Women's group honors Valley dad as 'Father of the Year'

McALLEN — Father's Day will be extra special for Ralph Magaña this year.

The Mission dad was recently honored as Father of the Year by the Rio Grande Valley chapter of the Hispanic Women's Network of Texas.

Chapter chairwoman Alida Hernandez said he was an easy choice for her group because of his dedication to their organization and to Valley businesswomen.

"He's not only a wonderful father to his daughter, but to all of the women in the organization," Hernandez said. "He works hard to prepare the daughters of our generation for the world."

Hernandez also credited Magaña, 52, with empowering Valley women by publishing their success stories on Contempo Magazine, a local publication owned and operated by the Magaña family.

"I try to promote women who are trying to do better things for themselves," Magaña said. "It was nice of them to honor me for something that was unexpected."

Magaña was born in Toledo, Ohio, and raised in McAllen.

In his 20s, he worked in the advertising and publishing industry and printed a local Winter Texan magazine. In the late 1980s, Johnson & Johnson recognized him as the company's top sales representative. Eventually, he became a national sales trainer for the company.

Ten years later, he established Magaña Construction Co. and began building and developing residential and commercial properties, including medical facilities, assisted living facilities, shopping malls and custom homes.

Magaña lives in Mission with his daughter, Melissa Grace, 24, and his wife, Laura. Both are financial advisers.

The Hispanic Women's Network of Texas is a statewide nonprofit organization created in 1987.

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Ana Ley covers law enforcement and general assignments for The Monitor. She can be reached at (956) 683-4428.