TIA Press Releases

Contact:
Media Contact:
Roberto Quiñones
Tortilla Industry Association
(703) 610-0258
rquinones@tortilla-info.com

Tortilla Industry Association Announces 2004 Hall of Fame Recipients

St. Paul, Minn. (September 28, 2004) – The Tortilla Industry Association (TIA) is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2004 Hall of Fame Awards. The TIA Hall of Fame honors industry members who have made positive contributions to the tortilla industry. The awards were given during the 2004 TIA annual convention, held jointly this year with the American Association of Cereal Chemists, in San Diego, California, September 19-22, 2004.

The 2004 honorees of the TIA hall of fame are: Rudy Guerra, Sr. of Rudy's Tortillas, and Louis Ruiz of Ruiz Foods.

Rudy Guerra, Sr. purchased the small factory his father established and, through his hard work, turned the factory, located in Dallas, Texas, into the successful operation it is today. Rudy is a long-time advocate of volunteerism and a strong supporter of continuing education. In 1986, Rudy established the Rudy’s Tortillas Foundation to raise college scholarship funds.

Louis Ruiz is the co-founder and chairman emeritus of Ruiz Foods. Ruiz Foods began in 1964 and has grown to a 330,000 square-foot facility in Dinuba, California that now employs 1,800 people. Louis has contributed greatly to the growth and future of the tortilla industry through his hard work and dedication to quality.

The Tortilla Industry Association (TIA) is a not-for-profit organization. Member companies include tortilla manufacturers, industry suppliers and distributors around the world, and companies with interests in the rapidly growing industry. TIA's aim is to help these companies grow through effective management and marketing techniques in the emerging tortilla industry.