Prospera and The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce of Metro Orlando (HCCMO) co-hosted the 25th Annual Don Quijote Awards gala. The prestigious awards ceremony took place on Dec. 10 at Epcot’s World Showplace Pavilion and its top sponsors were Walt Disney World Resort, Wells Fargo, and 1st SOS Staffing. The Don Quijote Awards is the premier event for the region’s Hispanic business community, where businesses and individuals are recognized for exemplifying qualities of the classic Don Quijote literary character: vision, courage, and community impact.
A selection committee chose the winners of the 2022 Don Quijote Awards among community nominees, based on professional accomplishments, financial success and growth, innovation, industry and community contributions, demonstrated leadership, and professional honors and recognition. This year’s Don Quijote Awards recipients are:
- Lifetime Achievement: Modesto Alcala, Senior Vice President of Global Restaurant Development and Placemaking for Universal Creative at Universal Parks & Resorts
- Hispanic Business of the Year, Five Years or Less: Guacamole Mexican Grill, Inc, represented by owners Mayessi El Halabi, Diego Rojas and Gustavo Aristizabal
- Hispanic Business of the Year, More Than Five Years: SkyBuilders USA, represented by company owners Marcela Restrepo and Juan Velez
- Professional of the Year: Luis Nieves-Ruiz, Director of Economic Development at East Central Florida Regional Planning Council
- Excellence: Robert “Bob” Cortes, Senior Administrator for Government Affairs at Seminole County Sheriff’s Office
- Hispanic Community Champion: Dr. James Michael Burkett, President at Florida Technical College
The theme for this event was its 25th anniversary and the collaboration between the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and Prospera since its creation in 1998. Mercedes McCall, a founder of the event as well as of both community organizations, delivered a message and toast during the gala honoring the trajectory and impact of these two economic engines in Central Florida’s business community. The entertainment of the evening was provided by Central Florida Community Arts, Mariachi Cobre, and DJ Bori Boy from El Nuevo Zol 95.3 FM. Yisel Tejeda and Iris Delgado, News Anchors from Noticias Telemundo 31, served as the Mistresses of Ceremony.
The Don Quijote Awards were possible thanks to the financial support of Walt Disney World Resort, Wells Fargo, 1st SOS Staffing, AdventHealth, Bank of America, Universal Orlando Resort, Florida Blue, Orlando Health, PNC Bank, Boeing, Duke Energy, Travel + Leisure, OUC – The Reliable One, 26Health, Cypress Bank & Trust, Delaware North, JPMorgan Chase, Orlando Magic, University of Central Florida, Telemundo 31, El Nuevo Zol 95.3 FM, La Prensa, El Osceola Star, the Orlando Business Journal, iHeart Media, Univision, Florida National News, Nosotras Latina Magazine, and Orange TV. For more information about the Don Quijote Awards, please visit www.donquijoteawards.com.
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