Santa Cruz Community Foundation’s Civic Leadership Award Dinner

Enrique “Kiki” Rodriguez was born in Santa Cruz, Sonora, and attended schools in Mexico and Patagonia, graduating from Nogales High School in 1962. Drafted into the U.S. Army, he served in West Germany during the Vietnam War.

In a lifelong career at Citizens Express Lines in Nogales, where he worked for 45 years and rose to Vice President of Trucking Operations, Kiki remained deeply involved in his community. His most rewarding experience was co-founding the youth soccer program with the late Ron Turley. He secured property from the city of Nogales, spearheaded the construction of soccer fields, and served in various capacities with the AYSO league for over a decade, growing it from six teams to more than 25.

In the late ’80s and early ’90s, Kiki was an active Nogales High School Band Booster member, even serving as President. His fundraising talents benefited many organizations. At Sacred Heart Parish, he co-chaired the renowned Rigatoni Dinners and chaired the yearly festivals. At San Felipe de Jesus Church, he served on the building committee, which inaugurated a Catechism center in 2019.

For several years, on the third Sunday of each month, he and his wife prepared meals and transported them across the border to Nogales, Sonora, distributing the food to migrants through the Kino Border Initiative, a humanitarian aid organization.

Kiki remains active with the Santa Cruz Advocates for the Arts Charles Mingus Project, contributing to the construction of the Memorial on Western Avenue, which began in 2016 and was dedicated in April 2022. He also plays a role in organizing the yearly Jazz Festival.

He has been treasurer of the Pimeria Alta Historical Society for 15 years and continues to play an active role in its daily activities. He also serves on the board of directors of the Nogales High School Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the award.

In 2019, Kiki received the AZ19 Most Influential People Award for his leadership and service to the community.

Kiki and his high school sweetheart, Terry, have been married for 57 years. They have five children, ten grandchildren, one great-grandchild, and another on the way! The couple has traveled to more than 40 countries on five continents. If asked, their passion is to travel, but their love and commitment are to their family and to the well being of the community in Nogales, AZ.