Randy Greg Hahn
Randy Hahn is currently an Executive Vice President with an international Health and Telecommunications Company. He previously worked as a VP with Verizon Communications. He has over 19 years of professional experience; he has extensive business development, training,
and project management expertise in the areas of Data Analysis, Data Mining, Contract Management, Policy Development, Electronic Commerce (EC), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), System Security, Federal benefit programs (e.g., Food Stamp,
AFDC, Medicare and Medicaid), Risk Management, and all phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), and Enterprise Outsourcing. He also has extensive experience in managing task order contracts and working with both public and private sector firms. Hr. Hahn has
supported projects with both public and private organizations including the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Treasury, the Department of Defense
(DoD), Office of the Inspector General (OIG), US Customs Office, State HHS Offices, Financial Institutions, and Health Care Providers and organizations. He has personally led over 200 technical services or consulting proposal activities and won over $100 M worth of awards in the
last five years. Mr. Hahn has supported and coached many new information management consultants. WIth his background as VP and Executive Director of Business Units working in the Top 5 Consulting Firms, those under his tutelage have gone on to develop their own
businesses, become Chief Operating Officers, and Chief Engineers.
Randy Hahn is currently an Executive Vice President with an international Health and Telecommunications Company. He previously worked as a VP with Verizon Communications. He has over 19 years of professional experience; he has extensive business development, training,
and project management expertise in the areas of Data Analysis, Data Mining, Contract Management, Policy Development, Electronic Commerce (EC), Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT), Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT), System Security, Federal benefit programs (e.g., Food Stamp,
AFDC, Medicare and Medicaid), Risk Management, and all phases of the Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC), and Enterprise Outsourcing. He also has extensive experience in managing task order contracts and working with both public and private sector firms. Hr. Hahn has
supported projects with both public and private organizations including the Health Care Financing Administration (HCFA), United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), US Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Department of Treasury, the Department of Defense
(DoD), Office of the Inspector General (OIG), US Customs Office, State HHS Offices, Financial Institutions, and Health Care Providers and organizations. He has personally led over 200 technical services or consulting proposal activities and won over $100 M worth of awards in the
last five years. Mr. Hahn has supported and coached many new information management consultants. WIth his background as VP and Executive Director of Business Units working in the Top 5 Consulting Firms, those under his tutelage have gone on to develop their own
businesses, become Chief Operating Officers, and Chief Engineers.
Isabella Ilacqua
Isabella Ilacqua founded the Mrs. United States National Pageant system which was created out of respect and admiration for married women of beauty and intelligence. Mrs. Ilacqua sought to provide a forum to publicly recognize and acknowledge the fact that married women
often play many roles as wife, mother, homemaker and/or professional with a flair and resilience uncommonly found elsewhere. Mrs. United States® offers a spectacular, exhilarating, memorable, and unique family-oriented event. It provides married women with a forum to
promote self-esteem; compete for state and national titles; meet women with similar interests; and open doors to personal and financial opportunity. The purpose of the Mrs. United States National Pageant® is to honor and pay tribute to the married woman. The pageant system is
designed to recognize and reward, nationally, the intelligence, success, strength, beauty, and resilience of married women from every state and territory of the United States. Many married women are an inspiration to their families, friends, colleagues and community—the role of
wife, mother and career woman does not prevent some women from finding time to become involved in community activities or from maintaining her health, beauty, and mind. The Mrs. United States National Pageant® contestant is an intelligent, married woman who knows what
she wants in her career, family, and appearance. She maintains a strong sense of identity and embodies the true spirit of "complete woman... total beauty." Mrs. Ilacqua fosters an environment of kindness and integrity with all participants. Ms. Ilacqua's Great Grandmother was
also the Duchess in the Court of the Prince of the Two Sicilies
www.mrsunitedstates.com
Isabella Ilacqua founded the Mrs. United States National Pageant system which was created out of respect and admiration for married women of beauty and intelligence. Mrs. Ilacqua sought to provide a forum to publicly recognize and acknowledge the fact that married women
often play many roles as wife, mother, homemaker and/or professional with a flair and resilience uncommonly found elsewhere. Mrs. United States® offers a spectacular, exhilarating, memorable, and unique family-oriented event. It provides married women with a forum to
promote self-esteem; compete for state and national titles; meet women with similar interests; and open doors to personal and financial opportunity. The purpose of the Mrs. United States National Pageant® is to honor and pay tribute to the married woman. The pageant system is
designed to recognize and reward, nationally, the intelligence, success, strength, beauty, and resilience of married women from every state and territory of the United States. Many married women are an inspiration to their families, friends, colleagues and community—the role of
wife, mother and career woman does not prevent some women from finding time to become involved in community activities or from maintaining her health, beauty, and mind. The Mrs. United States National Pageant® contestant is an intelligent, married woman who knows what
she wants in her career, family, and appearance. She maintains a strong sense of identity and embodies the true spirit of "complete woman... total beauty." Mrs. Ilacqua fosters an environment of kindness and integrity with all participants. Ms. Ilacqua's Great Grandmother was
also the Duchess in the Court of the Prince of the Two Sicilies
www.mrsunitedstates.com
Elizabeth Boerger
Elizabeth Ann Boerger is the youngest nominee to date. She is currently 16 years old, living in South Carolina. "Libby" is no stranger to politics even at her tender age. She is a passionate, optimistic, and driven individual. Miss Boerger has already testified before a House
Sub-Committee on a Bill #H3499, regarding nutrition and fitness among children, which she struggled to have passed. Ms. Boerger has worked tirelessly with Congressmen and her Governor on issues concerning children's health. She is a talented dancer who has won many
awards, including a National Championship. Libby focuses on raising the awareness of the importance of good nutrition and physical fitness among children and teens. She promotes nutritional education and the benefits of living a healthy life style, that she hopes will improve the
overall health not only in South Carolina, but the world. Miss Boerger currents publishes brochures and answers questions regarding healthy living. She is also pushing to require recess in schools. Miss Boerger also provides "Live Healthy" bracelets, green in color, and uses
them to raise money for the Diabetes and Heart Associations one dollar at a time . She also writes the Health column in the weekly newspaper. It would mean more to her than anything if she just taught at least one child to live healthy and have a longer and better quality of life.
