This is a list of notable Ponceños, people from Ponce, Puerto Rico. Listed here are people who were either born in Ponce or who were not born in Ponce, but who are or were longtime residents of the city â the so-called adopted sons and daughters of Ponce, and known in Spanish as "Ponceñistas". Ponce has also been the birthplace and the place of residence of many Puerto Ricans who became notable elsewhere. The following lists many of them as well. The list is arranged alphabetically by area of notability.
List of notable Ponceños by area of notability
The list is divided into categories and in some cases sub-categories which best describe the field for which the subject is most noted. For individuals notable in more than one field (such as "Luis A. Ferré" who is notable as a former "governor" and as an "industrialist") the entry is made under the field for which the individual is most noted.
: Top â Actors, actresses, comedians and directors, Architects, Authors, playwrights and poets, Beauty queens and fashion models, Business people and industrialists, Civil rights and/or political activists, Clergy, Composers, contemporary singers, musicians and opera, Criminals and outlaws, Diplomats, Educators, Governors, Historians, Journalists, Judges, law enforcement and firefighters, Military, Physicians, scientists and inventors, Politicians, Sportspeople, Visual Artists.
Actors, actresses, comedians, directors and entertainers
- Marisol Calero, actress<br />Films: Under Suspicion, and "El último de los amantes" (the Spanish language version of The Last of the Red Hot Lovers).
- MÃÂriam Colón, actress<br /> Founder of New York City's Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre
- MarÃÂa-Elena Laas, actress<br />Films: The Hot Chick, and Suffering Man's Charity, among others.
- Walter Mercado, astrologer, dancer, telenovela actor, writer
- Mario Montez, female impersonator/actor<br />A Warhol superstar.
- Tommy Muñiz, television producer comedian and actor<br />Pioneer in Puerto Rico television. Starred in the movie "Lo que le Pasó a Santiago", directed by Jacobo Morales, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
- Lymari Nadal, actress<br /> Film: American Gangster; TV: Battlestar Galactica
- ElÃÂn OrtÃÂz, actor, producer, comedian and screenwriter.<br />For many years interpreted "RelÃÂquia", mocking political corruption in Puerto Rico.
- Jeimy Osorio, actress.<br/>Film: Una Maid en Manhattan, "Porque el amor manda", "Santa Diabla"; TV: Celia.
- Gilluis Pérez, actor. <br/>TV: .
- Luis Raúl, actor, comedian and TV host<br /> Acted in many telenovelas. Hosted "Anda Pa'l Cara" and "Pa' Que Te Lo Goces"
- Esther Sandoval, actress.<br />Starred in "Ante La Ley", Puerto Rico's first telenovela.
- Marta Romero, actress and singer<br />One of the pioneers of telenovelas in Puerto Rico
- Teófilo Torres, actor and film director<br />Film: "Dios los crÃÂa", the Spanish language version of ...And God Created Them, among others.
- Carmen Nydia Velázquez, comedian and singer <br />Fictional role in the comedic duet "Susa y Epifanio"
- Rosita Velázquez, actress, comedian and singer, grew up in Ponce.
- Juan Emilio Viguié, film producer<br />Pioneer film producer. Made the first commercially successful films in the island, including "Romance Tropical", the first Puerto Rican film with sound.
- Marco Zunino, actor<br />Starred in the musicals Jesucristo Superstar, Cabaret, Rent and Amor sin barreras (West Side Story).
Architects
- Pedro Adolfo de Castro y Besosa, architect<br />A graduate of an American architecture university, he designed masterpieces such as Castillo Serrallés and Casa de España.
- Juan Bertoli Calderoni, architect<br />Designer of Teatro La Perla
- Maruja Fuentes, industrial and environmental designer
- Timoteo Luberza, architect<br />Designed Plaza del Mercado Isabel II
- Andrés Mignucci, urbanist.<br />Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Winner of the Henry Klumb Award 2012.
- Francisco Porrata-DorÃÂa, architect<br />Designed the Ponce Cathedral, Banco de Ponce building, and Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño building.
- Blas Silva, architect<br />Creator of the Ponce Creole architectural style. Designed the Casa de la Masacre, Font-Ubides House, and the Subira House, among others.
