Tomás Regalado (American politician)
Encyclopedia
Tomás Pedro Regalado is a former broadcast journalist and current mayor of Miami, Florida
.
He served as the news director for Radio Mambi WAQI
and as a reporter for Univision
. Regalado was elected mayor on November 3, 2009, and sworn in on November 11.
.
Prior to leaving Cuba, Tomas attended elementary school at La Salle Catholic School in Havana. In April 1962, at the age of fourteen (14) Tomás and his younger brother Marcos were placed on a flight to Miami, Florida as participants of Operation Peter Pan
. The two brothers lived at the boys’ camp in Kendall and then Florida City for several months until their aunt, Silvia Valdez claimed them. They lived with her until their mother, Carmen Rita Valdez de Regalado, arrived in Miami a year later.
In Miami, Tomás attended high school at Immaculata-Lasalle High School
in Coconut Grove and then at the Lindsey Hopkins vocational school while working full time to support his mother and younger brother. At the age of seventeen, Tomás spent what little free time he had as an unpaid intern at WFAB, La Fabulosa. Determined to be a journalist; he had a day job and also attended seminars at the University of Miami
Koubek Center for journalism and continued volunteering at the radio station.
an NBC affiliate as the Latin American News Editor and host of the news program Tele-Amigo. After two years at WCKT then Channel 7, Tomás returned to WFAB as a news producer and anchor. Regalado continued in Spanish language radio and married a fellow radio commentator, Raquel Ferreiro in 1972 at St. Hugh Catholic Church in Coconut Grove. Tomás and Raquel have three children, Tomás, Raquel and Jose Francisco and were married for thirty seven (37) years. Raquel died at Mercy Hospital on February 3, 2008.
In 1974, Tomás became a reporter for WLTV Channel 23 but returned to radio in 1977 as the News Director in charge of all programming for La Fabulosa, WFAB. In 1970, Regalado decided to leave the news desk and became the stations first international news correspondent. In the years that followed, Regalado traveled to Africa and covered the civil war in Angola, the riots in Soweto, South Africa and the civil war in Mozambique.
In 1979, Tomás’ father, Tomás Regalado Molina was released from prison thanks to the intercession of the then President of Costa Rica Rodrigo Caraso. Regalado senior lived in Miami from 1979 until his death in the fall of 1995. Regalado senior worked alongside his son and daughter-in-law as a producer and news editor at WRHC, the Cadena Azul. Regalado Molina was a contributor to el Diario de las Americas and El Nuevo Herald
until his sudden death in 1995 at the age of seventy four. Tomás’ mother, Carmen Rita died soon after in 1998.
In 1983, Tomás, who was no stranger to the White House and had interviewed Presidents Richard Nixon
, Gerald Ford
and Jimmy Carter
became the first Cuban American member of the White House Press Corps
. As a member of the Press Corps, Regalado traveled with Presidents Ronald Reagan
, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton
. Regalado accompanied the presidents on their foreign trips, including but not limited to summits from 1983 to 1993 and met such figures as Mikhail Gorbachev
, Boris Yeltsin
and Anwar Al Sadat. In this time period, Regalado also covered the presidential campaigns and national party conventions.
In 1986, Regalado was approved as an applicant to NASA’s Journalist in Space Program which was canceled after the Challenger explosion. While a full time News Director on Spanish language radio Regalado also worked for El Miami Herald as a weekly columnist. Regalado covered the civil war in Nicaragua and El Salvador and has visited over 78 countries throughout the world. Along with his wife Raquel, Tomas spoke several times before the Human Rights Commission of United Nations in Geneva Switzerland against human rights violations in Cuba.
On November 3, Regalado was elected Miami’s 33rd Mayor with a 72% margin. He keeps his promise he would lower his salary by $50,000 as well as reducing his pension by 25%.
, daughter, Raquel Regalado is a MDCPS Board member and attorney with Feldman Gale PA, and youngest son, Jose is a college student at Florida International University
. Jose is also volunteering in the father’s office. Regalado currently lives with Jose in Shenandoah in Little Havana
. He is also the grandfather of Tomás M. Regalado, Nicolas A. Regalado, Isabela M. and Sebastian K. Herrera Regalado.