Elizabeth Ann Boerger is the youngest nominee to date. She is currently 16 years old, living in South Carolina. "Libby" is no stranger to politics even at her tender age. She is a passionate, optimistic, and driven individual. Miss Boerger has already testified before a House
Sub-Committee on a Bill #H3499, regarding nutrition and fitness among children, which she struggled to have passed. Ms. Boerger has worked tirelessly with Congressmen and her Governor on issues concerning children's health. She is a talented dancer who has won many
awards, including a National Championship. Libby focuses on raising the awareness of the importance of good nutrition and physical fitness among children and teens. She promotes nutritional education and the benefits of living a healthy life style, that she hopes will improve the
overall health not only in South Carolina, but the world. Miss Boerger currents publishes brochures and answers questions regarding healthy living. She is also pushing to require recess in schools. Miss Boerger also provides "Live Healthy" bracelets, green in color, and uses
them to raise money for the Diabetes and Heart Associations one dollar at a time . She also writes the Health column in the weekly newspaper. It would mean more to her than anything if she just taught at least one child to live healthy and have a longer and better quality of life.
Current Members
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Dr. Ian Richard Day, FAAFP, FRSA, FRSM
Ian Day, MD, currently Chief of Medicine at Bert Fish Hospital and on serves on their Medical Executive Committee, seeks to bridge the gap within the omniverse of medicine, encompassing the spectrum of care from birth to death, the art and science of medicine, patient and
physician points of view, the mind body connection, quality and compassion of care, and the ethical guidelines for all that are involved. Dr. Day is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (UK), and was recently appointed a Fellow
of the Royal Society of Medicine in London. His expertise in treating the "entire patient" has gained him respect on both sides of the pond and even caught the attention of Her Majesty, Elizabeth II who recognized his skill via petition to be presented at Parliament for an Honor of the
British Empire. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame, received his MD from the Georgetown University School of Medicine, and spent another three years in residency with the University of South Florida College of Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Halifax Medical
Center (where he was Resident Director). Dr. Day is a Diplomat & Board Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, Member, Florida Academy of Family Physicians, and Member, Society of Hospital Medicine. He received the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Award,
American Academy of Family Physicians (6/99), and was the Resident of the Year, Halifax Medical Center Family Practice Residency Program (6/99). He is currently a Hospitalist at Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach, FL, and serves as the Chairman of the Patient Care
Committee and the Chairman of the Bioethics Committee.
Pictured Right at his Ancestral home, Stuart Castle, seat of Charles I.
Ian Day, MD, currently Chief of Medicine at Bert Fish Hospital and on serves on their Medical Executive Committee, seeks to bridge the gap within the omniverse of medicine, encompassing the spectrum of care from birth to death, the art and science of medicine, patient and
physician points of view, the mind body connection, quality and compassion of care, and the ethical guidelines for all that are involved. Dr. Day is a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians, Fellow of the Royal Society of the Arts (UK), and was recently appointed a Fellow
of the Royal Society of Medicine in London. His expertise in treating the "entire patient" has gained him respect on both sides of the pond and even caught the attention of Her Majesty, Elizabeth II who recognized his skill via petition to be presented at Parliament for an Honor of the
British Empire. He graduated Cum Laude from the University of Notre Dame, received his MD from the Georgetown University School of Medicine, and spent another three years in residency with the University of South Florida College of Medicine Affiliated Hospital, Halifax Medical
Center (where he was Resident Director). Dr. Day is a Diplomat & Board Certified by the American Board of Family Medicine, Member, Florida Academy of Family Physicians, and Member, Society of Hospital Medicine. He received the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine Award,
American Academy of Family Physicians (6/99), and was the Resident of the Year, Halifax Medical Center Family Practice Residency Program (6/99). He is currently a Hospitalist at Bert Fish Medical Center in New Smyrna Beach, FL, and serves as the Chairman of the Patient Care
Committee and the Chairman of the Bioethics Committee.
Pictured Right at his Ancestral home, Stuart Castle, seat of Charles I.
Penny V. Geiszler - Honorary Lifetime Member
Penny hails from Richmond, Texas. Her hometown roots are Columbus, Ohio where she still has family. She has been in Houston and the area for the past 26 years. Penny got into the pageant business when her daughter began competing in pageants when she was a freshman in
high school. After learning the business, she has been a producer, choreographer, director, trainer, and judge in local, state, national and international pageants. She is a member of EPIC International Association, and is an EPIC Approved Judge. Having seen all sides of the pageant
world, she decided to go in a different direction after her daughter left for college. Now, Penny is the Owner/ Publisher of the pageant news online magazine and website, TURN FOR THE JUDGES, or as it is affectionately known, TFTJ. You can find it at WWW.TFTJ.COM. Penny has two
children (David and Devon) and six grandchildren (Rachel, Kyla, Caleb, Tara, Simon, and Drake - three to Devon and three to David.). She was married for 36 years to Robert, who passed away in 2004. He was known throughout the pageant industry not only as her husband, but as a
fabulous interview trainer and pageant judge. Her hobbies (when not on the computer) are reading romantic novels and collecting bears.
Penny hails from Richmond, Texas. Her hometown roots are Columbus, Ohio where she still has family. She has been in Houston and the area for the past 26 years. Penny got into the pageant business when her daughter began competing in pageants when she was a freshman in
high school. After learning the business, she has been a producer, choreographer, director, trainer, and judge in local, state, national and international pageants. She is a member of EPIC International Association, and is an EPIC Approved Judge. Having seen all sides of the pageant
world, she decided to go in a different direction after her daughter left for college. Now, Penny is the Owner/ Publisher of the pageant news online magazine and website, TURN FOR THE JUDGES, or as it is affectionately known, TFTJ. You can find it at WWW.TFTJ.COM. Penny has two
children (David and Devon) and six grandchildren (Rachel, Kyla, Caleb, Tara, Simon, and Drake - three to Devon and three to David.). She was married for 36 years to Robert, who passed away in 2004. He was known throughout the pageant industry not only as her husband, but as a
fabulous interview trainer and pageant judge. Her hobbies (when not on the computer) are reading romantic novels and collecting bears.