- Alfredo Wiechers Pieretti, architect<br />Designed many buildings now in the NRHP including Casa Wiechers-Villaronga, today the Museo de la Arquitectura Ponceña.
Authors, playwrights and poets
- César Andreu Iglesias, labor organizer, journalist, novelist, and short-story writer.<br />Co-founder of Claridad. President of the Puerto Rican Communist Party, and recipient of the 1960 Award for Excellence in Journalism from the Puerto Rican Institute of Literature.
- Rosario Ferré, fiction writer, poet, essayist and biographer<br />Award: Liberatur Prix Award, Frankfurt Book Fair.
- Félix Franco-Oppenheimer, poet and writer<br />His works include "Contornos", "Imagen y visión edénica de Puerto Rico", and "AntologÃÂa poética".
- Pedro J. Labarthe, poet, journalist, essayist, and novelist.<br />Documented the experience of Puerto Rican migration to New York. Major writings: The Son of Two Nations: The Private Life of a Columbia Student, among others.
- Emilio J. Pasarell, short-story writer, novelist, and essayist. He was also an accomplished historian.<br />Best known for his "Origenes y desarrollo de la aficcion teatral en Puerto Rico" (Origins and development of theater in Puerto Rico).
- Pedro Pietri, poet, playwright<br/>Co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café.
- Magaly Quiñones, poet
- Ed Vega, novelist and short-story writer. <br />Major awards: PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award (2004) and Washington Post Book of the Year Award (2004).
- Iris Zavala, author, scholar, and poet. <br />Major Awards: Medal of Honor, ICP; Gold Medal, AP; and Pen Club Award.
Beauty queens and fashion models
Business people and industrialists
- Juan Bigas Moulins, businessman<br />Ponce Servicios was named after him.
- Salvador de Vives, Mayor of Ponce and founder of Hacienda Buena Vista<br />Under his mayoral administration, the Ponce City Hall was built.
- Ramiro L. Colón<br />First administrator of Cooperativa de Cafeteros de Puerto Rico, Café Rico.
- Antonio Luis Ferré, businessman and industrialist<br />Owner of Ferré-Rangel media emporium.
- Luberza Oppenheimer, Isabel<br />Madam of a notorious brothel.
- Francisco Parra Duperón, lawyer<br />Founder of Puerto Rico's oldest law firm in continuous operation, Parra, del Valle & Limeres.
- José Miguel Rovira, industrialist<br />Founder of Rovira Biscuits Corporation.
- Ermelindo Salazar, businessman<br />Founded the Ponce Chamber of Commerce. Was also president of Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño, one of the largest and oldest in the Island.
- Félix SauràVivas, businessman and hacienda holder<br />Built the third-oldest residence still standing in Ponce and which became Liceo Ponceño, Puerto Rico's first girls-only school, and later the Ponce Ramada Hotel.
- Juan Serrallés, businessman and hacienda holder<br />Founder of DestilerÃÂa Serrallés and "Don Q".
- Salvador Vassallo, industrialist<br />Founder of Industrias Vassallo and subsidiaries.
- Luis Fortuño Janeiro, journalist and member of the Puerto Rico Senate<br />Founder of ÃÂmprenta Fortuño.
Civic leaders
Civil servants and public servants
- Enrique Campos del Toro, businessman, banker, law professor and civil servant<br />Served in several Commonwealth governmental positions, some of which were appointed by the president of the United States.
- Carlos A. Chardón López, educator and civil servant<br />Chardón served twice as Puerto Rico's Secretary of Education
- Carlos Fernando Chardón, Secretary of State and Adjutant General of Puerto Rico.
- Antonio S. Lucchetti, engineer and public servant<br />Headed the launching of island-wide public electric service in Puerto Rico.
- Mariano Villaronga-Toro, educator and public servant<br />The first Commissioner of Public Instruction after the creation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Displaced English as the language of instruction and replaced it with Spanish.
Civil rights and/or political activists
Clergy
Composers, contemporary singers, musicians and opera
Composers
- Julio C. Arteaga, composer of danzas, musician and teacher.
- Héctor Campos Parsi, composer and writer<br />Wrote many compositions, including the incidental music for both A Midsummer Night's Dream by Shakespeare, and Dracula by Bram Stoker.
