Mr. José Luis Rodríguez is the founder of the Hispanic Telecommunications Network (HITN), the first and still the only Spanish language PBS-like network in the US and in Puerto Rico. Before his retirement, he had achieved distribution in about 43 million households, through the various cable and satellite systems nationwide.

He was appointed by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to their Communications, Security, Reliability and Interoperability Council based on his experience in using HITN television network to respond to disasters like Katrina, the avian influenza pandemic scare, Haiti earthquake, Sandy and multiple hurricanes in Puerto Rico. The common thread with all these disasters was the unique use of communications of a television network to support the preparation and response to these disasters. He built a major communication center in NYC which included a data center and a teleport facility to distribute and receive content to and from North America including the Caribbean

Mr. Rodriguez is the founder and CEO of Campo Rico Group Inc. (CRG Communications), a telecommunications company with a commercial satellite teleport in Puerto Rico. CRG’s main goal is to connect the Caribbean, Latin America and the USA community utilizing VSAT networks.

Currently, Mr. Rodriguez is one of the founders of Caribbean Preparedness and Response Inc. (CPR). CPR is a network of community organizations, governmental entities and business relying on an independent, innovative, and resilient satellite-based emergency telecommunications system. This network provides resilient back up and business continuity after a disaster in Puerto Rico and eventually, the Caribbean and the Unites States. CPR is building a number of Digital Communications Centers in Puerto Rico and the Diaspora. These centers will operate during an emergency after a major disaster or pandemic, in Puerto Rico.

CPR has been invited to become a member of N50 partners. N50 include organizations that have a passionate drive to close the global digital divide. They aim to deliver applications and contents to communities along the outer edge of the digital infrastructure. N50 partners is a coalition of the willing. Composed of Fortune 500 companies, Non-Governmental Organizations, Academic Institutions and entrepreneurial ventures. N50 is an open, inclusive ecosystem that is fueling transformation in some of the most challenging environments.

Mr. Rodriguez attended University of Puerto Rico for his undergraduate degree in business administration and Teachers College at Columbia University for his graduate work on Educational Administration.