Pageants Judged :
 | All American 2007 | |
| Special event, Galaxy 2007 | |
| Lead judge, Miss US Miss 2006 | |
| Texas United Nation 2006 | |
| Lead judge, Texas National Teenager 2006 | |
| Chief Judge, America's Miss and Mr US National 2006 | |
| Little Mr. and Miss Hawaiian Tropic Texas State | |
| American Elegance 2006, Head Judge | |
| Ms United Nation 2006 Talent/Supermodel | |
| Chief Judge, Ms and Teen United States 2006 | |
| Chief Judge, Ms. American Renaissance 2005 | |
| Mrs. Galaxy 2006 | |
| Mrs. Texas United States 2005 | |
| Lake Jackson Festival of Lights Pageant 2003 | |
| Ms Plus America 2003 | |
| Ms. United States 2004 and Miss Teen United States 2004 | |
| American Queens 2003 | |
| Galaxy International 2004 | |
| Miss World Elite 2003 | |
| Miss US of A Elite 2003 | |
| Miss American | |
Special Awards:
| 2002 Volunteer of the Year award from America's Southern Teen Pageant system | |
| 2000 American Achievement Woman of the Year | |
| International Who's Who of Business & Professional Women | |
| VIP Award from the Mrs. United Nation system | |
| Top 5 most influential people in the pageant world in 2000 award from Pageant Royalty Productions |
Pageant Involvement:
| Delegate chairperson American Renaissance 2004 | |
| Judges Chairperson for Mrs. Texas United Nation '02 | |
| Former Associate Director for Miss Southeast Texas Scholarship Pageant | |
| Mom of Miss San Jacinto Teen USA 1994/Miss Palestine 1997 | |
| Publisher/Owner of Turn For The Judges (involved in all aspects of marketing, editing, layout, reporting, | |
| photography, and web updating) | ||
| Memberships in the following: IFPA Pageant Association, EPIC International Association, and the National | |
| Sponsoring Foundation of Pageantry | ||
| EPIC Approved Judge | |
| Qualified Judge with the National Council of Registered Judges. | |
| Ms Plus America 2003 | |
| Ms. United States 2004 and Miss Teen United States 2004 | |
| American Queens 2003 | |
| Galaxy International 2004 | |
| Miss World Elite 2003 | |
| Miss US of A Elite 2003 | |
| Miss American Renaissance 2003 | |
| Miss Houston Galaxy 2004 | |
| Miss Crescent City/New Orleans MAO 2003 | |
| Miss Louisiana Association of Fairs and Festivals 2003 | |
| Miss Florida Teen USA 2003 | |
| Mrs. United States 2002 | |
| Ms. & Mrs. U.S. Beauties 2002 | |
| Miss Texas United States/Miss Texas United States Teen 2002 | |
| Miss Coastal Bend USA 2002 | |
| Ms. Belleza Latina 2001 | |
| Miss Tomball 1999, 2001 | |
| Miss Texas Teen America | |
| Miss North Texas USA 2001 | |
| Mrs. United Nation US and International '98 & '99 | |
| Miss Nebraska USA | |
| Miss Missouri USA | |
| Miss Virginia Teen USA | |
| Miss Arizona USA | |
| Miss Beaumont USA | |
| Miss Harris County/Miss River Oaks MAO | |
| Ms. Petite International & Miss Petite Teen Internationa | |
Stanley Goodrich
Stanley Goodrich is a giant in the field of Public Relations. Stan is the most professional Public Relations executive that I have ever met and he has contacts with editors across the world. Being a former editor himself, he knows how to treat media contacts and they all love him. In
the year that I have worked for Stan, he has doubled my knowledge of Public Relations and how to get articles placed. He has also won at least fifteen awards for SYSPRO in the last year, which is unheard of in our business! Stan is also very sophisticated, handsome and
intelligent. He is also one of the nicest people that you could ever meet. Stanley is a San Francisco native and received both his Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Psychology and his MBA Degree from the University of California at Berkeley. After a short stint working for the San Jose
Mercury-News, Goodrich joined Fairchild Semiconductor as a Marketing Communicator and worked with such notables as Dr. Noyce (founder of Intel); Jerry Sanders (founder of Advance Micro Devices) and Mike Markula (a founder of Apple). He subsequently moved to Signetics
where he was Marketing Communications Manager and was the first to hold a similar post at Western Digital Corporation in Newport Beach. Al Phillips, then president of Western Digital, credited Goodrich with “helping to put the firm on the map.” Goodrich worked in a mar com
capacity with Harris Corporation and subsequently joined McDonnell Douglas Corporation, where he held various mar com and PR posts. Prior to joining SYSPRO as PR Manager in 1998, Goodrich spent ten years as editor of Computing News & Review, a position he credits with
helping him to build SYSPRO’s press image and gain the company numerous awards. (Tribute by Dawna Lee Heising, PhD.) For More Information Regarding SYSPRO please click on SYSPRO and PRESS RELEASE.
Stanley Goodrich is a giant in the field of Public Relations. Stan is the most professional Public Relations executive that I have ever met and he has contacts with editors across the world. Being a former editor himself, he knows how to treat media contacts and they all love him. In
the year that I have worked for Stan, he has doubled my knowledge of Public Relations and how to get articles placed. He has also won at least fifteen awards for SYSPRO in the last year, which is unheard of in our business! Stan is also very sophisticated, handsome and
intelligent. He is also one of the nicest people that you could ever meet. Stanley is a San Francisco native and received both his Bachelor’s Degree in Industrial Psychology and his MBA Degree from the University of California at Berkeley. After a short stint working for the San Jose
Mercury-News, Goodrich joined Fairchild Semiconductor as a Marketing Communicator and worked with such notables as Dr. Noyce (founder of Intel); Jerry Sanders (founder of Advance Micro Devices) and Mike Markula (a founder of Apple). He subsequently moved to Signetics
where he was Marketing Communications Manager and was the first to hold a similar post at Western Digital Corporation in Newport Beach. Al Phillips, then president of Western Digital, credited Goodrich with “helping to put the firm on the map.” Goodrich worked in a mar com
capacity with Harris Corporation and subsequently joined McDonnell Douglas Corporation, where he held various mar com and PR posts. Prior to joining SYSPRO as PR Manager in 1998, Goodrich spent ten years as editor of Computing News & Review, a position he credits with
helping him to build SYSPRO’s press image and gain the company numerous awards. (Tribute by Dawna Lee Heising, PhD.) For More Information Regarding SYSPRO please click on SYSPRO and PRESS RELEASE.
