Radio Ink celebrated the best in Hispanic radio Wednesday evening as the 2025 Medallas de Cortez award winners were officially announced from a tough, competitive field during a special ceremony at the Hispanic Radio Conference in Houston.
The evening’s highest honor, the Medallas de Cortez Lifetime Leadership Award, was presented to López Negrete Communications President, CEO, and Co-Founder Alex López Negrete, recognizing his decades of leadership in multicultural marketing and his enduring impact on Hispanic media and culture.
Winners in seven competitive categories were selected from a national slate of peer-nominated finalists by a panel of independent judges. This year’s winners are:
Marketer of the Year
- Elizabeth Olivares, La Raza Media Group, Lakeland-Winter Haven, FL
Salesperson of the Year
- Chuck Martin, Curtis Media Group, Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point, NC
Personality of the Year
- Stephanie “Chiquibaby” Himonidis, Nueva Network
Program Director of the Year
- Andrea Becerra Prado, Entravision
DOS or Sales Manager of the Year
- Jessica Martinez, Spanish Broadcasting System, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
General or Market Manager of the Year
- Lindsay Salazar, Greeley Broadcasting Corp., Fort Collins-Greeley, Colorado Springs, & Pueblo, CO
Station of the Year
- WSUN, Spanish Broadcasting System, Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL
The Medallas de Cortez awards are a signature moment of the Hispanic Radio Conference, honoring those who carry forward the legacy of Raoul Cortez, who launched the first Spanish-language radio station in the US, KCOR, in 1946.
Winners and finalists are also featured in the June issue of Radio Ink magazine, out now.
