Target to present Hispanic Heritage Award for Entrepreneurship to Daniel Lubetzky – KIND healthy snacks Founder and CEO

LUBETZKY WILL BE HONORED ON SEPTEMBER 12^th AT THE JOHN F. KENNEDY CENTER FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS AND ON PBS BROADCAST IN CELEBRATION OF HISPANIC HERITAGE MONTH

(WASHINGTON, DC – September 4, 2018) The Hispanic Heritage Foundation (HHF) announces today that  Daniel Lubetzky – a pioneering social entrepreneur and Founder and CEO of KIND – will receive the Hispanic Heritage Award for Entrepreneurship during the 31^st Annual Hispanic Heritage Awards at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Awards, which will take place in Washington, DC on September 12, 2018, will broadcast nationally on PBS stations during Hispanic Heritage Month on September 28, 2018. Lubetzky is being recognized as a visionary business leader who built KIND into one of the most successful healthy snack companies. In addition, he has driven social impact through a variety of initiatives, including The KIND Foundation’s Empatico – a video conferencing and engagement platform that connects students worldwide and empowers them to explore their shared humanity. Target will serve as the Presenting Sponsor for the sixth year.

“The Hispanic Heritage Foundation is thrilled to recognize the vision, success and social impact of Daniel Lubetzky an entrepreneur but also as a role model across the country,” said Jose Antonio Tijerino, President and CEO of the Hispanic Heritage Foundation.  “We are also grateful to our Presenting Sponsor Target for once again leading us in shining a spotlight on Daniel, the other Awardees, and on our culture across America.”

The Hispanic Heritage Awards, which were created by the White House in 1987 to commemorate the establishment of Hispanic Heritage Month in America, are considered among the highest honors by Latinos for Latinos and are supported by 40 national Hispanic-serving institutions. Lubetzky will join the other Honorees who have been or will be announced over the next two weeks along with performers, hosts and presenters (visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C92ZiK5MxAs).

“Target is honored to continue our partnership with the Hispanic Heritage Foundation and recognize the many achievements of Latinos in our society,” said Laysha Ward, Executive Vice President and Chief External Engagement Officer at Target. “It’s a privilege for us to present this award to Daniel Lubetzky, who’s not only a strong business partner for Target, but also a pioneer in using his business model to create positive social change.”

The Mexican-born son of a Holocaust survivor, Daniel has spent his life working to prevent what happened to his dad from happening again to others. This work comes in the form of building bridges between people – a common thread in all of the ventures he has started. His best-known venture is KIND, which makes delicious and nutritious snack foods. Established as a “not-only-for-profit,” KIND’s mission is to make the world a little kinder, one snack and act at a time. Daniel has been recognized by the World Economic Forum and the Skoll Foundation and was an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of The Year® award winner in 2013. In 2015, President Barack Obama and Secretary Penny Pritzker named him a Presidential Ambassador for Global Entrepreneurship. In 2017, Daniel was named a “Hero of Conscious Capitalism” for his work championing purpose alongside profit. That same year, the international nonprofit Search for Common Ground celebrated his achievements in conflict resolution, community building, and peacebuilding.

“I came to the USA from Mexico when I was 16-years-old and have benefitted immensely from my Hispanic heritage and from the entrepreneurial American system. It’s an honor to join other leaders to celebrate Latinos’ enterprising spirit and contributions to our country,” said Lubetzky. “Receiving the Entrepreneurship Award is particularly exciting for me, as now – more than ever – businesses are rising up to tackle societal challenges and drive change. I am grateful for the opportunities that this country has given me and am committed to invest to help ensure those freedoms and opportunities are preserved for others.”

Past Honorees of the Hispanic Heritage Awards have included Sonia Sotomayor, Rita Moreno, Plácido Domingo, Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, Gloria Estefan, Oscar Hijuelos, Martin Sheen, Ricky Martin, Rubén Blades, Fania All-Stars, Junot Diaz, José Feliciano, Carlos Vives, Alejandro Sanz, Juanes, Antonio Banderas, Juan Luis Guerra, Anthony Quinn, J Balvin, Zoe Saldana, Juan Marichal, Los Tigres Del Norte, Oscar de la Hoya, America Ferrera, Pedro Martinez, Luis Fonsi, Andy García, Gael Garcia Bernal, Latin Grammys, Diego Luna, and others.

About the Hispanic Heritage Foundation
The Hispanic Heritage Awards serve as a launch of HHF’s year-round, award-winning programs which inspire, prepare and connect Latino leaders in the classroom, community and workforce to meet America’s needs as well as promoting cultural pride.  HHF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.  For more information on the mission of HHF visit www.hispanicheritage.org.

For more information on the 2018 Hispanic Heritage Awards or to request media credentials, please contact John Reilly at  212.878.5076 /  [email protected]  or Sylvia Bedrosian: [email protected]

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