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Richard Montañez

Richard Montañez

Keynote Speaker: Author, Philanthropist, Food Security Advocate; Former Vice President of Multicultural Sales & Community Activation for PepsiCo North America; Inspiration for the Film "Flamin' Hot"

Richard Montañez Biography

Richard Montañez led Multicultural Sales & Marketing as Vice President across Pepsi North American divisions. After 42 years with the company, he is now retired. Throughout his career, Montañez has held various senior roles through Pepsi and Frito Lay divisions.

Montañez started his PepsiCo career at Frito-Lay in 1976 as a janitor and is recognized as the creator of the Flamin’ Hot line of products, which have become a billion-dollar business and a cultural phenomenon. In 2023, Eva Longoria premiered her directorial debut Flamin' Hot based on Montañez's creation of Flamin' Hot Cheetos.

Recognized for his visionary leadership, ability to innovate, and commitment to diversity, he has received several notable awards and is often named one of the most influential Latinos in corporate America.

Montañez is the only four-time recipient of PepsiCo’s Chairman’s Award, the highest honor given to employees based on performance and work ethic. As a long-standing mentor and executive sponsor of PepsiCo's Latino and Hispanic employee group, Adelante, Montañez has supported and nurtured the careers of hundreds of PepsiCo employees. Montañez is also a committed philanthropist and founder of Onelite, a nonprofit that provides hundreds of high-need families within the United States with food and school supplies.

He serves on several boards of directors and advisory boards. He was also the first Latino board member to serve on the board of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC), an African-American civil rights organization whose first president was Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Montañez is a sought-after motivational speaker, speaking to corporate groups like Target, WalMart, and Slalom, as well as universities such as USC and Harvard. Montañez has been featured in TV and print outlets, such as Good Morning America, The Washington Post, Vanity Fair, Fortune and Newsweek.

Contact a speaker booking agent to check availability on Richard Montañez and other top speakers and celebrities.

Richard Montañez Speaking Topics

The Antidote to Fear Is Hunger

Richard Montañez has a Ph.D. in being poor, hungry, and determined. His journey is one that everyone can relate to. It begins with feelings of being out-of-place, in pain, afraid, and vulnerable. And involves overcoming obstacles, confronting fear, and perseverance – even as he’s seen success.

From his humble beginnings in a migrant labor camp, to working as a janitor, to the inspiration and hard work it took to launch the cultural phenomenon, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Montañez shares the life-shaping moments from his personal journey.

In this presentation, Montañez inspires and activates listeners. He emphasizes the importance of believing in one oneself, building confidence, and taking risks that some might find crazy. “Greatness comes in ridiculous forms, and I’m living proof,” he says. “My ridiculous idea became a billion dollar franchise.”

A testament to the importance of diversity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, Montañez’s story teaches others how to turn adversity into the determination it takes to excel in life and business. “With confidence, anything is possible,” he says. “So no matter where you come from, there’s no limit to where you can go.”

Richard Montañez Videos

Hot Cheetos Creator’s “Top 5” Keys To Success! (Richard Montanez)
How A Janitor Created The Multi-Billion Dollar “Hot Cheetos” Empire!
A Conversation with Richard Montañez

How do I book Richard Montañez to speak at my event?

Our experienced booking agents have successfully helped clients around the world secure speakers like Richard Montañez for speaking engagements, personal appearances, product endorsements, or corporate entertainment since 2002. Click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page to check availability for Richard Montañez, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to discuss your upcoming event. One of our experienced agents will be happy to help you get speaking fee information and check availability for Richard Montañez or any other speaker of your choice.

How much does it cost to book Richard Montañez for a speaking engagement?

Speaking fees for Richard Montañez, or any other speakers and celebrities, are determined based on a number of factors and may change without notice. The estimated fees to book Richard Montañez are $30,000 - $50,000 for live events and $10,000 - $20,000 for virtual events. For the most current speaking fee to hire Richard Montañez, click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536 to speak directly with an experienced booking agent.

What topics does Richard Montañez speak about?