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
He served as the news director for Radio Mambi WAQI
WAQI
Radio Mambi is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish News/Talk format. Licensed to Miami, Florida, USA, the station is currently owned by Univision Communications....
and as a reporter for Univision
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
. Regalado was elected mayor on November 3, 2009, and sworn in on November 11.
Early life
Born in Havana, Cuba, May 24, 1947, Tomás Pedro Regalado was the first born child of Tomás Regalado Molina and Carmen Rita Valdez de Regalado. The son of an attorney/journalist who was the last president of the Cuban Association of Journalist and Reporters and a political prisoner for over twenty two (22) years, his father’s absence was a constant reminder to Tomás of the responsibilities and sacrifices of the Fourth EstateFourth Estate
The concept of the Fourth Estate is a societal or political force or institution whose influence is not consistently or officially recognized. The Fourth Estate now most commonly refers to the news media; especially print journalism, referred to hereon as "The Press"...
.
Prior to leaving Cuba, Tomas attended elementary school at La Salle Catholic School in Havana. In April 1962, at the age of fourteen (14) Tomás and his younger brother Marcos were placed on a flight to Miami, Florida as participants of Operation Peter Pan
Operation Peter Pan
Operation Peter Pan , was an operation coordinated by the United States government , the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami, and certain Cubans. Between 1960 and 1962, over 14,000 children were sent from Cuba to Miami by their parents...
. The two brothers lived at the boys’ camp in Kendall and then Florida City for several months until their aunt, Silvia Valdez claimed them. They lived with her until their mother, Carmen Rita Valdez de Regalado, arrived in Miami a year later.
In Miami, Tomás attended high school at Immaculata-Lasalle High School
Immaculata-Lasalle High School
Immaculata-LaSalle High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in the Coconut Grove neighborhood of Miami, Florida. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami and located between Mercy Hospital and Vizcaya on South Bayshore Drive....
in Coconut Grove and then at the Lindsey Hopkins vocational school while working full time to support his mother and younger brother. At the age of seventeen, Tomás spent what little free time he had as an unpaid intern at WFAB, La Fabulosa. Determined to be a journalist; he had a day job and also attended seminars at the University of Miami
University of Miami
The University of Miami is a private, non-sectarian university founded in 1925 with its main campus in Coral Gables, Florida, a medical campus in Miami city proper at Civic Center, and an oceanographic research facility on Virginia Key., the university currently enrolls 15,629 students in 12...
Koubek Center for journalism and continued volunteering at the radio station.
Journalism
Tomás became the youngest reporter on staff at WFAB, La Fabulosa. Regalado quickly ascended from reporter to assistant producer. At twenty one, Regalado was hired by WCKTWSVN
WSVN, channel 7, is a television station located in Miami, Florida, USA. WSVN is owned by Sunbeam Television, and is an affiliate of the Fox Broadcasting Company. The station has its studio facilities located in North Bay Village and transmitter based in north Miami-Dade County.WSVN operates a Key...
an NBC affiliate as the Latin American News Editor and host of the news program Tele-Amigo. After two years at WCKT then Channel 7, Tomás returned to WFAB as a news producer and anchor. Regalado continued in Spanish language radio and married a fellow radio commentator, Raquel Ferreiro in 1972 at St. Hugh Catholic Church in Coconut Grove. Tomás and Raquel have three children, Tomás, Raquel and Jose Francisco and were married for thirty seven (37) years. Raquel died at Mercy Hospital on February 3, 2008.
In 1974, Tomás became a reporter for WLTV Channel 23 but returned to radio in 1977 as the News Director in charge of all programming for La Fabulosa, WFAB. In 1970, Regalado decided to leave the news desk and became the stations first international news correspondent. In the years that followed, Regalado traveled to Africa and covered the civil war in Angola, the riots in Soweto, South Africa and the civil war in Mozambique.
