The Atlanta Falcons have selected Rudy Beserra as the recipient of the NFL Hispanic Heritage Leadership Award, a recognition made possible through the support of Bud Light.
The NFL and the Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) have partnered to launch the NFL Hispanic Heritage Leadership Awards Presented by Bud Light during the 2011 celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month. The awards recognize the contributions of Hispanic leaders in each NFL market.
The Falcons will honor Beserra on October 16 at their Hispanic Heritage game when they face the Carolina Panthers.
Beserra is the Vice President of Latin Affairs at the Coca Cola Company. He began his career at the Coca Cola Company in 1989 after serving as a Special Assistant to President Ronald Reagan on Latino and Small Business Affairs. He has held a number of distinguished positions, including Special Assistant to the Chairman of the National Republican Committee in charge of Hispanic and Business Affairs. Beserra currently serves as a Member of Strategic Advisory Board of Nexos Capital Partners, LLC. He is an active Board Member of a number of prominent Latino-focused organizations, including NALEO (National Association of Latino Elected and Appointed Officials), LULAC (League of United Latin American Citizens), and the Hispanic Association of Colleges and Universities. Beserra is the Vice Chair of the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute and past Chairman of the Hispanic Scholarship Fund.
With support from Bud Light, each award recipient will select an organization of their choice that serves the local Hispanic community to receive a $2,000 donation.
"Bud Light is recognizing 32 great leaders in each of the 32 NFL cities with this award," said Margarita Flores, vice president of community affairs for Anheuser-Busch. "We applaud all the recipients for their work in making a difference in and improving their local communities."
Beserra has chosen the Hispanic Scholarship Fund of Atlanta to receive this donation.
One of the 32 recipients, Giants honoree Lillian Rodríguez López of the Hispanic Federation, was recognized at the HHF's national Hispanic Heritage Awards in Washington, D.C. on September 15. The Hispanic Heritage Awards honor notable Latinos who have distinguished themselves in various fields and made an impact on America and globally. The Awards are considered the highest honor by Hispanics for Hispanics in America. In 2011, the Hispanic Heritage Awards mark their 25th Anniversary, which is also the anniversary of Hispanic Heritage Month in America.
Bud Light and Anheuser-Busch have been a longtime friend and partner of the Latino community, enriching people's lives by supporting organizations that make a positive difference. In the past two decades alone, grants and contributions in support of the Latino community have totaled more than $64 million.