Michael Maki - Honorary Lifetime Member (In Memoriam)
Mr. Michael Maki is President of The EPIC Group, Inc. with four divisions: EPIC International Association for the Entertainment; Pageant and Modeling worlds; EPIC Biz an Internet shopping mall and EPICZINE Magazine; and StyleLines, an online personalized clothing and color
analysis for women. Mr. Maki authored the industry’s Code of Ethics. Mike has written accreditation courses, pageant articles and conducted workshops for Directors and Contestants across the nation. Mr. Maki has written many of the national pageant's judging systems and
has judged over 250 pageants. Mike is the leading pageant and entertainment consultant and has served as President for national and state pageants, professional organizations and business corporations. Also, Mike currently serves on Hollywood’s Industry Advisory Board. Mr.
Maki has over forty-five (45) years of pageantry and entertainment experience. Mr. Maki has been awarded the Governmental Affairs State Award for Oregon, Distinguished Service Award, and has appeared in Outstanding Men of America and the Community Leader of America
books. Most recently, Mike, was named the 2005 Oregon Businessman of the Year by the Business Advisory Council.
We Love You Mike. You Are Greatly Missed. You Are A True Hero.
Mr. Michael Maki is President of The EPIC Group, Inc. with four divisions: EPIC International Association for the Entertainment; Pageant and Modeling worlds; EPIC Biz an Internet shopping mall and EPICZINE Magazine; and StyleLines, an online personalized clothing and color
analysis for women. Mr. Maki authored the industry’s Code of Ethics. Mike has written accreditation courses, pageant articles and conducted workshops for Directors and Contestants across the nation. Mr. Maki has written many of the national pageant's judging systems and
has judged over 250 pageants. Mike is the leading pageant and entertainment consultant and has served as President for national and state pageants, professional organizations and business corporations. Also, Mike currently serves on Hollywood’s Industry Advisory Board. Mr.
Maki has over forty-five (45) years of pageantry and entertainment experience. Mr. Maki has been awarded the Governmental Affairs State Award for Oregon, Distinguished Service Award, and has appeared in Outstanding Men of America and the Community Leader of America
books. Most recently, Mike, was named the 2005 Oregon Businessman of the Year by the Business Advisory Council.
| Mr. Maki is a consultant for new and established pageants and entertainment and is the industry’s leading problem solver. He is currently President of The EPIC Group, Inc. with four divisions: EPIC International Association for the Entertainment; Pageant and Modeling | |
| worlds; EPIC Biz an Internet shopping mall and EPICZINE Magazine an online magazine with a monthly readership of over 150,000; and StyleLines, a company that does individual clothing and color analysis for females of all ages online. Mr. Maki currently serves on the Industry Advisory Board for Audition For Hollywood. |
| Mr. Maki has over 45 years of pageantry and event experience. For 36 years he served as an Executive Director, President or on the Board of Directors of state and national pageants. Having judged pageants from Alaska to North Carolina and from Hawaii to Delaware, he | |
| has judged in virtually every state of the union. He has served as a judge in many different pageant systems such as: Miss America, Miss USA, Miss Teen USA; Our Little Miss; Mrs. International, Rising Star; Miss Rodeo America; Miss Teen, Starmania, Sweetheart, Ms. Wheelchair U.S.A. Program, Mrs. United Nations, Ms. United States of America, Dream Girls USA, Mrs. America, Ms. Senior America, Stars of the Future, National America, All American Family and National American Miss national pageants. |
| Mr. Maki has authored many national judging systems and has written computer judging software for pageants and events. Mr. Maki has written an A to Z manual on how to produce and run pageants and events, a director’s accreditation course, a judge’s accreditation | |
| course and a contestant’s workshop which is presently found on the Internet at www.PageantPage.com. |
| Mr. Maki, along with wife, are the founders of Stylelines, which produces clothing and color analysis for females of all ages, which is found on the Internet at www.StyleLines.com. Mike has spent 15 years in fashion research. |
| Mr. Maki has been awarded the Governmental Affairs State Award for Oregon, Distinguished Service Award, and has appeared in Outstanding Men of America and the Community Leader of America books. Mike was recently named the 2005 Oregon Businessman of the | |
| Year by the Business Advisory Council. |
| Mr. Maki and his wife, Helen, have three children and raised an additional 15 others at their own expense. |
| Please see WWW.EPIC.COM |
We Love You Mike. You Are Greatly Missed. You Are A True Hero.
Richard P. Moran, CFP
Rich Moran has been listed for the last six years as one of the Top 20 Certified Financial Planners in California and one of the Top 100 CFP’s in America by Worth Magazine. His wife Beth is a retired award-winning schoolteacher who volunteers for a Los Angeles charity that runs a
clothing shop to provide clothes for underprivileged inner city children and makes jewelry.
Rich is among the most respected financial advisors in the country.
He is a senior financial advisor with Financial Network, a registered investment advisory and brokerage firm headquartered in Torrance, California. Financial Network has a network of 2,600 financial Representatives in offices throughout the nation.
Rich has been selected as one of only 120 of those financial Representatives to become part of a Premier Client Division, designed to provide the more sophisticated services often needed by high net worth clients.
Rich serves both high net worth clients and their advisors. His specialty is family wealth planning and investment management for families with investment assets exceeding $500,000, or total assets exceeding $2 million. He strongly believes in educating his clients. The Certified
Financial Planner Board of Standards recently elected Rich to their Board of Practice Standards. He is one of nine people responsible for developing practice standards for 34,000 CFP licensees nationwide. He was elected four times to the Board of Directors of the 17,000 member
International Association for Financial Planning where he chaired the National Ethics Committee from 1992 to 1995.
The editors of Worth Magazine named Rich as one of the top 300 personal financial advisors in the country for the last three consecutive years. The Los Angeles Times selected him as a speaker for their 1997 and 1998 Investment Strategies Conferences. In 1986, Rich was
selected as one of the ten outstanding investment brokers in the U.S. by the editors of Registered Representative Magazine.
