Latest news with #InspirationAward
Toronto Sun
30-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Toronto Sun
Judge dismisses suit of ex-janitor who says he invented Flamin' Hot Cheetos
Published May 30, 2025 • 4 minute read PepsiCo executive Richard Montanez accepts the Inspiration Award onstage at the 2014 Latinos De Hoy Awards presented by Hoy & Los Angeles Times at Los Angeles Times Chandler Auditorium on Oct. 11, 2014 in Los Angeles, Calif. Photo by Imeh Akpanudosen / Getty Images for Los Angeles Times For years, the purported origin story of Flamin' Hot Cheetos flourished through the internet and beyond as a spicy retelling of the American Dream, with self-proclaimed inventor of the snack Richard Montanez recounting how he came up with the idea while working as janitor for Frito-Lay. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account But a Los Angeles Times investigation in 2021 threw a wrench into the rags-to-riches tale, with Frito-Lay disputing Montanez's claim and telling the newspaper that 'the facts do not support the urban legend.' The origin story of the snack remains in dispute after a federal judge this week dismissed a lawsuit filed by Montanez against Frito-Lay and its parent company, PepsiCo. U.S. District Judge John W. Holcomb ruled that Montanez's accusations of fraud and defamation were either largely deficient or lacking 'factual support,' but wrote that he would allow Montanez a chance to fix his lawsuit 'because he may be able to cure the deficiencies in his pleading by alleging additional facts.' Montanez will have until June 13 to file an amended complaint, according to the ruling. If he does not, the court will dismiss the lawsuit. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Attorneys for Montanez and PepsiCo did not immediately respond to a request for comment Friday morning. The complaint accused PepsiCo and Frito-Lay of causing undue harm to Montanez's career as a public speaker and consultant. As the 'Godfather of Latino Marketing,' Montanez had been booking 35 engagements a year at $10,000 to $50,000 apiece, but he stopped receiving those invitations as a result of what he describes in the lawsuit as the companies' 'open racism and blatant lies.' According to the lawsuit, Montanez grew up in a Southern California migrant labor camp sharing an 800-square-foot, one-bedroom apartment with his parents and 10 siblings. He got a job in the mid-1970s as a janitor at Frito-Lay's plant in Rancho Cucamonga, just east of Los Angeles, where, more than a decade later, he was inspired by a combination of a company program paying workers $1 for helpful ideas and CEO Roger Enrico encouraging all his employees to 'act like owners,' his suit states. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. He and his wife started experimenting in their kitchen to create new snack flavours, particularly those that he believed he would appeal to Latinos like him, eventually coming up with the idea of applying the flavours of the elote, or grilled Mexican street corn covered in cheese, butter, lime and chili, to the Cheeto, Montanez wrote in his memoir. He bought his first-ever tie for $3 to present the idea to Enrico, and, as the story goes, the rest was history. Flamin' Hot Cheetos went on to become a sensation, transcending Cheetos to inspire other chili-flavoured snacks and becoming a cultural touchstone, inspiring rap songs, memes, clothing and even Katy Perry's Halloween costume in 2014. Fueled by this success, Montanez rose through the ranks to become PepsiCo's vice president of multicultural marketing and sales, retiring in 2019. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. Montanez's account of the origin story of Flamin' Hot Cheetos has been told in two best-selling memoirs and a movie released in 2023 that was directed by Eva Longoria. 'I created Flamin' Hot Cheetos not only as a product but as a movement and as a loyal executive for PepsiCo,' Montanez said in a statement last year. 'PepsiCo believed in me as a leader because they knew people would follow me, and they did because they knew my soul is my community. We built this into a $2 billion industry, and I cannot let them take away my legacy or destroy my reputation.' Holcomb wrote in his ruling that 'Montanez and Defendants mutually benefitted from Defendants' decades-long support' of Montanez's story. The lawsuit claimed that the companies sent him across the country to talk about inventing the snack with high-powered politicians, captains of industry and elite academics. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. But after a former Frito-Lay employee contacted the company to challenge Montanez's account in 2018, Frito-Lay launched an investigation, according to the LA Times . 'We have interviewed multiple personnel who were involved in the test market, and all of them indicate that Richard was not involved in any capacity in the test market,' the company said in a statement to the Times. 'That doesn't mean we don't celebrate Richard,' the statement continued, 'but the facts do not support the urban legend.' Five days after the LA Times article was published, PepsiCo issued a statement about Montanez's contributions, calling him 'an important part of PepsiCo's history and the success of the company.' The company noted that while 'we have no reason to doubt the stories he shares about taking the initiative to create new product ideas for the Cheetos brand, and pitching them to past PepsiCo leaders,' a separate division team had also been developing spicy flavours 'that were tested in market and found their way into permanent products on store shelves, including Flamin' Hot Cheetos.' This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. 