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FOUNDERS
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SALVADOR ARANETA
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-- and His Impossible Dream
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One such dream was Republic Flour Mills. Dr, Araneta had been thinking of ways to save foreign exchange and create local jobs. The answer was a local flour mill. Someone heard about Dr. Araneta’s idea and wrote and article on how stupid the Filipinos were to think they would succeed despite the fact that wheat is not grown in the Philippines. Dr. Araneta took this as a challenge.
He invited his friends Jose Concepcion, Sr., BJ Server, Pete Grimm, Albino Sycip, Zoilo Alberto, Leonardo Eugenio, Francisco Gamboa, Sr. as well as his wife, Victoria, to form RFM. With his son-in-law Joe Con, they made a formidable team.
There were many obstacles in order to operate the mill. Amongst them was the heavy pressure from the Americans on the Central Bank of the Philippines not to grant RFM the required dollar allocation. Time has proven changes must occur and an American monopoly was broken!
Dr. Araneta pioneered in other industries and in education. He advocated capitalism for all, a bold housing program, and participatory democracy.
He envisioned a federal system of government, a Triumvirate form of leadership in government and a Bayanikasan constitution.
Dr. Araneta was a man ahead of his time. His life was for God and country. He taught us that there is no such thing as -- AN IMPOSSIBLE DREAM.
(by Ma. Lina A. Santiago)
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VICTORIA LOPEZ DE ARANETA
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In 1937 and the years preceding World War II, Mrs. Victoria Lopez de Araneta was acknowledged as "the First Lady of Society."
It was also the year when Pres. Manuel L. Quezon was advocating "social justice." In response, Victoria started a free school. Soon after, her husband Salvador encouraged her to lead the way for the establishment of a preventorium for children of tuberculuos parents. "Promoting the White Cross is a great task and we really cannot cope with it taken as a whole but there is a story somewhere of a father who, dying, wanted to show his sons a lesson."
"The dying man had three sons and one day he asked which of them could break a bundle of sticks. Try as they did, not one of them could. Finally they admitted their defeat. So the father smiled and untied the bundle and one by one easily broke the twigs and he was a dying man."
Victoria passed away on Feb. 16, 1988. She leaves behind lessons and inspirations: her strong Catholic faith and her pioneering spirit and great love for country. Here at RFM, she was co-founder and treasurer. During her inauguration as president of Feati University, she said: "The spring morning of Feati cannot last forever. We shall pass on, but I pray that our good work will live after us." Let those who follow us take constant inspiration.
For all these and Heaven too. Victoria will have an endless spring morning.
(by Ma. Lina A. Santiago)
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JOSE N. CONCEPCION, SR.
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Jose N. Concepcion, Sr., a pioneer Filipino industrialist, left an indelible imprint on the country’s business community.
That the man had humble beginnings only served to lend a special luster to his achievements. Starting out as a clerk in a large American company in 1926, he went on through hard work, Spartan discipline, and dedicated service, to become its President in 1958 - the first Filipino ever to head a major foreign-owned enterprise in the Philippines.
At age 60, where other would retire and rest on their richly deserved laurels, Jose N. Concepcion Sr. instead founded the Concepcion Industries Group, which today ranks among the country’s top 100 corporations.
His zeal was infectious and his vision inspiring. Those who knew him well noted that his obsession for excellence, matched by his passion for hard work was the source of his inexhaustible energy. He known for a personal integrity that was unimpeachable. His fairness in business was legendary. His love for his family and employees was truly remarkable.
His was the mold of that true Nation builder -- the pioneering entrepreneur. That same spirit of entrepreneurship today pervades the group of companies he founded - and this perhaps is his greatest and most enduring legacy.
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B.J. SERVER
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B.J. Server was, until his death last January 31, the Chairman of RFM Corporation after he succeeded Dr. Salvador Araneta to that position in 1967.
BJ, as he was known by his business associates, loved honest hard work. He continued to provide the guiding spirit to the different organizations he was connected with until a few days before his demise.