Rich earned his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation in 1979 and has maintained continuing education credits far in excess of professional requirements throughout his career. Prior to entering financial services, he worked in a technical and managerial capacity for three
Fortune 500 companies. He holds a B.S. degree in economics from Purdue University.
Rich Moran has been listed for the last six years as one of the Top 20 Certified Financial Planners in California and one of the Top 100 CFP’s in America by Worth Magazine. His wife Beth is a retired award-winning schoolteacher who volunteers for a Los Angeles charity that runs a
clothing shop to provide clothes for underprivileged inner city children and makes jewelry.
Rich is among the most respected financial advisors in the country.
He is a senior financial advisor with Financial Network, a registered investment advisory and brokerage firm headquartered in Torrance, California. Financial Network has a network of 2,600 financial Representatives in offices throughout the nation.
Rich has been selected as one of only 120 of those financial Representatives to become part of a Premier Client Division, designed to provide the more sophisticated services often needed by high net worth clients.
Rich serves both high net worth clients and their advisors. His specialty is family wealth planning and investment management for families with investment assets exceeding $500,000, or total assets exceeding $2 million. He strongly believes in educating his clients. The Certified
Financial Planner Board of Standards recently elected Rich to their Board of Practice Standards. He is one of nine people responsible for developing practice standards for 34,000 CFP licensees nationwide. He was elected four times to the Board of Directors of the 17,000 member
International Association for Financial Planning where he chaired the National Ethics Committee from 1992 to 1995.
The editors of Worth Magazine named Rich as one of the top 300 personal financial advisors in the country for the last three consecutive years. The Los Angeles Times selected him as a speaker for their 1997 and 1998 Investment Strategies Conferences. In 1986, Rich was
selected as one of the ten outstanding investment brokers in the U.S. by the editors of Registered Representative Magazine.
Rich earned his Certified Financial Planner (CFP) designation in 1979 and has maintained continuing education credits far in excess of professional requirements throughout his career. Prior to entering financial services, he worked in a technical and managerial capacity for three
Fortune 500 companies. He holds a B.S. degree in economics from Purdue University.
Alex M. Kimura, CFP, MBA
Alex Kimura got his MBA from Harvard University and his wife Sue is an engineer who went to Stanford and got her MBA from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and works for an affiliate of the search engine Yahoo.
Alex is a Senior Financial Advisor for Financial Network, a registered investment advisory and brokerage firm headquartered in Torrance, California. Financial Network has a network of 2,600 financial Representatives in offices throughout the nation.
Alex serves the families of executives, professionals, business owners and their advisors. His specialty is family wealth planning and investment management for families who are facing a transition, such as preparing for retirement, analyzing the best approach for employee
stock options, receiving an inheritance or selling a business.
Alex's financial career started in 1982, when he worked on Wall Street for Morgan Stanley, one of the pre-eminent investment banks. Alex graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1979 and received an MBA from UCLA's Anderson School of Management in 1986.
In his practice, emphasis is placed on providing the education and information that clients need to make intelligent decisions. Alex is a frequent educator at local colleges and corporations, providing information on retirement planning, asset allocation, investment management and
estate planning, Alex has an in-depth knowledge of retirement planning. He recently completed a contract with Commerce Clearing House, one of the top authorities for tax professionals, as the principal author of a book on qualified retirement plans.
The International Association for Financial Planning has elected Alex twice to their Los Angeles Chapter Board. He is a member of the Institute of Certified Financial Planners and is a TEC Associate, an organization for advisors to successful businesses with sales over $3,000,000
per year. Alex has received specialized training from Renaissance Trust on charitable tax planning strategies.
Alex Kimura got his MBA from Harvard University and his wife Sue is an engineer who went to Stanford and got her MBA from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) and works for an affiliate of the search engine Yahoo.
Alex is a Senior Financial Advisor for Financial Network, a registered investment advisory and brokerage firm headquartered in Torrance, California. Financial Network has a network of 2,600 financial Representatives in offices throughout the nation.
Alex serves the families of executives, professionals, business owners and their advisors. His specialty is family wealth planning and investment management for families who are facing a transition, such as preparing for retirement, analyzing the best approach for employee
stock options, receiving an inheritance or selling a business.
Alex's financial career started in 1982, when he worked on Wall Street for Morgan Stanley, one of the pre-eminent investment banks. Alex graduated with honors from Harvard University in 1979 and received an MBA from UCLA's Anderson School of Management in 1986.
In his practice, emphasis is placed on providing the education and information that clients need to make intelligent decisions. Alex is a frequent educator at local colleges and corporations, providing information on retirement planning, asset allocation, investment management and
estate planning, Alex has an in-depth knowledge of retirement planning. He recently completed a contract with Commerce Clearing House, one of the top authorities for tax professionals, as the principal author of a book on qualified retirement plans.
The International Association for Financial Planning has elected Alex twice to their Los Angeles Chapter Board. He is a member of the Institute of Certified Financial Planners and is a TEC Associate, an organization for advisors to successful businesses with sales over $3,000,000
per year. Alex has received specialized training from Renaissance Trust on charitable tax planning strategies.
Paul Heising, MBA, CFP and Associate Professor
Paul provides financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, families and small business owners to enable them to pursue their personal and financial goals. His focus area is retirement planning. He operates in close association with a small group of highly
experienced and credentialed financial planners who rely primarily on academic research and not necessarily Wall Street research to ensure that their clients receive the best possible guidance.
In addition to his financial management experience as a financial planner and investment advisor, Paul's background includes significant experience in senior management for public and privately-held corporations, including Con Agra Foods, Inc., Bayer Inc., and The Dial
Corporation. At Con Agra, a Fortune 100 Corporation, he served as Vice President and helped to develop and build a number of businesses including Healthy Choice and Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn. The skills acquired during his corporate experience have provided him with
financial insight that goes beyond basic financial planning and investment advisory services.
He has served on corporate Boards as both a Director and advisor. An Assistant Professor at Chapman University, he has lectured on a part-time basis for the last 15 years to graduate and undergraduate students. His background as a professor has enabled him to explain
sometimes-complex issues in an understandable way. He has served on several advisory boards at Chapman. He has his MBA and is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA). He frequently speaks to groups about investing, retirement planning and business
development.