Richard Montañez is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics such as Business, Business Growth, Entrepreneurship, Innovation, Leadership, Social Activism, Non-Profit & Association, Creativity, Marketing, Virtual, Business Leadership, Diversity, Sales, Hispanic Heritage, Faith & Religion, Thought Leadership and Human Resources.

Where does Richard Montañez travel from?

Richard Montañez generally travels from California, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances.

Who is the agent for Richard Montañez?

AAE Speakers Bureau has successfully secured keynote speakers like Richard Montañez for clients worldwide since 2002. As a full-service speaker booking agency, we have access to virtually any speaker or celebrity in the world. Our agents are happy and able to submit an offer to the speaker or celebrity of your choice, letting you benefit from our reputation and long-standing relationships in the industry. Please click the Check Schedule button above and complete the form on this page including the details of your event, or call our office at 1.800.698.2536, and one of our agents will assist you to book Richard Montañez for your next private or corporate function.

What is a full-service speaker booking agency?

AAE Speakers Bureau is a full-service speaker booking agency, meaning we can completely manage the speaker’s or celebrity’s engagement with your organization from the time of booking your speaker through the event’s completion. We provide all of the services you need to host Richard Montañez or any other speaker of your choice, including offer negotiation, contractual assistance, accounting and billing, and event speaker travel and logistics services. When you book a speaker with us, we manage the process of hosting a speaker for you as an extension of your team. Our goal is to give our clients peace of mind and a best-in-class service experience when booking a speaker with us.

Why is AAE Speakers Bureau different from other booking agencies?

If you’re looking for the best speaker recommendations, paired with a top-notch customer service experience, you’re in the right place. At AAE Speakers Bureau, we exclusively represent the interests of our clients - professional organizations, companies, universities, and associations. We intentionally do not represent the speakers we feature or book. That is so we can present our clients with the broadest and best performing set of speaker options in the market today, and we can make these recommendations without any obligation to promote a specific speaker over another. This is why when our agents suggest a speaker for your event, you can be assured that they are of the highest quality with a history of proven success with our other clients.


Richard Montañez is a keynote speaker and industry expert who speaks on a wide range of topics including Business, Business Growth and Entrepreneurship. The estimated speaking fee range to book Richard Montañez for live events is $30,000 - $50,000, and for virtual events $10,000 - $20,000. Richard Montañez generally travels from California, USA and can be booked for (private) corporate events, personal appearances, keynote speeches, or other performances. Similar motivational celebrity speakers are Laurie Hernandez, J.R. Martinez and Sylvia Acevedo. Contact All American Speakers for ratings, reviews, videos and information on scheduling Richard Montañez for an upcoming event.

Richard Montañez Speaking Topics

  • The Antidote to Fear Is Hunger

    Richard Montañez has a Ph.D. in being poor, hungry, and determined. His journey is one that everyone can relate to. It begins with feelings of being out-of-place, in pain, afraid, and vulnerable. And involves overcoming obstacles, confronting fear, and perseverance – even as he’s seen success.

    From his humble beginnings in a migrant labor camp, to working as a janitor, to the inspiration and hard work it took to launch the cultural phenomenon, Flamin’ Hot Cheetos, Montañez shares the life-shaping moments from his personal journey.

    In this presentation, Montañez inspires and activates listeners. He emphasizes the importance of believing in one oneself, building confidence, and taking risks that some might find crazy. “Greatness comes in ridiculous forms, and I’m living proof,” he says. “My ridiculous idea became a billion dollar franchise.”

    A testament to the importance of diversity, innovation, and entrepreneurship, Montañez’s story teaches others how to turn adversity into the determination it takes to excel in life and business. “With confidence, anything is possible,” he says. “So no matter where you come from, there’s no limit to where you can go.”

Richard Montañez Videos

Hot Cheetos Creator’s “Top 5” Keys To Success! (Richard Montanez)
How A Janitor Created The Multi-Billion Dollar “Hot Cheetos” Empire!
A Conversation with Richard Montañez
Richard Montanez, Marketing and Sales Executive, PepsiCo

Richard Montañez Reviews

  • TGA Financials - Feb 27 2024

  • Everything went well! We were excited to have Richard there.
    Anticimex, Inc - Mar 09 2023

Richard Montañez News

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