Actors, actresses, comedians, directors and entertainers

• Marisol Calero, actress
  Films: Under Suspicion, and "El último de los amantes" (the Spanish language version of The Last of the Red Hot Lovers).
• Míriam Colón, actress
  Founder of New York City's Puerto Rican Traveling Theatre
• María-Elena Laas, actress
  Films: The Hot Chick, and Suffering Man's Charity, among others.
• Walter Mercado, astrologer, dancer, telenovela actor, writer
• Mario Montez, female impersonator/actor
  A Warhol superstar.
• Tommy Muñiz, television producer comedian and actor
  Pioneer in Puerto Rico television. Starred in the movie "Lo que le Pasó a Santiago", directed by Jacobo Morales, which was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
• Lymari Nadal, actress
  Film: American Gangster; TV: Battlestar Galactica
• Elín Ortíz, actor, producer, comedian and screenwriter.
  For many years interpreted "Relíquia", mocking political corruption in Puerto Rico.
• Jeimy Osorio, actress.
  Film: Una Maid en Manhattan, "Porque el amor manda", "Santa Diabla"; TV: Celia.
• Gilluis Pérez, actor.
  TV: Nicky Jam: El Ganador.
• Luis Raúl, actor, comedian and TV host
  Acted in many telenovelas. Hosted "Anda Pa'l Cara" and "Pa' Que Te Lo Goces"
• Esther Sandoval, actress.
  Starred in "Ante La Ley", Puerto Rico's first telenovela.
• Marta Romero, actress and singer
  One of the pioneers of telenovelas in Puerto Rico
• Teófilo Torres, actor and film director
  Film: "Dios los cría", the Spanish language version of ...And God Created Them, among others.
• Carmen Nydia Velázquez, comedian and singer
  Fictional role in the comedic duet "Susa y Epifanio"
• Rosita Velázquez, actress, comedian and singer, grew up in Ponce.
• Juan Emilio Viguié, film producer
  Pioneer film producer. Made the first commercially successful films in the island, including "Romance Tropical", the first Puerto Rican film with sound.
• Marco Zunino, actor
  Starred in the musicals Jesucristo Superstar, Cabaret, Rent and Amor sin barreras (West Side Story).

Architects

• Pedro Adolfo de Castro y Besosa, architect
  A graduate of an American architecture university, he designed masterpieces such as Castillo Serrallés and Casa de España.
• Juan Bertoli Calderoni, architect
  Designer of Teatro La Perla
• Maruja Fuentes, industrial and environmental designer
• Timoteo Luberza, architect
  Designed Plaza del Mercado Isabel II
• Andrés Mignucci, urbanist.
  Fellow of the American Institute of Architects. Winner of the Henry Klumb Award 2012.
• Francisco Porrata-Doría, architect
  Designed the Ponce Cathedral, Banco de Ponce building, and Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño building.
• Blas Silva, architect
  Creator of the Ponce Creole architectural style. Designed the Casa de la Masacre, Font-Ubides House, and the Subira House, among others.
• Alfredo Wiechers Pieretti, architect
  Designed many buildings now in the NRHP including Casa Wiechers-Villaronga, today the Museo de la Arquitectura Ponceña.

Authors, playwrights and poets

• César Andreu Iglesias, labor organizer, journalist, novelist, and short-story writer.
  Co-founder of Claridad. President of the Puerto Rican Communist Party, and recipient of the 1960 Award for Excellence in Journalism from the Puerto Rican Institute of Literature.
• Rosario Ferré, fiction writer, poet, essayist and biographer
  Award: Liberatur Prix Award, Frankfurt Book Fair.
• Félix Franco-Oppenheimer, poet and writer
  His works include "Contornos", "Imagen y visión edénica de Puerto Rico", and "Antología poética".
• Pedro J. Labarthe, poet, journalist, essayist, and novelist.
  Documented the experience of Puerto Rican migration to New York. Major writings: The Son of Two Nations: The Private Life of a Columbia Student, among others.
• Emilio J. Pasarell, short-story writer, novelist, and essayist. He was also an accomplished historian.
  Best known for his "Origenes y desarrollo de la aficcion teatral en Puerto Rico" (Origins and development of theater in Puerto Rico).
• Pedro Pietri, poet, playwright
  Co-founder of the Nuyorican Poets Café.
• Magaly Quiñones, poet
• Ed Vega, novelist and short-story writer.
  Major awards: PEN Oakland/Josephine Miles Literary Award (2004) and Washington Post Book of the Year Award (2004).
• Iris Zavala, author, scholar, and poet.
  Major Awards: Medal of Honor, ICP; Gold Medal, AP; and Pen Club Award.

