Henry R. Muñoz III is an American business leader, activist, designer & philanthropist. But, at the core of his career, he is best described as center of convergence across culture and industry: he existed as a DC changemaker able to float between political circles who recently transitioned his career and now owns a major comedy studio.
He has launched national movements on behalf of the underserved and the rising populations of the United States including Momento Latino, TheDream.US and Latino Victory to support the Latino community through awareness, educational funding, and electoral empowerment.
Muñoz bought the premier comedy studio Funny or Die (FOD) in May 2021 with hopes to advance diverse story telling in Hollywood in a Funny Original and Diverse manner. Under his leadership, and in partnership with Stephen Colbert’s Spartina Productions, Funny or Die has launched CBS newest late-night show, After Midnight hosted by the only female late-night host, Taylor Tomlinson. Munoz is an Emmy-winning executive producer for 2022’s Weird: The Al Yankovic Story, and recently debuted his second film In the Summers at the 2024 Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim, including winning Sundance’s U.S. Dramatic Competition.
Additionally, he is a Tony-nominated producer of Paradise Square and Some Like It Hot. The shows garnered numerous Tony nominations including a nomination for Best Musical for the latter. Muñoz is also a producer of the Broadway revivals of Funny Girl, Merrily We Roll Along, New York New York, and Once Upon A One More Time. He was also the principal underwriter and producer of the world premiere of Huracan, written by Charise Castro Smith.
As cofounder of SOMOS US, he coordinated a healthcare network in NYC treating largely immigrant communities that has been at the forefront of battling the COVID-19 pandemic. He is the former Chairman of the Board & CEO of Muñoz & Company, one of the largest and oldest minority-owned design practices in the country. Under his leadership, Muñoz & Company pioneered an inclusive approach to architecture, urban planning, and design that acknowledges the imprint of the Latino community upon the built environment of the United States, winning over 150 juried design awards in the process.
Muñoz helped found the effort to create a Latino Museum on the Mall in Washington D.C., as Chairman of the bipartisan Commission to study the creation of the National Museum of the American Latino. After legislation passed in 2021 for the establishment of the Smithsonian American Latino Museum, Muñoz was elected as Founding Chairman of the Board.
Muñoz was appointed as Finance Chair of The Democratic National Committee by President Barack Obama in January 2013. He was the longest serving Finance Chair in DNC History. He is now Finance Chair Emeritus of the Democratic National Committee, the first Latino and openly gay person to ever hold those positions.
Henry was also recently honored in 2023 with the Visionary Award at Comic Relief US’ inaugural winter benefit for his philanthropic work.