- ArÃÂstides Chavier Arévalo, pianist and composer.<br />Chavier trained Luis A. Ferré as a concert-level pianist.
- Juan Morel Campos, composer of danzas.<br />Founder of the Ponce Municipal Band. Wrote over 550 compositions before he died on stage at age 39.
- Juan RÃÂos Ovalle, composer of danzas, prolific musician and orchestra director.
- Manuel G. Tavárez, composer<br />Known as "The father of the Puerto Rican danza"
Musicians
- Carlos Alomar, guitarist, composer and arranger.<br />Best known for his work with David Bowie, having played on more Bowie albums than any other musician.
- Julio Alvarado Tricoche, musician, composer, band director.<br />Best known for "Lejos de Ti".
- Rubén Colón Tarrats, musician, composer, band director.
- Domingo Cruz "CocolÃÂa", musician and orchestra director.<br />Director of the ultracentenarian Ponce Municipal Band.
- Papo Lucca, multi-instrumentalist musician.<br />Co-founder of La Sonora Ponceña, a salsa band. He also played the piano with The Fania All-Stars.
- ElÃÂas López Sobá, classical music pianist and educator.<br />Co-director of the annual Casals Festival since 2010.
- Luis Osvaldo Pino Valdivieso, musician and band director.
- Librado Net, musician, educator and painter.<br />First director of the Escuela Libre de Música de Ponce and mastermind behind the creation of Puerto Rico's Free Music School system.
- Elisa Tavárez, pianist
Contemporary singers
- PJ Sin Suela, rapper, composer, and doctor.<br /> Pedro-Juan Vázquez Bragan better known as PJ Sin Suela has been known for his music career and his compromise with social matters in Puerto Rico.
- Lorenzo S. Alvarado Santos, singer, composer, and guitarist.<br />With Johnny Albino and Félix ("Ola") MartÃÂnez, made up TrÃÂo San Juan during the years 1949âÂÂ1957. Among his best tunes was the 1956 bolero "Siete notas de amor".
- Cheo Feliciano, salsa singer. <br />Lead singer for the "Joe Cuba Sextet" and later with the Fania All-Stars.
- Ruth Fernández, Contralto Bolero singer and singer of up tempo songs.<br />Won numerous awards internationally during her lifetime. Was also elected to the Puerto Rico Senate.
- Héctor Lavoe, Salsa and Bolero singer.<br />Credited with starting the salsa movement in the early 1970s in collaboration with The Fania All-Stars.
- "Lunna", Pop and Jazz singer.<br />Director of the TV show "Objetivo Fama".
- Ednita Nazario, Pop and rock singer.<br />Has recorded over 50 albums, DVDs, and compilations.
- Ismael Quintana, Salsa singer and composer.<br />Recipient of the 1966 "Most Popular Latin Singer of the Year" award at the Palladium Ballroom. Also sang with The Fania All-Stars.
- Pete "El Conde" RodrÃÂguez, Salsa singer. Sang with The Fania All-Stars and also had a solo career.
- Draco Rosa, Menudo musician and singer.<br />Multiple-time Grammy and Latin Grammy winning musician, singer-songwriter, composer, multi-instrumentalist, record producer, poet and entrepreneur.
- CarmÃÂn Vega, singer and comedian. <br />Known as "The woman with a thousand voices and a thousand faces".
- Juan Vélez, singer, musician and songwriter. <br />Winner of the fourth season of Objetivo Fama.
Opera
Theatrical arts
- Luis Torres Nadal, playwright, poet, educator, actor, choreographer, and theatrical director.
Criminals and outlaws
Diplomats
Educators
- Alfredo M. Aguayo, educator and writer<br />Established the first laboratory of child psychology at the University of Havana
- Carlos Albizu Miranda, psychologist and educator<br />Founder of Albizu University.
- MarÃÂa Teresa BabÃÂn Cortés, educator, literary critic, and essayist<br />Author of "Panorama de la Cultura Puertorriqueña", among others.
- Hemeterio Colón Warens, educator, land surveyor, and mayor of Cayey<br />Founded Colegio Central Ponceño in 1883.
- Jaime L. Drew, educator, civil servant, writer and engineer<br />Author of "Libro de Poemas en Ingles y Espanol", among others.
