The National Restaurant Association honored Richard Castro, a 20-restaurant McDonald’s franchisee in El Paso, Texas, with its 2011 Faces of Diversity American Dream Award.
The award celebrates members of the restaurant and foodservice industry who have embraced diversity and inclusion at their own business operations and achieved the American Dream in the process. National Restaurant Association presented the awards during its 2011 Public Affairs Conference in Washington, D.C.
“The restaurant industry is one of the most diverse industries in the United States, and we are celebrating that by honoring these individuals and companies with our 2011 Faces of Diversity awards,” said Dawn Sweeney, president and CEO of the National Restaurant Association. “Richard’s commitment to mentoring and providing scholarships to young Hispanic students has changed the lives of many. He has made embracing diversity a way of doing business, and our industry is better for it. He exemplifies the best of our industry and the many opportunities it provides.”
As a child in Del Rio, Texas, Castro had big dreams, but a small chance of achieving them as an adult. He was poor and had few successful Hispanic role models to emulate. But he put his determination to work and excelled in school. As a result, he was able to attend college, and eventually became a city manager before turning to real estate, and finally a career as a McDonald’s owner-operator. Today he owns 20 restaurants in the El Paso area. He is dedicated to mentor Hispanic children in his community, and founded RMHC®/HACER®, a scholarship program for Hispanic students, in 1985. The program, since its inception, has awarded more than $20 million to 14,000 students.
The National Restaurant Association, in partnership with PepsiCo Foodservice, created the Faces of Diversity awards program in 2007. It highlights diversity in two categories — the American Dream Award and the Inspiration Award. The American Dream Award honors individuals of diverse backgrounds who, despite hardship, have succeeded through hard work and determination. The Inspiration Award recognizes a restaurant company or organization that has exhibited leadership and vision through its advocacy of diversity and inclusion.
The Association recognized three American Dream Award recipients, including Castro, and one Inspiration Award recipient. In addition to the award, a $2,500 scholarship was given to a student in their respective communities.
The other winners of the 2011 Faces of Diversity Award are Berekti and Akberet Mengistu of Mesob restaurant in Montclair, N.J.; Amporn Vasquez, executive chef of Pizza by Elizabeths in Greenville, Del.; and The Culinary Institute of America with San Antonio-based private equity firm Silver Ventures Inc. For more information about the Faces of Diversity awards program, visit www.restaurant.org/diversity.