Father
Miguel Gonzalez: Delivering
a New Message
 Miguel
Gonzalez realized the irony.
On the same weekend he was
scheduled to report to the
seminary, he was nominated
in his media market as radio
personality of the year.
Following
high school, Gonzalez went
into seminary study and received
a bachelor’s
degree in philosophy. Yet,
feeling he was too young
to make a lifelong commitment,
he decided to take a job.
Thanks to industry connections,
he wound up in radio and
steadily advanced up the
ranks at several stations
to become a talk-show host
and music program director.
His radio future was seemingly
bright, but after three years
away he decided to return
to seminary work. So, Gonzalez
switched titles from DJ to
Father.
“I have
that [award] nomination nicely
framed as a reminder,” says
Father Gonzalez, who was
born in San Juan, Puerto
Rico, in 1968 and attended
high school in Miami before
moving to Orlando in 1990. “I
opted for the best choice,
which was to be a priest.”
As
a parochial vicar, Father
Gonzalez assists the pastor
at St. John Vianney Catholic
Church in south Orlando, particularly
with its large Hispanic ministry.
He conducts Spanish and English
masses, while working to bring
together the community’s
various cultures. “We
try to discover the gifts,
the talents and the richness
that each cultural group brings
to the community,” he
explains.
And he also
hasn’t
given up radio. He does a
TV mass from the church, which
airs Sundays (11 a.m.) on
Telemundo, and he hosts a talk
show for the church’s
radio ministry, Radio Paz.
He
is still communicating—but
with a different message.
Vilma
Quintana: Committed to Community
Health
 Vilma
Quintana always believed
in the well being of Hispanics.
For 15 years, Quintana worked
in healthcare as director
of Hispanic services for
medical practices in Texas
and Orlando.
Now, while
her surroundings are a bit
different, Quintana remains
committed to ensuring that
Hispanics and others are
strong and productive. Quintana
is vice president of community
relations and community partnerships
at the Orlando Regional
Chamber of Commerce.
In her
role, she serves as liaison
between the Orlando chamber’s
community partners and its
minority chambers—Asian,
African-American and Hispanic.
In essence, she is helping
the Orlando Regional Chamber
reach out and bring various
groups, organizations and
people together. Her chamber
work began in 1999 with WorkForce
2020, a successful career-advancement
initiative, and has steadily
expanded.
“When
I first received the phone
call [from Orlando Regional
Chamber President Jacob Stuart
about the job], my heart
jumped at the opportunity
of helping others getting
into a career path,” says
Quintana, who was born in
Ponce, Puerto Rico, and has
lived in Orlando since 1993
with husband Jorge Quintana,
a retired Army mechanics
instructor.
“The
growth of the Hispanic community
has been tremendous, and
the potential is right out
there.”
Notably,
at home, Quintana did her
part. Son Jorge Carlos is
a law student who this year
received a governor’s
award for community service.
Daughter Gisselle is completing
her master’s degree
in mental health and works
at a behavioral center.
To
help realize that potential
throughout the community,
Quintana has been named executive
director of the chamber’s
first-ever Hispanic Summit,
which is being planned for
the fall.
“This is our
opportunity,” she
asserts, “and we really
need to growth with it.”
Tony
Rey: Persistence Pays Off
 The
room was dark, and Tony Rey
wasn’t quite sure
what was happening. Yet,
he knew. His cell mates were
being executed because their
political views weren’t
in line with the new regime.
It
was 1960s’ Cuba,
and Rey, just a teenager,
was in jail, fighting for
his free life. The sad story
is an all too familiar one.
Only, this story appears
destined for a happy ending.
In
1970, Rey, along with four
others, escaped from Cuba
on a 12-foot boat that
was built on a farmhouse.
The group spent 12 days in
the dangerous waters before
making it to the Bahamas.
Rey
was lucky. He also was
committed.
“In
my mind, I had two choices:
die or be free. I would not
stay there one more day,” he
says.
With that
harrowing scene as the backdrop,
Rey is literally building
a tale of resiliency and
fortitude in Orlando.
Today,
he is president of Rey
Homes, a highly respected
homebuilding company that
was started in 1978. Over
the years, Rey Homes has
repeatedly been recognized
with awards for custom-home
work. In addition, Rey Homes
builds affordable housing
for all families.
“We
try to do the best possible
job. Priority No. 1 is to
give a reasonable product.
Profit is secondary,” says
Rey.
The “we” also
includes his wife, Isabel,
whom he met in Orlando, and
three sons, who all are involved
in various levels of the
business. The oldest son,
Tony Jr., 26, is being groomed
to someday run the operation,
although Tony Sr. insists
he’ll never completely
retire.
Rey reserves
special praise for his wife
of 31 years, who helped him
start the business. “She’s
been what I’m not in
many ways. I see the big
picture, but she sees the
details,” he says.
Rey,
in fact, shies away from
taking much credit for the
company’s achievements,
as well as his own success.
“I’m
a fighter; I’m not
a quitter,” he
comments. “I might not
be very smart, but I’m
very persistent.” |
