National Press Photographers honor Rios

SAN ANTONIO – The National Press Photographers Association has honored San Antonio Express-News Director of Photography Jose Luis Rios with the Jim Gordon Editor of the Year award.
Rios was selected from a pool of six nominees. The award recognizes outstanding editors who support and promote strong photojournalism, demonstrate the best use of photos and raise the industry’s standards.  
Rios, 58, a native of Colorado City, Colorado, has served in his current role with the Express-News since January 2010. He oversees nine photojournalists and two photo editors. 
Rios has enjoyed a 34-year career in journalism, beginning as a reporter for the San Angelo Times. He went on to work at the Washington Post from 1989 until 2003, then the Miami Herald from 2003 until 2009. He has been part of two projects that won Pulitzer Prizes, one at the Washington Post, the other at the Miami Herald. He also directed three Express-News photographers named in 2015 as finalists for the Pulitzer Prize in feature photography for their images of Central American women and children surging across the border into Texas. 
Rios, who was nominated by a photographer on his staff, said he was stunned by the recognition. “I believe photographers should win awards,” he said. “I’m not a believer that editors are in line for awards.” He describes himself as a “hardcore documentarian photojournalism editor.” 
The award is named after the late James R. “Jim” Gordon, the emeritus editor of NPPA’s News Photographer magazine.