Wintrust Community Banks and Fig Factor Media Celebrate Achievements of 42 Chicagoland Latinx Leaders at Fourth Annual Community Awards During Hispanic Heritage Month

ROSEMONT, Ill., Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Wintrust Community Banks and Fig Factor Media celebrated the outstanding contributions of Chicagoland Hispanic leaders during the fourth annual Latinx Community Awards on Sept. 29 at Wintrust Financial Corporation in suburban Rosemont.

The event was presented by Fig Factor Media, a Naperville-based international publishing company, and sponsored by Wintrust Community Banks. The awards, established in 2021, recognize local Latinx leaders who have made a meaningful impact in their communities and live or work in the banks' suburban service areas, including Barrington, Hinsdale, Wheaton, Crystal Lake, and Schaumburg.

The 2025 honorees included: Catalina Rios, Juan Valerio, Celia Colón, Rafael Castañeda, Teresa Flores, René Govea, Irma García, Dr. Alexandria Taylor, Brenda and Luis Martinez, Sergio Gómez, Dr. Pamela Fullerton, María Elena Jonas, Carolina Fabián, Dr. Myra Gaytán-Morales, Paulina Martinez, Sylvia Acosta-Chávez, Gloria E. Barrera, Lilliana "Lilly" Aguilar, Joseph "Fugie" Almanza, Karen Cruse, Gina Díaz, Eliuth Guzmán, Oscar Valencia, Melissa Barbosa-Guzman, Verónica Ramos, Robert "Bobby" Ibarra, Jose Pareja, Martina R. Gómez, Gilbert "Gil" Rivera, Yuyo's Fresh Market, Dr. Natalia Nieves, Nicole Coomer, Jenaro Yasit Terrazas, Rosalinda "Rosie" Rodriguez, Michelle Gonzalez-Tyler, Enrique López, Esther Corpus, Eddy Borrayo, Jeff Murray, Luisa Estrada, and Israel Vargas.

Tsi-tsi-ki Félix welcomed guests and honorees. Félix, an Emmy Award-winning journalist, TV host, upcoming author, and international speaker, is known to many Hispanic viewers for her work on "Politica Ya," a syndicated political show from Washington, D.C., as well as national newscasts for "Noticiero Univision" and "Despierta América."

Fig Factor Media CEO Jacqueline S. Ruiz expressed excitement at seeing a full house of honorees and guests. "As we launch our fourth annual event, it is truly amazing," Ruiz said. "My heart beeps with happiness to see all of you here and to see that more and more community leaders are being recognized. Despite the challenges facing the Hispanic community today, coming together to celebrate achievements that will inspire the next generation warms my heart."

Gina Stuart, Senior Vice President of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Wintrust Financial, emphasized the bank's commitment to community and inclusion.

"At Wintrust, we strive to create a culture where people come first, while leading with inclusion and fairness," Stuart said. "Our employees live, work, and volunteer in the communities we serve. Events like this allow us to acknowledge individuals who are making an impact and building sustainable communities alongside us."

Many winners shared their gratitude for being recognized. One honoree, Joseph "Fugie" Almanza of Carol Stream, who grew up in Chicago's Pilsen neighborhood, is an accomplished photographer and author of  "Artography of Magical Street Moments." He is also the founder of the Joseph Jr. Scholarship Foundation, which honors his late son Jr. and provides scholarships to Latino students through book sales, photography shows, and arts events.

"It is a great honor to receive the Latinx Community Award on behalf of my son, Joseph Jr.," Almanza said. "His dream was to practice endlessly to become a professional soccer player, but his true goal went beyond the field. He wanted to provide scholarships for underserved Latino students. Though my son is no longer with us, I know he's looking down from heaven and is proud of the progress we've made over the past few years with the support of friends, family, and many incredible artists from Pilsen and surrounding communities."

Event Sponsors:

• St. Charles Bank & Trust, N.A.
• Northbrook Bank & Trust Company, N.A.
• Schaumburg Bank & Trust Company, N.A.
• Wintrust Bank Chicago, N.A.
• Hinsdale Bank & Trust Company, N.A.
• Wheaton Bank & Trust Company, N.A.
• Old Plank Trail Community Bank, N.A.
• Libertyville Bank & Trust Company, N.A.
• Lake Forest Bank & Trust Company, N.A.
• Barrington Bank & Trust Company, N.A.
• Crystal Lake Bank & Trust Company, N.A.
• Village Bank & Trust Company, N.A.
• State Bank of the Lakes, N.A.
• Beverly Bank & Trust Company, N.A.

About Fig Factor Media:
Fig Factor Media is an international multicultural media company dedicated to celebrating authors through high-quality books, expert marketing and PR, event production, and creative product development. The company has published over 400 books in 32 countries. Learn more at https://figfactormedia.com/

About Wintrust Community Banks:
Wintrust is a financial services company based in Rosemont, Illinois. Through its family of more than 200 community bank locations and related companies and divisions, Wintrust offers:

• Traditional commercial and community banking services
• Wealth management guidance
• Mortgage origination
• Commercial insurance premium financing
• Short-term accounts receivable financing and administrative services

Wintrust Community Banks® provide personal and commercial banking services to communities in and around Chicago, southern Wisconsin, and northwest Indiana. Beyond banking, Wintrust hosts financial education courses, community events, and neighborhood cookouts. Employees actively participate in local boards and organizations, ensuring that each bank is a true asset to its community.

For more information, visit https://www.wintrust.com/.

Media Contact:
Marie Lazzara
JJR Marketing
630-400-3361
[email protected]

SOURCE Fig Factor Media