Among the pioneers of RFM, Mr. Server was involved in the engineering and administrative areas during the early days of the corporation. He was quite involved in labor relations and dealt with the employees in a firm and humane manner.
Together with the other pioneers, he was instrumental in the creation of Rizal Lighterage Corporation, which afforded the RFM group the advantage of handling their own bulk cargoes directly from the ships.
Mr. Server provided the sobering stability of the old pioneers to the energetic dynamism of the younger generation of executives.
He was chairman of Citytrust, Sta. Mesa Machinery Co., BJS Development Corporation, Hunter Garments Mfg. (Phil) Inc., Rizal Lighterage Coproration. He was also director of Conglomerate Securities and Financing Corporation, Manila Wine Merchants and Worldwide Paper Mills; and president of Rizal Lighterage.
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ALBINO SYCIP
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Albino Sycip, acknowledged as the "Dean of the Philippine Banking", was a revered leader of the Filipino-Chinese community. He was the first Chinese speaking lawyer to top the bar exams in 1913. A moral man, he lived the traditional virtues of frugality, quietness, hardwork, patience, and integrity. Don Albino was also the prototype of the modern Filipino-Chinese, true to his Chinese lineage and cultural heritage, yet genuinely committed to the socio-political and economic destiny of the Philippines.
As a family man, he stressed the pursuit of excellence and taught his children the virtue of filial piety. He had raised a family of achievers - David, the eldest son, was cum laude graduate and a CPA topnocher; Alexander was editor of the University paper when only a sophomore and later headed the U.P. debating team for three years; Elizabeth earned a U.P Math degree magna cum laude and another with honors from Columbia; Paz, the youngest child is musically inclined.
Like Salvador Araneta, Sycip earned the respect of other business leaders of his time.
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ZOILO ALBERTO
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Zoilo Alberto was a two-time awardee as the "Most Outstanding Businessman of the Year" in recognition of his valuable and distinguished contribution to the economic development of Laguna, in particular, and of the Philippines, in general.
He graduated from San Beda College with a Bachelor of Arts degree and subsequently obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Commerce from Jose Rizal College.
Being a descendant of the Teodoro Alfonso-Rizal clan, Zoilo was an active civic leader in his hometown, Laguna.
Since that historic day, he has become more involved with other business ventures and has been the president o fSuyoc Consolidated Mining Co.; president, Filipino Flour Importer’s Assn.; president, Globe Wireless Ltd.; vice-president,Apayao Mining and Oil Co.;director, Philippine Chamber of Commerce; director, Palawan Consolidated Mining Co.; director, Hoechst-Marsman; director, Palawan Quicksilver Mines, Inc.; director, Republic Flour Mills; director, Fortune Insurance and Surety Co. Inc.; and director, Marsman and Company.
Zoilo has four sons - Zoilo, Jr., Lorenzo, Luis Alberto, and Gerry.
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FRANCISCO D. GAMBOA
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Francisco D. Gamboa contributed his talents to make RFM a reality. Being one of the leading sugar exporters and importers of flour, and having had various experiences in the fields of trading, banking, finance and insurance, Salvador Araneta invited him to join RFM because he was a dedicated man who shared his vision for a self-sufficient nation and who was equally determined to face whatever challenge lies ahead.
Paquito, as he was known to family and friends, was a well-known figure in the sugar industry. He was the president of Gamboa, Rodriguez, Rivera & Co., a pioneer Filipino firm in the sugar export trading business. Apart from RFM, he was an incorporator and director of the following: Prudential Bank, Ramitex, and Liberty Insurance Corporation. Among others, he also served as a director of Pampanga Sugar Development Corporation.
Francisco D, Gamboa was born on April 12, 1911 and died at the age of 59. He is survived by his wife, the former Purita Ocampo, and his children Ma. Concepcion, Francisco Jr., Purita Renato, Jose Luis, and Wilfrido.
