junior Achievement’s JA Ourselves curriculum to teach children foundational concepts including making choices, distinguishing needs from wants and saving money.
Rosen Preschools is participating in the program for the first time, expanding the initiative’s reach to more children and families in Central Florida.
Addition Financial Credit Union, Rosen Preschools and community partners celebrate the expansion of the ADDing FUNdamentals financial literacy program, which introduces preschool-aged children to basic money-management concepts through hands-on learning and imaginative play.
Financial Lessons Extend Beyond the Classroom
As part of the initiative, volunteers from Addition Financial, Junior Achievement and Rosen Hotels & Resorts assembled backpacks filled with educational resources designed to help children follow along with classroom lessons and continue learning at home with their families.
A portion of the backpacks will be distributed to Rosen Tangelo Park Preschool and Rosen Preschool in Parramore.
Addition Financial is also providing playhouses modeled after miniature credit unions, giving students an opportunity to practice basic money-management concepts through imaginative play.
The combination of classroom instruction, hands-on activities and take-home materials is designed to reinforce financial concepts while encouraging families to continue conversations about money outside the classroom.
Rosen CEO: Financial Literacy Is a Critical Life Skill
Frank Santos, president and CEO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts, said his professional background in finance has made financial literacy an issue he strongly supports.
“We are very proud to partner with Addition Financial to bring the ADDing FUNdamentals program to the Rosen Preschools,” Santos said. “Having spent a majority of my career in finance, I am a big advocate for financial literacy.”
Santos called financial literacy a critical life skill and said introducing foundational lessons early, while also sending educational materials home to families, can help prepare children for long-term success.
Addition Financial Focuses on Starting Financial Education Early
Kevin Dougherty, chief operations officer at Addition Financial Credit Union, said the partnership with Rosen expands the program’s ability to introduce financial concepts during children’s formative years.
“We are incredibly grateful to have an organization of Rosen’s caliber become a part of the ADDing FUNdamentals program,” Dougherty said. “The students at Rosen Preschools will now get a jump start on developing key skills many of us take for granted — understanding and managing money.”
Dougherty said the response to the program since its launch demonstrates interest in providing financial education at an early age.
“The positive response and success we’ve seen since launching the program speaks to the need of fostering financial education at an early age,” Dougherty said.
Building Financial Skills Through Community Partnerships
The collaboration brings together a credit union, hospitality organization and education-focused community partners around a shared effort to introduce financial concepts to children early in life.
Rather than limiting the experience to classroom instruction, ADDing FUNdamentals combines curriculum, interactive play and educational materials that children can take home and share with their families.
The addition of Rosen Preschools in the program’s fourth year further expands its presence in Central Florida and brings the financial literacy initiative into the Tangelo Park and Parramore communities.
Through lessons on saving, choices and needs versus wants, participating children receive an early introduction to concepts they will encounter throughout their lives.
Florida National News invites businesses and brands to explore partnership opportunities as FNN Sports Zone prepares special programming and on-location coverage
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN) — Florida National News is expanding its national news and sports presence with plans for special event coverage from Los Angeles in 2027, Atlanta in 2028 and Las Vegas in 2029, creating new opportunities for businesses and organizations to connect with FNN audiences across multiple platforms.
The multiyear initiative will focus on coverage surrounding one of the biggest weeks in American sports, with FNN journalists and content teams covering stories beyond the field, including sports, entertainment, travel and tourism, business, culture and community impact.
The expansion is part of FNN’s broader strategy to grow from its Florida-based reporting operation into a digital news network with an increased presence at major events and media markets across the country.
FNN Sports Zone Goes National
A major component of the initiative will be the FNN Sports Zone Podcast Show Live, featuring special programming, interviews, analysis, digital content and planned on-location coverage.
FNN Sports Zone’s national event programming is designed to provide audiences with coverage throughout major sports weeks, including conversations with athletes, sports personalities, business leaders, community representatives and other newsmakers when available.
The programming will be distributed across FNN’s digital and social media platforms as the network continues expanding its sports audience and original video content.
Opportunities for Businesses and Brands
Florida National News is also inviting businesses, brands, organizations and community partners to explore opportunities to support FNN’s independent national news and sports coverage.
Potential opportunities include FNN program sponsorships, brand partnerships, digital and social media campaigns, content collaborations, community partnerships and authorized on-site activations.
The initiative is centered on a simple message:
“Your Brand. Three Cities. One National Platform.”
Rather than limiting coverage to what happens on the field, FNN plans to highlight the economic and cultural activity surrounding major sports events — from hospitality and tourism to entertainment, local businesses and community stories.
Three Major Markets
The national coverage initiative is scheduled to spotlight Los Angeles in 2027, Atlanta in 2028 and Las Vegas in 2029.
Each market provides FNN with opportunities to produce original reporting and programming while developing relationships with businesses, tourism organizations, community leaders, sports professionals and other potential news sources.
The initiative also supports FNN’s long-term expansion of its national reporting footprint while maintaining its Florida news operations.
Partner With FNN News
Businesses and organizations interested in learning more about FNN News national coverage and partnership opportunities can contact:
Social@FloridaNationalNews.com
FloridaNationalNews.com | FNNNews.com
REAL NEWS. REAL PEOPLE. REAL FLORIDA. REAL IMPACT.
Florida National News/FNN News is an independent news organization. FNN is not affiliated with, endorsed by or sponsored by the National Football League, its member clubs or event venues. On-site activities and coverage are subject to applicable credentials, permissions and venue or event requirements.
