ENTERPRISE RECOGNIZED: Garcia Elected to STPA Board
STAFF REPORT
The Mercedes Enterprise brought home honors and recognition from the 98th Annual South Texas Press Association (STPA) Convention, earning a respectable fourth-place finish in two of the organization’s highly competitive Better Newspaper Contest categories: Feature Photos and Special Section.
The three-day convention, held in New Bruanfels, Texas, celebrated nearly a century of excellence in community journalism across South Texas. The STPA, founded in 1927, is comprised of weekly newspapers stretching from around the San Antonio area to the southern tip of the Rio Grande Valley—with the Mercedes Enterprise proudly standing as the southernmost member of the association.
Editor Raul Garcia Jr., who has led the Enterprise since its induction into the organization in 2022, was elected to the STPA Board of Directors during the conference. His appointment places him in a leadership role as the association approaches its historic 100th anniversary.
“This is a proud moment for our newspaper and for Mercedes,” Garcia said. “To be recognized among our peers and to have the opportunity to serve on the board as we near the centennial milestone is both an honor and a responsibility I deeply value.”
The annual STPA convention featured a full slate of journalism workshops, industry presentations, and networking opportunities, along with awards that recognize excellence in reporting, photography, design, and community impact.
The Mercedes Enterprise previously received multiple recognitions during its debut year with the association at the 96th Annual Convention in 2023, held in Boerne.
As the paper continues to grow its presence in the region, Garcia’s election to the board marks another step forward in reaffirming the Enterprise’s commitment to quality journalism and community storytelling in Mercedes, the Rio Grande Valley and beyond.
