FIVE SPECIAL HONORS HIGHLIGHT IMAGEN’S AWARDS GALA
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Special Honors go to Ratings Executive, a Courageous Congressman, a Production Company, a Leading Director-Choreographer, and the Director-Writer Who Directed J.Lo in her first Million Dollar Role
LOS ANGELES, CA, Aug. 5, 2006 — Kenny Ortega, U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez, Susan Whiting, the John Wells Productions, in association with Warner Bros Television, and writer-director Gregory Nava will be honored with special Imagen Awards during the 21st Annual Imagen Awards Gala, August 18 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills.
In addition to the awards that will be presented in 16 categories this year, the Imagen Foundation will also present five additional awards that include Creative Achievement, Lifetime Achievement, President’s Award, the Norman Lear Award, and the Foundation’s first National Leadership Award.
Picking up Imagen’s prestigious Norman Lear Award is John Wells Productions, in association with Warner Bros Television, in recognition of their exemplary commitment and leadership in making diversity an integral part of the industry.
U.S. Representative Luis Gutierrez of Illinois is recipient of Imagen’s National Leadership Award that will be presented for the first time at the awards ceremony. Imagen President Helen Hernandez said the Imagen Board of Directors elected to add this award as part of its Special Awards category to honor those individuals who continually confront and address issues of importance to all Americans, Latinos in particular, in all areas of life with courage and conviction.
Emmy winning director-choreographer Kenny Ortega will receive Imagen’s Creative Achievement Award for his outstanding contributions to the industry.
The Imagen’s President’s Award is being presented this year to Susan Whiting, CEO of Nielsen Media Research in recognition of her outstanding contributions to enhancing opportunities for Latinos in the Nielsen family.
Recipient of Imagen’s Lifetime Achievement Award is director, producer, writer Gregory Nava of “El Norte” fame.
The Imagen Awards were established in 1985 to encourage and recognize the positive portrayal of Latinos in all media and to increase Latino representation at all levels of the entertainment industry.
Additional information regarding the Imagen Foundation and its awards program is available on its Web site: www.imagen.org, or by calling (626) 791-8140.
Note to Editors: Media members wishing to cover the 21st Annual Imagen Awards should contact the Imagen Office at (626) 791-8140 for credential information.
(List of Finalists and photos of honorees are available upon request.)