Beauty queens and fashion models

• Denise Quiñones, beauty queen
  Miss Puerto Rico 2001, Miss Universe 2001
• Maripily Rivera, model
  Model, TV host and actress

Business people and industrialists

• Juan Bigas Moulins, businessman
  Ponce Servicios was named after him.
• Salvador de Vives, Mayor of Ponce and founder of Hacienda Buena Vista
  Under his mayoral administration, the Ponce City Hall was built.
• Ramiro L. Colón
  First administrator of Cooperativa de Cafeteros de Puerto Rico, Café Rico.
• Antonio Luis Ferré, businessman and industrialist
  Owner of Ferré-Rangel media emporium.
• Luberza Oppenheimer, Isabel
  Madam of a notorious brothel.
• Francisco Parra Duperón, lawyer
  Founder of Puerto Rico's oldest law firm in continuous operation, Parra, del Valle & Limeres.
• José Miguel Rovira, industrialist
  Founder of Rovira Biscuits Corporation.
• Ermelindo Salazar, businessman
  Founded the Ponce Chamber of Commerce. Was also president of Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño, one of the largest and oldest in the Island.
• Félix Saurí Vivas, businessman and hacienda holder
  Built the third-oldest residence still standing in Ponce and which became Liceo Ponceño, Puerto Rico's first girls-only school, and later the Ponce Ramada Hotel.
• Juan Serrallés, businessman and hacienda holder
  Founder of Destilería Serrallés and "Don Q".
• Salvador Vassallo, industrialist
  Founder of Industrias Vassallo and subsidiaries.
• Luis Fortuño Janeiro, journalist and member of the Puerto Rico Senate
  Founder of Ïmprenta Fortuño.

Civic leaders

• Olimpio Otero Vergés, civic leader, merchant, attorney
  Instrumental in the creation of the Parque de la Abolición, the building of road PR-123/PR-10, and the launching of 1883 Ponce Fair
• Valentín Tricoche, philanthropist and civic leader
  Donated the money for the construction of Acueducto de Ponce and what would become Hospital Tricoche.
• Rafael Rivera Esbrí, civic leader and mayor
  A hero of 1898 "El Polvorín" fire.

Civil servants and public servants

• Enrique Campos del Toro, businessman, banker, law professor and civil servant
  Served in several Commonwealth governmental positions, some of which were appointed by the president of the United States.
• Carlos A. Chardón López, educator and civil servant
  Chardón served twice as Puerto Rico's Secretary of Education
• Carlos Fernando Chardón, Secretary of State and Adjuntant General of Puerto Rico.
• Antonio S. Luchetti, engineer and public servant
  Headed the launching of island-wide public electric service in Puerto Rico.
• Mariano Villaronga-Toro, educator and public servant
  The first Commissioner of Public Instruction after the creation of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. Displaced English as the language of instruction and replaced it with Spanish.

Civil rights and/or political activists

• Carlos Alberto Torres, political activist
  Nationalist and political prisoner.

Clergy

• José Luis de Jesús, Creator of the "Creciendo en Gracia" sect
  Self-proclaimed "Jesus Christ Man". Can be heard in 287 radio stations; founded a 24-hr TV network; has some 2 million followers in 35 countries.
• Isolina Ferré, Catholic nun
  Recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
• Félix Lázaro Martínez, bishop of Ponce
  Educator at the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico
• Juan Fremiot Torres Oliver, bishop of Ponce
  Longest-serving bishop for the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ponce in Ponce, Puerto Rico, with 36 years of service.

Composers, contemporary singers, musicians and opera

Criminals and outlaws

• Antonio Correa Cotto
  Notorious 1930s outlaw.

