Alex López Negrete inducted to the AAF Class of 2010 Southwest Hall of Fame.

The Tenth District of the American Advertising Federation announces the Southwest Advertising Hall of Fame Class of 2010 with seven new honorees, among whom will be Alex López Negrete, President, CEO and Chief Creative Officer of Lopez Negrete Communications, Inc., in Houston, Texas. López Negrete will be joining the ranks of elite men and women, who have distinguished themselves in their careers, have contributed to the betterment of advertising and its reputation, and who have made volunteer efforts outside the workplace.

“I’m absolutely honored and humbled to be included among these extraordinary executives in this class of inductees. The AAF Tenth District and the Southwest overall have always been such a hotbed of talent and creative in our industry … to be a part of this is truly a milestone. And, obviously, Latinos and Latino culture have always played a central role in the character of our District,” said López Negrete. “For three decades I’ve made it my mission to serve the Hispanic community by means of creating impactful, relevant work – while also elevating the importance of this community in the eyes of Corporate America. It’s heartwarming to see that folks were watching. Now, back to work!”

A veteran of the industry, López Negrete founded his agency with his wife, CFO/COO and Executive Vice President of Lopez Negrete Communications, Cathy, 25 years ago. In that time, Lopez Negrete Communications grew from a house in a Houston suburb to an agency with 170 employees, estimated billings of $164,000,000 in 2009, and a roster of blue chip clients such as Walmart, Bank of America, MillerCoors and Dr Pepper Snapple Group. The Lopez Negrete team has won hundreds of local, regional, national and international creative awards, placing it firmly among the top Hispanic agencies in the nation.

“As part of the 2010 class of the Southwest Advertising Hall of Fame, Alex López Negrete most certainly deserves this place of honor among his peers,” said Blake Goldston, AAF Tenth District governor. “His influence and contributions to the industry, especially in the area of Hispanic advertising, have inspired and continue to inspire advertising professionals in the Tenth District and indeed across the country. We are all fortunate to work in an industry represented by people like Alex.”

López Negrete will be inducted alongside six other industry heavyweights: George Arnold, CEO (retired), Arnold/Harwell/Sherrill/Carrithers; Audrey Gilbreath, founder and president of Houston’s oldest and largest African-American advertising agency; Warren K. “Doc” Jordan, founder, Jordan Associates; Herb Kelleher, founder, Southwest Airlines; Tom Moroch, founder, Moroch Partners; and Willard Walbridge, first VP, general manager, KTRK-TV. Previous inductees include Stanley Marcus, founder, Neiman Marcus; Richard J.V. Johnson, Houston Chronicle; and Dave Keith, Cargill and Associates.

The Tenth District of the American Advertising Federation represents the affiliate advertising clubs and federations of the American Advertising Federation (AAF) in Arkansas, Louisiana, Oklahoma and Texas. The American Advertising Federation (AAF) is the only national grassroots trade association to encompass all segments of the advertising industry, including advertisers, agencies, corporate marketing departments, broadcast and print media companies, industry suppliers, college chapters and national trade associations engaged in various advertising pursuits.