Genaro Tijerina, a bilingual journalist with Univision Communications 65 Filadelfia, has been named Top Journalist of the Year for 2019 by the International Association of Top Professionals (IAOTP). He covers three states for the station: Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. The group cited his leadership and his commitment to the media industry, according to an announcement dated April 14, 2019, from Vineland, New Jersey.
Membership in IAOTP is already an honor, but only a few members in each field receive this distinction. Honorees are picked for their career results, education, leadership, years in the field, other affiliations and service to their communities. All of them are invited to the group’s annual award gala at the end of the year.
Tijerina has worked as a bilingual journalist for more than a decade. The association describes him as a results-driven leader who has also become a voice in the Latino community. Before his current post, he reported in both languages for Univision Communications and Fox News South Texas. That job covered the border between Tamaulipas, Mexico, and the Rio Grande Valley. Over the years he has interviewed Nancy Pelosi, Joaquin Castro, Beto O’Rourke and Texas Senator Ted Cruz.
Education and earlier honors
He attended Preparatoria Number 21 of the Universidad Autónoma de Nuevo León, located in China, Nuevo León, Mexico. While there, he took first place in the national science competition VII World Science 2001-2002. Vicente Fox Quesada, then president of Mexico, presented him with the award.
Tijerina later earned a bachelor’s degree in management from South Texas College. He is now working toward a master’s in communications at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. He also interned at the NBC Universal Comcast Telemundo 40 station in Texas and graduated from the New York Film Academy as a line producer.
Stephanie Cirami, president of IAOTP, said the panel found the choice easy. She praised his passion, drive, foresight and knowledge, and said the group looks forward to meeting him at the gala.
In 2017, Tijerina received the GEM Award from NBC Universal Comcast. His other honors include the South Texas College Vice President Honors Award and membership in Kappa Beta Delta, Sigma Kappa Beta and the National Society of Leadership and Success. For 2019 he is also being considered for a feature in TIP (Top Industry Professional) Magazine and for IAOTP’s Top 40 Under 40 Award. He belongs to the National Association of Hispanic Journalists.
Tijerina credits his success to his education, his mentors and staying passionate about his work. He says he feels blessed and sees this as just the beginning. Going forward, he hopes to keep growing as a journalist and to inspire others to enter the field.
IAOTP is an invitation-only networking organization that selects top professionals from many industries. Members are chosen by the president or nominated by an honorary member after a short interview.