Diplomats

• Teodoro Moscoso, diplomat and civil servant
  Former U.S. Ambassador to Venezuela and head of Alliance for Progress

Educators

• Alfredo M. Aguayo, educator and writer
  Established the first laboratory of child psychology at the University of Havana
• Carlos Albizu Miranda, psychologist and educator
  Founder of Albizu University.
• María Teresa Babín Cortés, educator, literary critic, and essayist
  Author of "Panorama de la Cultura Puertorriqueña", among others.
• Hemeterio Colón Warens, educator, land surveyor, and mayor of Cayey
  Founded Colegio Central Ponceño in 1883.
• Jaime L. Drew, educator, civil servant, writer and engineer
  Author of "Libro de Poemas en Ingles y Espanol", among others.
• Antonio García Padilla, scholar, and civil servant
  President of the University of Puerto Rico.
• Manuel González Pató, educator, writer, and sportsman.
  Puerto Rico National Olympic team coach
• Domingo Marrero Navarro, educator and writer
  Author of award-winning "El Centauro: Persona y Pensamiento de Ortega y Gasset" (Institute of Puerto Rican Culture)
• Lolita Tizol, educator
  Taught music for a meager $50 per month to an entire generation of Puerto Rican children.

Governors

• Luis A. Ferré
  Also an industrialist and philanthropist. Founder of the Museo de Arte de Ponce and Ponce Cement, Inc.
• Rafael Hernández Colón
  Two-time governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, and, at 35, Puerto Rico's youngest governor ever.
• Roberto Sánchez Vilella
  Governor of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico.

Historians

• Silvia Álvarez Curbelo, architectural and cultural historian
  Founding member of the Puerto Rican Association of Historians, and director of the Center for Communications Research at the University of Puerto Rico.
• Francisco Lluch Mora, historian
  Wrote "Orígenes y Fundación de Ponce y Otras Noticias Relativas a su Desarrollo Urbano, Demográfico y Cultural (Siglos XVI-XIX)".
• Ramón Marín, historian
  Wrote the classical work: "Las fiestas populares de Ponce."
• Antonio Mirabal, political historian and poet
  Author of "De Rosas a Trujillo: estudio histórico comparativo de las tiranías en América." Long-time chief archivist at Archivo Historico de Ponce
• Eduardo Neumann Gandía, historian
  Author of "Verdadera y Auténtica Historia de la Ciudad de Ponce."
• Andrés Ramos Mattei, sugar industry historian
  Said to be "the undisputed authority" on the subject of Puerto Rico's sugar industry.
• Gladys Esther Tormes González, historian
  Head archivist and longest-serving archivist at the "Archivo Historico de Ponce".

Journalists

• Carmen Dominicci, news anchor.
• Juan González, journalist
  Columnist for New York's Daily News, and co-host the radio and television program Democracy Now!.
• Washington Lloréns, journalist, writer, linguist, and scholar.
• Jorge L. Ramos, news anchor
  Emmy Award-winning New York City television news anchor.
• Ramón Enrique Torres, news anchor.

Judges, law enforcement and firefighters

• Jeannette Ramos, Judge, Puerto Rico Court of Appeals
  Puerto Rico district judge and a First Lady of Puerto Rico (1967–1969).
• Pedro Toledo, Puerto Rico Police Commissioner
  Main negotiator during the 1987 Atlanta Prison Riots.
• Raúl Gándara Cartagena, Fire Commissioner
  The first and longest-serving Fire Commissioner in Puerto Rico.

Military

• Agüeybaná (Great Sun), Supreme Taíno chief
  Supreme Cacique of Puerto Rico who welcomed Juan Ponce de León to the island.
• Agüeybaná II, Supreme cacique of the entire island of "Borikén"
  Led the Taínos in the fight against Juan Ponce de León and the Spanish conquistadores in the Taíno rebellion of 1511.
• Ramón Colón-López, chief master sergeant, U.S. Air Force
  First and only Latino among the first six airmen to be awarded the Air Force Combat Action Medal.
• Antonio J. Ramos, brigadier general, U.S. Air Force
  First Latino to serve as commander, Air Force Security Assistance Center, Air Force Materiel Command.
• José Antonio Muñiz lieutenant colonel, U.S. Air Force
  Co-founder of the Puerto Rico Air National Guard.
• Horacio Rivero, admiral, U.S. Navy
  First Puerto Rican and second Hispanic to become admiral (four-star) in the U.S. Navy. Commander of the American fleet that effected the blockade of the Soviet ships during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
• Eurípides Rubio, captain, U.S. Army
  Posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Tay Ninh Province in the Republic of Vietnam on 8 November 1966.
• Raúl G. Villaronga
  First Puerto Rican to be elected mayor in the state of Texas. (Mayor of Killeen, Texas).
• Luis R. Visot, major general, U. S. Army
  Chief of Staff of the United States Army Reserve.