Paul and his colleagues are associated with Financial Network Investment Corporation, a member of SIPC and a full service broker/dealer that provides investment and brokerage services and is headquartered in Torrance, California with offices nationwide.
Paul provides financial planning and investment advisory services to individuals, families and small business owners to enable them to pursue their personal and financial goals. His focus area is retirement planning. He operates in close association with a small group of highly
experienced and credentialed financial planners who rely primarily on academic research and not necessarily Wall Street research to ensure that their clients receive the best possible guidance.
In addition to his financial management experience as a financial planner and investment advisor, Paul's background includes significant experience in senior management for public and privately-held corporations, including Con Agra Foods, Inc., Bayer Inc., and The Dial
Corporation. At Con Agra, a Fortune 100 Corporation, he served as Vice President and helped to develop and build a number of businesses including Healthy Choice and Orville Redenbacher's Popcorn. The skills acquired during his corporate experience have provided him with
financial insight that goes beyond basic financial planning and investment advisory services.
He has served on corporate Boards as both a Director and advisor. An Assistant Professor at Chapman University, he has lectured on a part-time basis for the last 15 years to graduate and undergraduate students. His background as a professor has enabled him to explain
sometimes-complex issues in an understandable way. He has served on several advisory boards at Chapman. He has his MBA and is a member of the Financial Planning Association (FPA). He frequently speaks to groups about investing, retirement planning and business
development.
Paul and his colleagues are associated with Financial Network Investment Corporation, a member of SIPC and a full service broker/dealer that provides investment and brokerage services and is headquartered in Torrance, California with offices nationwide.
Kevin Le, Web Developer
Kevin Le was born in Vietnam , the son of a wealthy businessman. His real name is Cuong Le. Tipped off by a government official, his family left Vietnam right before the war broke out, and came to the United States in 1975 as the first group of Vietnamese Refugees to settle in
California . English was Kevin’s second language, which made school very difficult for Kevin, but he was determined to succeed. He finished college and earned a degree in Computer Science. After graduation Kevin worked for Dun & Bradstreet for nine years. While there, Kevin
handled all aspects of information systems technology, including building computers, building networks, software implementations, systems integration and writing applications. He traveled 70% of the time, handling on-site system implementations and integrations. It was at this
company that his boss renamed him Kevin. His Vietnamese name was very hard to say for many of his co-workers and customers. His boss called him Kevin because he and their customers could not pronounce his given name, Cuong.
Years later, Kevin moved to Pfastship Worldwide Logistics in Irvine . Here he was the team leader of the commercial software development group for eight years. He was the manager for three programmers, two business analysts, and one technical document writer. He created
new GUI systems from a character base using Microsoft tools and platforms. One of his projects was integrating Pfastship shipping software with SYSPRO software for Star Trac, a current SYSPRO customer.
Kevin came to SYSPRO as a Web Developer in February 2005. He is currently working on SYSPRO’s SharePoint portals, CRM, and the SYSPRO Learning Channel (SLC). He looks forward to using all of his IT skills here. He loves the software industry, especially web technology,
and is an expert in Microsoft technology. He is also an expert in graphics. He says that SYSPRO feels like it is not a job since he is paid for what he loves to do. Kevin is experienced in multiple computer languages and all platforms, including the mainframe, midrange systems and
the PC. He specializes in analyzing business processes, software consultation, implementation of new software systems and systems integration, as well as writing applications for websites. He likes to create new web applications and integrate systems together. When he’s
writing an application, his thought process covers many angles, starting from the user’s point of view and moving to the view of a system administrator.
In life outside of SYSPRO, Kevin is a single father to Kevin, Jr., 14, and to Tiffany, 12. He can be found most days after work at a Costa Mesa soccer field watching his children play soccer. Kevin Jr.’s soccer team went undefeated this year and will soon play in a California state
tournament. Tiffany plays for Costa Mesa ’s APP (Advanced Player Program), and you can check out pictures of Tiffany’s team at www.tiffanyle.com, a website that Kevin developed and includes some of his photography.
Kevin is a professional photographer, and was once a staff photographer for the San Diego Union Tribune. Some of his photographs have been published in magazines and on websites, as well as in newspapers. He also once owned a large photography business and bridal shop.
Kevin is outgoing and gregarious. He is known to his friends as “the Vietnamese Tom Cruise” for his love of entertainment and the nightlife.
Kevin is extremely self-motivated and always keeps abreast of the latest trends in technology. He is “obsessive in his pursuit of new challenges” and is looking forward to helping SYSPRO in all software development areas. Kevin’s life is so ingrained with computers that on many
sleepless nights, Kevin goes to his computer to write applications or create new websites. With the many talents, expertise, energy and enthusiasm Kevin possesses, it is obvious why he was chosen as one of SYSPRO’s Rising Stars at the Employee Awards this year.
Kevin Le was born in Vietnam , the son of a wealthy businessman. His real name is Cuong Le. Tipped off by a government official, his family left Vietnam right before the war broke out, and came to the United States in 1975 as the first group of Vietnamese Refugees to settle in
California . English was Kevin’s second language, which made school very difficult for Kevin, but he was determined to succeed. He finished college and earned a degree in Computer Science. After graduation Kevin worked for Dun & Bradstreet for nine years. While there, Kevin
handled all aspects of information systems technology, including building computers, building networks, software implementations, systems integration and writing applications. He traveled 70% of the time, handling on-site system implementations and integrations. It was at this
company that his boss renamed him Kevin. His Vietnamese name was very hard to say for many of his co-workers and customers. His boss called him Kevin because he and their customers could not pronounce his given name, Cuong.
Years later, Kevin moved to Pfastship Worldwide Logistics in Irvine . Here he was the team leader of the commercial software development group for eight years. He was the manager for three programmers, two business analysts, and one technical document writer. He created
new GUI systems from a character base using Microsoft tools and platforms. One of his projects was integrating Pfastship shipping software with SYSPRO software for Star Trac, a current SYSPRO customer.