'Different work streams tackling the same product without interacting occasionally occurred in the past when divisions operated independently and were not the best at communicating,' the statement said, according to media reports at the time. 'However, just because we can't draw a clear link between them doesn't mean we don't embrace all of their contributions and ingenuity, including Richard's.' In his lawsuit, Montanez said his former employer had 'promised to continue to support, and to continue to tell the true story' of how he created Flamin' Hot Cheetos. Holcomb wrote that status as the creator of Flamin' Hot Cheetos 'was not an express term or benefit of his employment.' Crime World Toronto & GTA World Toronto Raptors
Zawya
10-04-2025
- Business
- Zawya
Malaak El-Baba wins the "Inspiration Award" for the EMEA region
Malaak El-Baba, General Manager of Visa Egypt, has been awarded the 'Inspiration Award' for the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region at the 'Women in Payments' event. This recognition highlights her inspiring impact and prominent role in the financial services sector. El-Baba won the award after a competitive selection process, standing out among 17 distinguished female leaders from across the region. The award underscores her successful career and positions her as a role model for women's leadership, capable of driving meaningful change in the workplace. It also acknowledges her efforts in empowering women across Egypt and the Middle East. This recognition serves as a testament to Malaak El-Baba's excellence and leadership in one of the most dynamic and competitive industries worldwide. Commenting on her achievement, Malaak El-Baba said, 'I am proud to receive the 'Inspiration Award' for the EMEA region, which reflects my professional journey based on the belief in the power of women to create change. This award is a support for every woman aspiring to lead and a message that empowering women is the path toward a more sustainable future in business, promoting balance and social justice. About Women in Payments Women in Payments is a global organization of ambitious women from across the payments and fintech industry united by a shared vision: gender parity. Founded in 2012, our growing worldwide community is driven to help level the playing field for women at all levels across our industry.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Esther Ghey on Brianna: A Mother's Story: ‘It reminds me of what I've lost' – see an exclusive clip
Esther Ghey, the mother of Brianna Ghey, has spoken exclusively to Attitude ahead of a new ITV documentary examining the life and murder of her 16-year-old daughter, calling for social media companies to do more to protect vulnerable teenagers. Brianna: A Mother's Story, airing on ITV1 and ITVX on Thursday, 27 March at 9 pm, offers unprecedented insight into Brianna's life and the circumstances of her death, highlighting the role social media played in exacerbating her mental health struggles and exploring broader issues around youth violence and online harm. Brianna, a teenager who was trans from Birchwood in Cheshire, was stabbed to death on 11 February 2023 by Scarlett Jenkinson and Eddie Ratcliffe, both aged 15 at the time. The brutal murder, which took place in Linear Park, Warrington, sparked widespread outrage and grief across the UK, prompting renewed calls for better protections for trans young people. The documentary also includes moving contributions from Brianna's close friends, who share heartfelt memories and speak passionately about their determination to honour her legacy. 'I want her to be remembered for all the memories that I've got with her. For how she'd be to hang out with, her love, all the good things she'd do for people, and her kindness for everybody,' Brianna's friend Daisy says in the film. 'There will never, ever, ever be anyone quite like Brianna ever again. I just don't want people to forget her. Because if she was still here, they'd be no way for anyone to forget her,' adds Lucie. Speaking to Attitude following a screening of the documentary, Esther described the emotional impact of reliving Brianna's story through the new documentary, calling it deeply moving yet important viewing. 'I've seen it before, and it doesn't get any less emotional each time,' Esther said. '[The production company] has done such a great job of showing who Brianna was. In a way, that's the hardest bit for me – it reminds me of what I've lost.' Esther added that she hopes audiences see beyond Brianna's trans identity to understand that she was, in her words, 'just a normal child.' She added: 'Being trans was such a small part of who Brianna was – it wasn't a big issue for us. It was just normal.' The ITV documentary also features exclusive access to the police investigation led by Cheshire Police, including custody interviews with Jenkinson and Ratcliffe and evidence collection that led to their arrests within 28 hours of the crime. Both teens were later convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Attitude Magazine (@attitudemag) It also shows footage of the moving speech Esther gave when Brianna was honoured with a posthumous Inspiration Award at the Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar in 2024. In her speech, Esther said: 'Brianna's strength to be who she wanted to be really shone through in her life. [She] passed her strength and determination to others, inspiring them to be the best version of themselves. I'm the proudest mum in the world to be collecting this award for her tonight.' Social media emerges as a critical issue in the film. Brianna, who had thousands of followers on TikTok, experienced significant online abuse and harmful content, which Esther believes greatly affected her daughter's mental health. 