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EDWARD MILLER GRIMM
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Edward Miller Grimm attended school in San Francisco where he worked at the docks before joining the US Navy in World War I.
Pete, as he is called by friends, first came to the Philippines in 1921 when he was asked by Gov. Gen. Wood to organize the Manila piers of the Luzon Stevedoring Company whose operations and physical assets he expanded until World War II broke out.
During World War II, Grimm served in the staff of Gen. McArthur - in charge of cargo and transportation operations in the Southwest Pacific. He participated in the liberation of Manila and together with Charles Parsons, was instrumental in helping restore the destroyed piers and harbor facilities.
Grimm and Parsons reorganized Luzon Stevedoring Company of which Grimm became principal owner and operator.
Grimm has four children - Ethel, Juanita, Edward, and Linda.
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LEONARDO EUGENIO
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It did not take much to convince Leonardo Eugenio to join forces with Salvador Araneta and friends to establish RFM Corporation because the idea came at the time when the Philippines was at the threshold of economic difficulties.
Being a bakery owner, Eugenio found it difficult to import flour and at the same time produce quality and reasonably priced food items.
He also established other business concerns such as L.C. Eugenio and Co.; Allison Industrial Corporation; Central Machine Shop; and Republic and Majestic Theaters.
To his seven children - Leonardo Jr., Ricardo, Carlos, Amelia, Manuel, Mario and Marissa - he was a strict father and a disciplinarian. He may be an industrialist, but first and foremost, he was a concerned family man. His family remained his top priority - providing for all their needs whether material, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual needs.
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DAVID SYCIP
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The unexpected death of David Sycip saddened everybody.
He was a dynamic and capable business leader who implemented the government’s privatization program. As chief executive trustee of the Asset Privatization trust, Sycip fulfilled his responsibilities with pragmatism and unassailed integrity.
David’s father, loving yet very strict, taught his children the virtue of filial piety and reverence for parents and elders. David was an achiever. He earned a mechanical engineering degree, cum laude at the University of the Philippines. Later, he took up mining engineering and graduated with honors at the Colorado School of Mines. Before going to Colorado, he spent a summer in a mining company.
He had worked for the National Reconditioning Corporation in New York (a subsidiary of Wah Chang Trading, a leading tungsten mining and smelting firm founded in 1916) and US steel. During the Pacific Was, he volunteered as a flight engineer and served in a bomber squadron of the Chinese Air Force.
After the war, David became a highly respected business leader. Among his numerous achievements were becoming general manager of Northern Motors and president of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation.
The late David Sycip was among those exceptional individuals of talent, high ideals and quiet determination who had served the nation with honor.
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CHARLES PARSONS
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Born on April 22, 1902 in Shelbyville, Tennessee, Charles "Chick" Parsons was a member of the RFM board until his death on May 12, 1988.
He graduated from the University of the Philippines where he obtained a commerce degree.
When World War II broke out, Parsons was Lt. Commander in the U.S. Naval Reserve. He was also Honorary Consul of Panama and an executive in Luzon Stevedoring Company (LUSTEVECO).
After the war, he became a naturalized Filipino and served as a naval aid to Pres. Manuel Roxas until 1948. With partner E.M. Grimm, he sold his majority holdings at LUSTEVECO in 1963 and together they established Far East Molasses. Parsons also founded Asian Alcohol Corporation in Negros - Southeast Asia’s largest distillery.
Having been president of the Baseball Federation of Asia, he was instrumental in getting the game of basketball recognized as an Olympic Sport.
For his gallantry in World War II, he was awarded the Philippine Medal of Valor; decorated by the US government with two Navy Crosses and purple heart; decorated by Pius XII with the order of St. Sylvester; awarded by the republic of Panama the Order of Vasco Nuñez de Balboa, Grand Cross in March 1965, and was the oldest member of the Manila Rotary Club.
He was a devoted husband to Katrushka Jurika and a sterling father to four sons - Michael, Peter, Patrick, and Jose.
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