Vargas earns PBA Executive of the Year award

MANILA, Philippines — Ricky Vargas’ brand of leadership has brought stability within the PBA Board, earning him  a third consecutive term as chairman as the league entered its 45th season last month.

Vargas, representing the TNT KaTropa, is the first PBA governor to serve as chairman for three straight terms after Luis “Moro” Lorenzo Sr. of Pepsi (1991 to 1993).

Vargas earned the respect of his peers with his calm demeanor and strong will, steering the PBA board, which had shown some cracks in recent years, to better days.

The tremendous work done by the TNT Katropa executive earned him the unanimous choice as the Danny Floro Executive of the Year by the PBA Press Corps.

Vargas, the former Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) president, was supposed to be feted with the award last March 16 at the Novotel Manila in Araneta Center. But the event presented by Cignal was indefinitely postponed following the outbreak of the coronavirus pandemic.

This is the second time Vargas will be honored with the award named after the late Valeriano ‘Danny’ Floro, team owner  of the fabled Crispa Redmanizers.

Vargas, who’s also doing an excellent job as chief of the Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP), first won the award handed out by the men and women regularly covering the PBA beat during the 2006-07 season.

Past recipients of the prestigious award include Manny V. Pangilinan of the MVP Group, San Miguel’s Ramon S. Ang, Alaska team owner Wilfred Uytengsu, and Rain or Shine co-team owners Raymund Yu and Terry Que, to name a few.

Elmer Yanga, the amiable team manager of the RFM franchise in the 90s, was the first recipient of the award, winning the honor during its first three years from 1993 to 1995.

SMC sports director Alfrancis Chua was the last to receive the prestigious award in 2018.