'It is an absolute cesspit,' Esther noted of social media during a Q&A with LGBTQ+ campaigner Jaxon Feely following the screening. 'Even if I do an interview, and I'll try not to look at comments, but I can never help myself, and I'll look at the comments, and you'll see people saying about my child, trying to tell me what gender my child was, and also really, really horrific comments too.' Esther also expressed frustration at the lack of action from major social media platforms, describing their response to hate as 'about as useful as a chocolate teapot.' She added: 'I've reported so many comments, and I always get the response that they haven't done anything wrong, that it's not something that they can take down, and our children have access to those comments. 'No matter how much love and compassion you pump into your child when you're bringing them up, and how much empathy you can teach them as well, they will then go online and they'll see the way that other people are speaking about other people, and they might think that that's right.' The mother-of-two further called for stronger regulations, suggesting to Attitude a ban on social media for under-16s to protect young people from toxic online environments. 'There's far more harm on there than good,' she said, criticising platforms such as Meta for prioritising profits over safety. Since Brianna's death, Esther has become a prominent advocate for better support for trans youth and stronger online safety measures. She also launched the Peace in Mind campaign and established Peace and Mind UK, a community interest company that focuses on two main areas: introducing mindfulness in schools across England and making the online world safer for children. On what she hopes people will take away from the film, Esther said: 'Hopefully, through the work with this documentary and the other things we're doing, her memory will be there forever. Even when people see pink skies and cherry blossoms, they tell me they're reminded of Brianna. That, for me, is her memory being kept alive.' Brianna: A Mother's Story airs on ITV1 and ITVX on Thursday, 27 March 2025, at 9 pm. The post Esther Ghey on Brianna: A Mother's Story: 'It reminds me of what I've lost' – see an exclusive clip appeared first on Attitude.
BBC News
31-01-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Belfast choir brings together disabled and non-disabled singers
A Belfast based choir which includes disabled and non-disabled people has been nominated for a prestigious award. It is one of only four in the UK shortlisted for the Inspiration Award at the Royal Philharmonic Society (RPS) McGeown, a wheelchair user and the musical director of the Open Arts Community Choir, said being part of the choir was the best "feelgood factor that you'll ever get".The winner of the award will be decided by a public vote held before Monday 3 February. Mental health Beverley said the choir is a great way of bringing people together. "It's a social thing, it's a gathering, it's a really good place for increasing your mental health," she said."We come from all walks of life, people with disabilities and those without."We've people from all sides of the community as well and from all parts of Northern Ireland."BBC News NI joined the choir at rehearsals, which take place every choir sings songs from a variety of genres including classical, folk music, show songs and pop the community created by the choir is as important as the is hoping the public will support the choir in the RPS awards."We're the only act from Northern Ireland to have been shortlisted, so we're just absolutely bowled over and really excited," she said."We're really hoping that everyone from Northern Ireland gets behind us and votes for us." Breege Corr, who also uses a wheelchair, has been in the choir for 25 years."We've done lots of things," she said."We've travelled to America, Wales, Riga - you name it, we've been there."Music has always been a big part of my life ever since I was very young, it's been really a joyful experience, meeting new friends."Breege said the sense of community the choir brought was "integral"."It doesn't matter what your background is, we're all in it together," she said."The one thing we have in common is a love of music and a love of singing and we love performing."No matter what anyone is going through or the difficulties we face we always find a way to stay together and keep together and keep singing." Gareth Smyth and his guide dog, Alice, are also members of the choir."We all support and encourage one another, and we all blend in very well with harmony and we listen in to each other," said Gareth, who is one of several visually impaired members. Gareth said some of the music could be "very challenging" to perform but he thought it was a "good idea to rise to the challenge". "I think the most important thing is we all get along," he you want to hear the Open Arts Community Choir, they will be performing at the Belfast cultural hub at 2 Royal Avenue on Saturday 1 February from 13:30 to 14:30 GMT.
