presented by THOMASJ HENRY

Extraordinary Leadership in Media Winner AMY VILLARREAL Television executive who brought Telemundo to Austin

The vice president and gener- al manager of KEYE-TV, the CBS and Telemundo affili- T ates in Austin, who has long worked to oversee programming that is accurate, fair and entertaining, has been named an Extraordinary Woman by the Austin Statesman and Thom- as J. Henry Extraordinary Women program. Amy Villarreal is also general man- ager of the Beaumont properties of KFDM, KBTV and others and serves as an associate group manager over Texas, Oklahoma and Arkansas at Sinclair Broadcast Group – a leading news provider in Central Texas and in dozens of media markets across the country. “What it means – for vice president and general manager – is I’m over all the operations for CBS Austin and Telemundo Austin, so that’s news, sales, digital operations, engineering, all the above,” Villarreal said. “I’ve always loved the media in- dustry; first of all, I love serving our community and that’s what it’s about – my mom was a very driven executive and always gave back, so I also had happened to work here in every day.” what they love to do and to be able to grew up in that environment with my Austin, and it was just an environment Villarreal said she’s consistent- support them and do those things and parents’ influence -- and I love that where I loved that the media satisfied ly encouraged by what the news this career always gave me this great every day we get to not only inform both sides of my brain – I’m a visual team achieves in reporting on the balance of being able to not only help our viewers in English and Spanish, person just as much as I’m a numbers COVID-19 pandemic and vaccina- others but also to help my family. it’s also helping people grow their person – and I worked for somebody tions, major breaking news and weath- “And that outlook – and giving back businesses through advertising; it’s who was really great about always er events, and the state legislature. to the community – those things, I helping nonprofits in our community answering my curiosity questions to “I’m really proud of this team being think still to this day, still inspire me get funding and exposure,” Villarreal make sure I understood everything.” able to pivot and not miss a beat in ei- every day when I get up,” Villarreal said. “At the end of the day, TV sta- Villarreal recognized that being a ther language,” Villarreal said. “There said. tions are given a license by the FCC to general manager would be a good fit is a dedication in journalism to be Villarreal also serves as a volunteer serve our communities.” for her. accurate, to be fair, to make sure we’re with many organizations, including Villarreal has been general manager of “I was very thrilled to be a female telling the story the right way.” the Briscoe Center for American His- television stations for about 20 years promoted to a general manager posi- It’s particularly inspiring given the tory at the University of Texas, which and brought Telemundo to Austin in tion at 29-years-old of a major media challenges of working through the includes a number of journalistic ar- 2008. property, so I think that was probably pandemic. chives, including those of CBS icons “I had a CEO at the time who em- my first big milestone,” Villarreal “Look at where we were to where we Walter Cronkite and Morley Safer. powered me by giving me 30 days to said. “And then in 2005, I came here are now, and I’m just really, really “I’ve really enjoyed working with the launch an entire Spanish TV station to Austin and started running these proud of my entire team across my Briscoe Center on not only in pre- with on-air news,” Villarreal said. properties, stations of the work that they’ve serving journalism but photography “And we did it, so I’ve done,” Villarreal said. “Being fair and collections and incredible collections we did it really, been here in balanced and providing news that is about the history of Texas,” she said. really well, “I’m really proud of Austin for relevant to our communities, and that Villarreal is also on the board for the and that station almost 16 a lot of times are life-saving in these Texas Association of Broadcasters means a lot to this team being able to years.” situations, is very important.” and the Headliners Foundation. She’s me, because Villar- Villarreal credits her mother – who a longtime volunteer for the Make-A- that was a pivot and not miss a real said worked in the telecommunications Wish Foundation, as well as Rodeo little bit of a the work industry, was also an economics major Austin, which helps preserve Texas passion project beat in either language. inspires her and went on to pursue her master’s in history and raises money for scholar- that I was able on a daily electrical engineering – with inspiring ships. to execute on There is a dedication basis. her own work. One of her happiest accomplishments my own, and I “I still wake “My mom was a really great influ- came when she was asked by her alma couldn’t have in journalism to be up every ence, being a woman in corporate mater to be the Keynote Speaker for done it without day and America and growing and being very the Department of Economics Spring the great team accurate, to be fair, to I want to successful – and I had that as a child Convocation in May 2019. I have. That’s come