- Antonio GarcÃÂa Padilla, scholar, and civil servant<br />President of the University of Puerto Rico.
- Manuel González Pató, educator, writer, and sportsman.<br />Puerto Rico National Olympic team coach
- Domingo Marrero Navarro, educator and writer<br />Author of award-winning "El Centauro: Persona y Pensamiento de Ortega y Gasset" (Institute of Puerto Rican Culture)
- Lolita Tizol, educator<br />Taught music for a meager $50 per month to an entire generation of Puerto Rican children.
Governors
First Ladies of Puerto Rico
Historians
- Silvia ÃÂlvarez Curbelo, architectural and cultural historian<br />Founding member of the Puerto Rican Association of Historians, and director of the Center for Communications Research at the University of Puerto Rico.
- Francisco Lluch Mora, historian <br />Wrote "OrÃÂgenes y Fundación de Ponce y Otras Noticias Relativas a su Desarrollo Urbano, Demográfico y Cultural (Siglos XVI-XIX)".
- Ramón MarÃÂn, historian<br />Wrote the classical work: "Las fiestas populares de Ponce."
- Antonio Mirabal, political historian and poet<br />Author of "De Rosas a Trujillo: estudio histórico comparativo de las tiranÃÂas en América." Long-time chief archivist at Archivo Historico de Ponce
- Eduardo Neumann GandÃÂa, historian<br />Author of "Verdadera y Auténtica Historia de la Ciudad de Ponce."
- Andrés Ramos Mattei, sugar industry historian<br />Said to be "the undisputed authority" on the subject of Puerto Rico's sugar industry.
- Gladys Esther Tormes González, historian<br />Head archivist and longest-serving archivist at the "Archivo Historico de Ponce".
Journalists
Judges, law enforcement and firefighters
Military
- Agüeybaná (Great Sun), Supreme TaÃÂno chief<br />Supreme Cacique of Puerto Rico who welcomed Juan Ponce de León to the island.
- Agüeybaná II, Supreme cacique of the entire island of "Borikén" <br />Led the TaÃÂnos in the fight against Juan Ponce de León and the Spanish conquistadores in the TaÃÂno rebellion of 1511.
- Ramón Colón-López, chief master sergeant, U.S. Air Force<br />First and only Latino among the first six airmen to be awarded the Air Force Combat Action Medal.
- Antonio J. Ramos, brigadier general, U.S. Air Force<br />First Latino to serve as commander, Air Force Security Assistance Center, Air Force Materiel Command.
- José Antonio Muñiz lieutenant colonel, U.S. Air Force<br />Co-founder of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard.
- Horacio Rivero, admiral, U.S. Navy<br />First Puerto Rican and second Hispanic to become admiral (four-star) in the U.S. Navy. Commander of the American fleet that effected the blockade of the Soviet ships during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
- EurÃÂpides Rubio, captain, U.S. Army<br />Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Tay Ninh Province in the Republic of Vietnam on 8 November 1966.
- Raúl G. Villaronga<br />First Puerto Rican to be elected mayor in the state of Texas. (Mayor of Killeen, Texas).
- Luis R. Visot, major general, U. S. Army<br />Chief of Staff of the United States Army Reserve.
Physicians, scientists and inventors
- Carlos E. Chardón Palacios, mycologist<br />Father of Puerto Rican mycology and first Puerto Rican appointed as Chancellor of University of Puerto Rico.
- MartÃÂn Corchado, physician and medical researcher<br />Was also president of the Autonomist Party of Puerto Rico.
- Manuel de la Pila Iglesias, physician and medical pioneer<br />Introduced the first EKG and X-ray machines to Puerto Rico. Considered to be "one of the giants of Puerto Rican medicine".
- José N. Gándara, medical director at Hospital Tricoche<br />Lead physician helping victims of the Ponce massacre, and witness at the trials of the accused Nacionalistas. Was Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico. Co-founder of the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico.
- Joxel GarcÃÂa, Assistant Secretary for Health, <br />First Puerto Rican to be appointed Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
- Julio J. Henna, physician and political activist<br />Co-founder of New York City's French Hospital.
- Rafael López Nussa, physician and public servant<br />Pioneered heart surgeries in Puerto Rico.