In 1979, Tomás’ father, Tomás Regalado Molina was released from prison thanks to the intercession of the then President of Costa Rica Rodrigo Caraso. Regalado senior lived in Miami from 1979 until his death in the fall of 1995. Regalado senior worked alongside his son and daughter-in-law as a producer and news editor at WRHC, the Cadena Azul. Regalado Molina was a contributor to el Diario de las Americas and El Nuevo Herald
El Nuevo Herald
El Nuevo Herald is a McClatchy newspaper published daily in Spanish in Miami, Florida, in the United States. El Nuevo Heralds sister paper is The Miami Herald, also produced by the McClatchy Company.-About El Nuevo Herald:...
until his sudden death in 1995 at the age of seventy four. Tomás’ mother, Carmen Rita died soon after in 1998.
In 1983, Tomás, who was no stranger to the White House and had interviewed Presidents Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
, Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
and Jimmy Carter
Jimmy Carter
James Earl "Jimmy" Carter, Jr. is an American politician who served as the 39th President of the United States and was the recipient of the 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, the only U.S. President to have received the Prize after leaving office...
became the first Cuban American member of the White House Press Corps
White House Press Corps
The White House Press Corps is the group of journalists or correspondents usually stationed at the White House in Washington, D.C. to cover the president of the United States, White House events and news briefings. Their offices are located in the West Wing....
. As a member of the Press Corps, Regalado traveled with Presidents Ronald Reagan
Ronald Reagan
Ronald Wilson Reagan was the 40th President of the United States , the 33rd Governor of California and, prior to that, a radio, film and television actor....
, George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
. Regalado accompanied the presidents on their foreign trips, including but not limited to summits from 1983 to 1993 and met such figures as Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Gorbachev
Mikhail Sergeyevich Gorbachev is a former Soviet statesman, having served as General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union from 1985 until 1991, and as the last head of state of the USSR, having served from 1988 until its dissolution in 1991...
, Boris Yeltsin
Boris Yeltsin
Boris Nikolayevich Yeltsin was the first President of the Russian Federation, serving from 1991 to 1999.Originally a supporter of Mikhail Gorbachev, Yeltsin emerged under the perestroika reforms as one of Gorbachev's most powerful political opponents. On 29 May 1990 he was elected the chairman of...
and Anwar Al Sadat. In this time period, Regalado also covered the presidential campaigns and national party conventions.
In 1986, Regalado was approved as an applicant to NASA’s Journalist in Space Program which was canceled after the Challenger explosion. While a full time News Director on Spanish language radio Regalado also worked for El Miami Herald as a weekly columnist. Regalado covered the civil war in Nicaragua and El Salvador and has visited over 78 countries throughout the world. Along with his wife Raquel, Tomas spoke several times before the Human Rights Commission of United Nations in Geneva Switzerland against human rights violations in Cuba.
Political Career
In September 1996, Regalado was elected City wide as City Commissioner. One week after his election, the City of Miami’s economic crisis was exposed by Operation Green Palm and an oversight board was installed. Regalado was re-elected in 1999, and then again in 2003 without opposition. In his last election in 2007, Tomas was re-elected by ninety-four percent (94%) in his district. During that time, he kept the News Director position in the Spanish Broadcasting Systems by working as a daily host and commentator on WWFE la Poderosa and a host of a daily news program on the Cable Network TeleMiami.On November 3, Regalado was elected Miami’s 33rd Mayor with a 72% margin. He keeps his promise he would lower his salary by $50,000 as well as reducing his pension by 25%.
Personal Life
His son, Tomas Regalado Jr. is an anchor and producer at TV MartiTV Martí
TV Martí was created by the US government to provide news and current affairs programming to Cuba. It is named after Cuban independence leader José Martí, and is the television equivalent to Radio Marti.-History:...
, daughter, Raquel Regalado is a MDCPS Board member and attorney with Feldman Gale PA, and youngest son, Jose is a college student at Florida International University
Florida International University
Florida International University is an American public research university in metropolitan Miami, Florida, in the United States, with its main campus in University Park...
. Jose is also volunteering in the father’s office. Regalado currently lives with Jose in Shenandoah in Little Havana
Little Havana
Little Havana is a neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. Home to many Cuban immigrant residents, Little Havana is named after Havana, the capital and largest city in Cuba. The approximate boundaries are the Miami River , SW 16th Street , SR 9/West 27th Avenue and I-95...
. He is also the grandfather of Tomás M. Regalado, Nicolas A. Regalado, Isabela M. and Sebastian K. Herrera Regalado.
External links
- http://www.tomasregalado.com/HIStory.aspx