to as an influence,” Villarreal said. “She “Giving my commencement speech also an inspi- make sure we’re telling work,” Vil- was just always very inspiring – being for my university was a big, proud rational career larreal said. on the Habitat for Humanity boards, moment, just of the circle of life,” Vil- moment for the story the right way.” “I love the and giving back, and having this ca- larreal said. “Sometimes you don’t al- me.” passion of reer, and proving that the glass ceiling ways stop and acknowledge the ways After earning can be broken for women -- and I that you do contribute, and I feel like Amy Villarreal, vice president and general the journal- her degree ism side of always was lucky to have that as an I give a lot back to my community, or in econom- manager of KEYE-TV, the CBS and influence in my life, of never being try to every day, to give a lot back to Telemundo affiliates in Austin my busi- ics from the ness – very afraid to dream big; and my father my employees, to the community, to University of dedicated is also extremely supportive of my our advertisers, to our viewers.” Texas at Austin, Villarreal first worked professionals who are keeping our career and everything I ever wanted Villarreal’s son, Max, now 23, was in in Houston, then was hired for a sales viewers informed and safe, and the to do. I have great parents who were college there at the time. position at a station in South Texas sales side of my business – I love supportive in all this.” “My son was a rising senior at the where her former husband was pursu- helping business owners grow their Villarreal hopes to emulate that for her University of Texas, so it was really ing a law career. business and their successes -- and so children. nice to be able to have my family “And I worked for an incredibly it’s just a very rewarding job overall. “Having a daughter and a son, and there – my daughter had already grad- dynamic general manager by the name I feel very lucky that I get to do this I was a single mom, is being that uated college at that point -- because of Patti Smith,” Villarreal said. “She same inspiration to my kids – to find Continued on next page. Extraordinary Leadership in Media Winner: Amy Villarreal Continued from previous page. supportive companies and people around me on my journey,” she said. it’s an honor to be recognized as Villarreal said she was still process- someone who came out of that school ing the thrill of being recognized as that they thought could be a speaker,” an Extraordinary Woman. Villarreal said. “I’m not a big self-promoter – it’s Both children graduated from Austin about my on-air talent, it’s about my High School. Daughter, Madison, employees -- so I think I was a little now 24, currently lives in New York taken aback,” Villarreal said. “It’s and is heading to law school at Stan- actually a really big honor because I ford; Max works in business develop- think this is a very dynamic city, full ment for a company in Austin. of incredibly talented women, and Villarreal is a lifelong Texan, and her I feel very honored to be a part of parents live near her in Austin. that conversation of these amazing “I was born in Dallas, and I’ve lived women that are in all different roles here in Austin, South Texas and in this town, so I’m very honored and Houston,” Villarreal said. “I love this I’m humbled.” focused on the dynamic growth of “These are some of the great artists state for my career. I’ve never wanted Villarreal said for anyone new to the Austin, and Villarreal’s role also that live in town,” Villarreal said. to leave the state. I just think this is a field, it’s important to have confi- allows her to tell Austin’s stories It’s the first Emmy that Villarreal has dynamic business environment. dence and not be afraid to ask ques- through other platforms. won. “I feel really lucky that our stations tions, and she stressed the importance Villarreal won a Lonestar Regional “It’s the first I’ve ever tried for, to are trusted by the central Texas of mentoring employees. Emmy Award in 2018 as executive be honest with you,” Villarreal said. community, and the only way that “The culture of your office is really producer of “Austin After Hours.” “Like I said, I haven’t ever been you’re trusted is providing news that important; I spend a lot of time on “We interviewed and told long-form someone who’s been a big self-pro- is relevant and engaging every single that – I want to make sure everyone stories about the music, the restau- moter. But you know, this was really day to that community.” feels appreciated; and if I can offer rants, the entertainment of Austin,” a passion project here in the station Villarreal is responsible for managing you an opportunity to grow, then I’m Villarreal said. where we all had other full-time jobs, many dozens of employees. giving everything that I can to help The program included segments on but we all grew together to make this “I just feel really fortunate to be a you grow also because I think that musician Amy Edwards, actor Theo beautiful product; and it was really woman in this field, who has had so makes us all better,” Villarreal said. Rossi and chef Aaron Sanchez, to nice to be acknowledged and reward- many wonderful experiences and Much of KEYE’s programming has name just a few. ed for the work that we did.”

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