Frank P. del Olmo

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By any measure, Frank del Olmo is one of the most respected journalists today. A member of the Los Angeles Times staff since college, del Olmo became a columnist and member of the Times editorial board in 1980, specializing in Latin American affairs and local government. In 1984, he headed a team of Times reporters who won the Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal for Public Service for a series of articles on Southern California’s Latino community.

During the two years del Olmo attended UCLA, he worked on the Daily Bruin staff, and the promise of those early years set the tone for his distinguished professional career. Though initially hired as a Times intern after graduating from California State University, Northridge, within a year he was offered a permanent job. For many people, a prestigious position with one of the country’s leading major daily newspapers would be accomplishment enough, but del Olmo built a career out of exploring his potential. In 1974, he was the host and writer for “Ahora,” a public affairs show on Latino community issues. In 1975, his work as chief writer and researcher for “The Unwanted,” a documentary on illegal immigration, earned him an Emmy award. As a Latino and a journalist, he regularly lectures before educational institutions and research groups. It’s his way of sharing his success with those who will make, report and interpret the news of tomorrow.