Kevin came to SYSPRO as a Web Developer in February 2005. He is currently working on SYSPRO’s SharePoint portals, CRM, and the SYSPRO Learning Channel (SLC). He looks forward to using all of his IT skills here. He loves the software industry, especially web technology,
and is an expert in Microsoft technology. He is also an expert in graphics. He says that SYSPRO feels like it is not a job since he is paid for what he loves to do. Kevin is experienced in multiple computer languages and all platforms, including the mainframe, midrange systems and
the PC. He specializes in analyzing business processes, software consultation, implementation of new software systems and systems integration, as well as writing applications for websites. He likes to create new web applications and integrate systems together. When he’s
writing an application, his thought process covers many angles, starting from the user’s point of view and moving to the view of a system administrator.
In life outside of SYSPRO, Kevin is a single father to Kevin, Jr., 14, and to Tiffany, 12. He can be found most days after work at a Costa Mesa soccer field watching his children play soccer. Kevin Jr.’s soccer team went undefeated this year and will soon play in a California state
tournament. Tiffany plays for Costa Mesa ’s APP (Advanced Player Program), and you can check out pictures of Tiffany’s team at www.tiffanyle.com, a website that Kevin developed and includes some of his photography.
Kevin is a professional photographer, and was once a staff photographer for the San Diego Union Tribune. Some of his photographs have been published in magazines and on websites, as well as in newspapers. He also once owned a large photography business and bridal shop.
Kevin is outgoing and gregarious. He is known to his friends as “the Vietnamese Tom Cruise” for his love of entertainment and the nightlife.
Kevin is extremely self-motivated and always keeps abreast of the latest trends in technology. He is “obsessive in his pursuit of new challenges” and is looking forward to helping SYSPRO in all software development areas. Kevin’s life is so ingrained with computers that on many
sleepless nights, Kevin goes to his computer to write applications or create new websites. With the many talents, expertise, energy and enthusiasm Kevin possesses, it is obvious why he was chosen as one of SYSPRO’s Rising Stars at the Employee Awards this year.
Chris Tashima
In 1998, Chris Tashima received an Academy Award® for Live Action Short Film, for Visas and Virtue (1997), a dramatic 26-minute portrait of Holocaust rescuer Chiune "Sempo" Sugihara, which he not only directed, but co-wrote the screenplay, adapting an original one-act play by
Tim Toyama, and starred as the heroic diplomat. To produce the film, he co-founded Cedar Grove Productions, with playwright and executive producer Toyama and producer Chris Donahue, which remains active developing and producing projects which boldly defy mainstream
Hollywood by giving Asian Americans the spotlight on stage, or the close-up on screen.
More recently, he directed, co-wrote and acted in Day of Independence (2003), Cedar Grove Productions' tribute to the 120,000 Japanese Americans who endured America's World War II concentration camps. This ambitious half-hour drama received an Emmy® Nomination, from
the NATAS Northern California Chapter, in the category of Historical/Cultural - Program/Special, in addition to being officially selected to over sixty international film festivals, garnering twenty-five awards. Chris wrote, produced, directed and edited numerous other short films, while
he studied film production at UC Santa Cruz, and with Visual Communications, an Asian Pacific American media arts organization in his hometown of Los Angeles.
As a professional actor, Chris has appeared in numerous independent films over the past 20-plus years. Most notably, he stars as the romantic lead opposite Joan Chen, in Eric Byler's indie hit, Americanese (2006), which won both the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
and a Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Ensemble Cast at its world premiere at the 2006 SXSW Film Festival. He has starred in two features from Sherwood Hu: Lani Loa - The Passage (Lanai-Loa (1998)) (from executive producers Francis Ford Coppola and Wayne Wang), playing
the evil gangster "Bong" opposite Angus Macfadyen, and the ensemble drama, On the Roof (2002) (in post production in 2006), as the tortured artist "Yu" opposite Eliane Chappuis. Other film work has ranged from Elizabeth Sung's autobiographical short, Requiem (1995), opposite
Tamlyn Tomita, to Rea Tajiri's groundbreaking feature, Strawberry Fields (1997), starring Suzy Nakamura.
His many theatre appearances which have graced stages from New York to Seattle have included "Ming" in the world premiere of Chay Yew's A Language Of Their Own at the Celebration Theatre, in West Hollywood (garnering an LA Weekly Theater Award for Ensemble
Performance), "Windrider" in Laurence Yep's Dragonwings which he originated at Berkeley Repertory Theatre (and reprised at Seattle Children's Theatre, the Alliance Children's Theatre, in Atlanta, and Syracuse Stage), and "Sugihara" in Toyama's original one-act, Visas and
Virtue, at the Road Theatre Company, in North Hollywood. He has worked extensively with East West Players, in Los Angeles, where among his early credits are Rashomon, Mishima and The Memento.
In addition to his lengthy career on stage, Chris has also directed for the stage, including the bilingual entertainment shows "Okaasan" - A Tribute To Mother, "Haru" - A Celebration of Spring, and Natsukashi No Tabi - Sentimental Journey. Using song, story and dance, these
programs are presented for Southern California's Japanese American senior citizens by the Grateful Crane Ensemble, where Chris also has co-produced and assists with script development. Adding to his directorial efforts, Chris is a multi-award-winning set designer (Ovation
Award - Sweeney Todd; Drama-Logue Award - Into The Woods), and has also served as producer, stage manager, and in many other backstage capacities at various theaters around Southern California.
In addition to his various film and theatre awards, Chris is also the recipient of several honors bestowed by community organizations around the country, including the "Japanese American of the Biennium," awarded by the National JACL, a Community Award from the Japanese
American Service Committee, of Chicago, a "Bridge Builder" Asian American Leadership Award presented in New York City by A. Magazine, a Special Recognition Award from the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, of Los Angeles, a Visionary Award from East
West Players, and a Humanitarian Award from The "1939" Club, a Holocaust Survivors' organization.
Chris is an active member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well as the Directors Guild of America, where he serves on the DGA's Asian American Committee. He is also an active member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists where he
serves on AFTRA's APAM (Asian Pacific American Media) Task Force, in addition to belonging to the Screen Actors Guild and Actors Equity Association.