- Rafael Pujals, physician, civic leader and political activist<br />First physician with a medical degree in the city and medical director at both Hospital de Damas and Hospital Tricoche.
Politicians
Sportspeople
Baseball players and coaches
- Roberto Alomar<br />Former baseball player, MLB All-Star, third Puerto Rican inducted to the Baseball Hall of Fame (2011).
- Pedro Miguel Caratini<br />Baseball player.
- Orlando Cepeda<br />Baseball player and member of the Baseball Hall of Fame.
- Francisco "Pancho" CoÃÂmbre<br />Negro league baseball All-Star player.
- Carlos Correa<br />Minnesota Twins player.
- Luis DeLeón<br />Former Major League Baseball pitcher for the San Diego Padres and the Seattle Mariners.
- José Espada<br />Major League Baseball player for the San Diego Padres.
- Coco Laboy<br />MLB player with San Francisco Giants, Montreal Expos and the St. Louis Cardinals.
- Ricky Ledée<br />Nine-year veteran in MLB playing as an outfielder.
- Javy López<br />Former catcher in Major League Baseball with the Atlanta Braves, the Baltimore Orioles and the Boston Red Sox.
- Felix Maldonado<br />MLB baseball manager.
- Pepe Mangual<br />MLB player with the Montreal Expos and New York Mets.
- Paquito Montaner<br />First Puerto Rican baseball player to throw a "no-hitter" in Puerto Rican baseball.
- Millito Navarro<br />First Puerto Rican to play in Negro leagues and the American Negro League's last surviving member.
- Luis Quiñones<br />Former Major League Baseball player for the Oakland Athletics, San Francisco Giants, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati Reds and the Minnesota Twins.
- Edwin Rodriguez<br />Former Florida Marlins team manager.
- Benito Santiago<br />Former 20-season catcher in Major League Baseball.
- Félix Torres<br />MLB player with Los Angeles Angels, Cincinnati Redlegs and Philadelphia Phillies.
- Javier Vázquez<br />Former MLB pitcher.
- Otto Vélez<br />MLB player with New York Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, and Cleveland Indians.
- Enrique "Coco" Vicéns <br />Basketball player with Leones de Ponce. Also a politician.
Basketball players
Boxers
Other sportspeople
- Ricardo Busquets, Olympic swimmer.
- Javier Culson, track and field athlete<br />Olympic medalist specializing in the 400-metre hurdles.
- Germán Figueroa, professional wrestler.
- Juan "Papo" Franceschi, track and field athlete<br />Gold medalist at Central American and Caribbean Games
- Edgardo Guilbe, track and field athlete<br />Olympic sprinter.
- Julio Enrique Monagas, sportsman, public servant and civic leader.<br />Considered "The father of Olympic sports in Puerto Rico."
- Francisco Rosa Rivera, professional bodybuilder.
- Félix Serrallés, professional racing driver.
- Debora Seilhamer, Olympic volleyball player.
- Jesse Vassallo, swimmer<br />Former president (2004-2008), Puerto Rico Swimming Federation and member of the International Swimming Hall of Fame.
- Ivelisse Vélez, professional wrestler<br />Lucha Underground.
Visual artists
- Albizu, Olga, abstract expressionist painter.<br />Her works include album covers for Stan Getz
- Escobar, Elizam, painter and political activist.<br />Dean of the Painting Department at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
- Irizarry, Epifanio, painter and educator.<br />His works include "Flamboyan" (1972).
- Penne, MarÃÂa Luisa, painter, educator, and graphic artist.
- Pou, Miguel, painter.<br />Patrons include Museo de Arte de Ponce, Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art and Puerto Rico Museum of Art.
- Rios Rey, Rafael, muralist.<br />Patrons include Ponce YMCA Organization, Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño, and Puerto Rico Iron Works.
- Torres Martinó, José A., painter.<br />Co-founder of the Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico.
- Quiñones, Lee, graffiti painter and actor<br />Patrons include El Museo del Barrio, Whitney Museum of Art, Museum of the City of New York and the Groninger Museum
- Torres, Wichie, Oil canvas painter.<br />Exponent of the costumbrismo movement.
Table summary by year of birth
The following sortable table is a summary list of notable Ponceños and Ponceñistas arranged chronologically by year of birth.
See also