Physicians, scientists and inventors

• Carlos E. Chardón Palacios, mycologist
  Father of Puerto Rican mycology and first Puerto Rican appointed as Chancellor of University of Puerto Rico.
• Martín Corchado, physician and medical researcher
  Was also president of the Autonomist Party of Puerto Rico.
• Manuel de la Pila Iglesias, physician and medical pioneer
  Introduced the first EKG and X-ray machines to Puerto Rico. Considered to be "one of the giants of Puerto Rican medicine".
• José N. Gándara, medical director at Hospital Tricoche
  Lead physician helping victims of the Ponce massacre, and witness at the trials of the accused Nacionalistas. Was Secretary of Health of Puerto Rico. Co-founder of the Popular Democratic Party of Puerto Rico.
• Joxel García, Assistant Secretary for Health,
  First Puerto Rican to be appointed Assistant Secretary for Health, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Julio J. Henna, physician and political activist
  Co-founder of New York City's French Hospital.
• Gerónimo Lluberas, physician, writer, educator, medical missionary
  One of the first physicians in the United States and Puerto Rico to use the Prosorba column to treat rheumatoid arthritis.
• Rafael López Nussa, physician and public servant
  Pioneered heart surgeries in Puerto Rico.
• Rafael Pujals, physician, civic leader and political activist
  First physician with a medical degree in the city and medical director at both Hospital de Damas and Hospital Tricoche.

Politicians

• Pedro Albizu Campos
  President and principal leader of the Puerto Rican Nationalist Party.
• Román Baldorioty de Castro
  Considered "The Father of Puerto Rico's Autonomy".
• Pedro Colón
  Member of the Wisconsin State Assembly.
• Federico Degetau
  The first Resident Commissioner to the United States.
• Manuel V. Domenech
  Mayor of Ponce. Member of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives. Also an engineer and civil servant.
• Maurice Ferre
  Former Mayor of Miami, Florida.
• Marially González Huertas
  Vice-president of the Senate of Puerto Rico.
• María de Pérez Almiroty
  First woman elected to the Senate of Puerto Rico
• Ernesto Ramos Antonini
  Former Speaker of Puerto Rico's House of Representatives.
• Luis Ernesto Ramos Yordán
  President of the Puerto Rico House of Representatives
• Peter Rivera
  Member of the New York State Assembly.
• Larry Seilhamer Rodríguez
  Speaker of the Senate of Puerto Rico. Also basketball player in BSN.
• Rafael Cordero Santiago, long-serving mayor of Ponce; elected in 1989, and re-elected to three additional 4-year terms. Died in office.

Sportspeople

Visual artists

• Albizu, Olga, abstract expressionist painter.
  Her works include album covers for Stan Getz
• Escobar, Elizam, painter and political activist.
  Dean of the Painting Department at the Escuela de Artes Plásticas de Puerto Rico, San Juan, Puerto Rico.
• Irizarry, Epifanio, painter and educator.
  His works include "Flamboyan" (1972).
• Penne, María Luisa, painter, educator, and graphic artist.
• Pou, Miguel, painter.
  Patrons include Museo de Arte de Ponce, Puerto Rico Museum of Contemporary Art and Puerto Rico Museum of Art.
• Rios Rey, Rafael, muralist.
  Patrons include Ponce YMCA Organization, Banco Crédito y Ahorro Ponceño, and Puerto Rico Iron Works.
• Torres Martinó, José A., painter.
  Co-founder of the Escuela de Artes Plásticas y Diseño de Puerto Rico.
• Quiñones, Lee, graffiti painter and actor
  Patrons include El Museo del Barrio, Whitney Museum of Art, Museum of the City of New York and the Groninger Museum
• Torres, Wichie, Oil canvas painter.
  Exponent of the costumbrismo movement.