Michel Leidermann is the editor in chief of El Latino, the only Central Arkansas Spanish weekly newspaper, a publication of the Arkansas Times Publishing of Little Rock.

Michel, a native of Santiago, Chile, obtained his baccalaureate in Santiago and graduated from the Hotel Technical College in Paris, France.

Michel first came to Little Rock in 1984 as General Manager of the Excelsior Hotel, after many years as Senior VP - Area Manager for Sheraton Hotels in Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.

In that capacity he was responsible for the operation of 11 hotels in Mexico and Central America, was active in several Hotel Trade Associations and Chambers of Commerce in various cities, and coordinated many local and international conventions and exhibits.

Education and work has allowed Michel to reside in many Latin America, Caribbean and European countries and has provided him language fluency in Spanish, Portuguese, French and German.

Leidermann also develops other activities in Little Rock. He is a Business Consultant on Latino Marketing and owns a Translation and Interpretation Office.

Since his return to Little Rock in 1997, Leidermann serves in several communities based organizations: 

• Centers for Youth and Families, Board of Directors, member
• Central Arkansas Library System, Board of Trustees, member
• Rotary International Club 99, Little Rock, member
• UALR Foundation Board, member; Scholarship and Grants Committee, member.
• League of United Latino American Citizens (LULAC), State Board, Director of Communications
• League of United Latino American Citizens (LULAC), Council 750 Little Rock, member
• Arkansas Minority Business Development Roundtable (AMBDR), Board of Directors member and Historian
• AETN Arkansas Educational Telecommunications Network, “El Latino” TV program, moderator
• KABF 88.3 FM Community Radio, “El Latino” daily Spanish news program
• Racial and Cultural Diversity Commission, Little Rock, WorldFest organizing committee, member
• Service Corps of Retired Executives SCORE (SBA), Business volunteer counselor
• International Executive Service Corps Services IESC (USAID), International business volunteer counselor
• FBI's 8th Annual Citizens Academy, 2007, graduated
• LRPD Annual Citizens Academy, 2007, graduated
• UALR, Radio Television, Visual, & Film Dept., Professional Advisory Council, member
• FOX 16: Arkansas Now, Advisory Board, member
• Enhancing Nursing Success (ENS), UAMS, College of Nursing, Advisory Board, member
• Learning for Life for the Quapaw Area Council, Boy Scouts of America, board member

He is frequently invited to talk at civic organizations and business forums, about the Latino growth and development as well as on cross-cultural issues.

Leidermann was the winner of the 2004 Region VI (AR, LA, NM, OK & TX) US Small Business Journalist of the Year Award, in appreciation for his support of small business and his contributions to the national economy. He also received a Meritorious Service Award, University of Arkansas at Little Rock, School of Mass Communication, Spring 2005.

He and his wife Pamela a native of native of McGehee, Arkansas, reside in Little Rock.

El Latino is a free weekly Spanish newspaper distributed every Friday in four counties: Pulaski, Faulkner, Lonoke and Saline.

El Latino is a member of the National Association of Hispanic Publications (NAHP) and won several awards in 2002 and 2003, for various editorial stories. In 2005 was awarded First Place Outstanding Business Article for its special issue Quién es Quién (Who’s Who).