In 1998, Chris Tashima received an Academy Award® for Live Action Short Film, for Visas and Virtue (1997), a dramatic 26-minute portrait of Holocaust rescuer Chiune "Sempo" Sugihara, which he not only directed, but co-wrote the screenplay, adapting an original one-act play by
Tim Toyama, and starred as the heroic diplomat. To produce the film, he co-founded Cedar Grove Productions, with playwright and executive producer Toyama and producer Chris Donahue, which remains active developing and producing projects which boldly defy mainstream
Hollywood by giving Asian Americans the spotlight on stage, or the close-up on screen.
More recently, he directed, co-wrote and acted in Day of Independence (2003), Cedar Grove Productions' tribute to the 120,000 Japanese Americans who endured America's World War II concentration camps. This ambitious half-hour drama received an Emmy® Nomination, from
the NATAS Northern California Chapter, in the category of Historical/Cultural - Program/Special, in addition to being officially selected to over sixty international film festivals, garnering twenty-five awards. Chris wrote, produced, directed and edited numerous other short films, while
he studied film production at UC Santa Cruz, and with Visual Communications, an Asian Pacific American media arts organization in his hometown of Los Angeles.
As a professional actor, Chris has appeared in numerous independent films over the past 20-plus years. Most notably, he stars as the romantic lead opposite Joan Chen, in Eric Byler's indie hit, Americanese (2006), which won both the Audience Award for Best Narrative Feature
and a Special Jury Prize for Outstanding Ensemble Cast at its world premiere at the 2006 SXSW Film Festival. He has starred in two features from Sherwood Hu: Lani Loa - The Passage (Lanai-Loa (1998)) (from executive producers Francis Ford Coppola and Wayne Wang), playing
the evil gangster "Bong" opposite Angus Macfadyen, and the ensemble drama, On the Roof (2002) (in post production in 2006), as the tortured artist "Yu" opposite Eliane Chappuis. Other film work has ranged from Elizabeth Sung's autobiographical short, Requiem (1995), opposite
Tamlyn Tomita, to Rea Tajiri's groundbreaking feature, Strawberry Fields (1997), starring Suzy Nakamura.
His many theatre appearances which have graced stages from New York to Seattle have included "Ming" in the world premiere of Chay Yew's A Language Of Their Own at the Celebration Theatre, in West Hollywood (garnering an LA Weekly Theater Award for Ensemble
Performance), "Windrider" in Laurence Yep's Dragonwings which he originated at Berkeley Repertory Theatre (and reprised at Seattle Children's Theatre, the Alliance Children's Theatre, in Atlanta, and Syracuse Stage), and "Sugihara" in Toyama's original one-act, Visas and
Virtue, at the Road Theatre Company, in North Hollywood. He has worked extensively with East West Players, in Los Angeles, where among his early credits are Rashomon, Mishima and The Memento.
In addition to his lengthy career on stage, Chris has also directed for the stage, including the bilingual entertainment shows "Okaasan" - A Tribute To Mother, "Haru" - A Celebration of Spring, and Natsukashi No Tabi - Sentimental Journey. Using song, story and dance, these
programs are presented for Southern California's Japanese American senior citizens by the Grateful Crane Ensemble, where Chris also has co-produced and assists with script development. Adding to his directorial efforts, Chris is a multi-award-winning set designer (Ovation
Award - Sweeney Todd; Drama-Logue Award - Into The Woods), and has also served as producer, stage manager, and in many other backstage capacities at various theaters around Southern California.
In addition to his various film and theatre awards, Chris is also the recipient of several honors bestowed by community organizations around the country, including the "Japanese American of the Biennium," awarded by the National JACL, a Community Award from the Japanese
American Service Committee, of Chicago, a "Bridge Builder" Asian American Leadership Award presented in New York City by A. Magazine, a Special Recognition Award from the Japanese American Cultural and Community Center, of Los Angeles, a Visionary Award from East
West Players, and a Humanitarian Award from The "1939" Club, a Holocaust Survivors' organization.
Chris is an active member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences as well as the Directors Guild of America, where he serves on the DGA's Asian American Committee. He is also an active member of the American Federation of Television and Radio Artists where he
serves on AFTRA's APAM (Asian Pacific American Media) Task Force, in addition to belonging to the Screen Actors Guild and Actors Equity Association.
Robert J. Paeglow, M.D.
Albany Medical College
The Humanism in Medicine Award, sponsored by the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative, honors a medical school faculty physician who is a caring and compassionate mentor and a practitioner of patient-centered care.
From Albany to Africa, and back again, Robert J. Paeglow, M.D., has focused his attention on those least able to afford health care and those least likely to seek it. Whether counseling families in the urban clinic he founded or ministering to patients on the medical mission he
organized, Dr. Paeglow, say colleagues, is "driven by a moral imperative to advocate for the health and well-being of the most vulnerable patients, and to educate and foster this idealism in the next generation of physicians."
A former radiation safety specialist who discovered his true calling later in life, "Dr. Bob," as he is known to patients and students, is assistant professor in the department of family and community medicine at the Albany Medical College (AMC). He received his B.S. in biology from
the State University of New York at Albany, and before entering AMC at age 36, worked at the Albany County Department of Public Health and later AMC's Radiation Safety Office.
As the AMC class of 1994's oldest member, Dr. Paeglow gave new meaning to the term "non-traditional student" by embarking early on a path that would truly be unique. As a first-year medical student, his leadership and service skills made such an impression that he received the
Richard Shapiro Award for the greatest contribution to the freshman class. As a fourth-year student, his growing interest in caring for underserved groups led to his joining a medical mission to post-civil war Mozambique. Since then, he has led more than 20 missions of students,
residents and nurses to developing nations in Africa, South America, and the Caribbean, often during his vacation time, and often at his own financial expense.
At home in Albany, Dr. Paeglow has made similar financial sacrifices to keep the Capital Region Prayer and Healing Center (Koinonia Health Center)--the neighborhood clinic he founded in 2002--up and running. Located in the city's poorest and most crime-ridden area (the West Hill
neighborhood in which he grew up), the clinic's mission, as written by Paeglow, is to provide healthcare to "every patient regardless of economic status, social standing, religious or cultural beliefs." Dr. Paeglow's passion to help underserved patients was so deep that he worked
without a salary, often giving what little he had to those who were penniless. "I was amazed to see the compassion and love he had for his patients," said Sanjay Thomas, M.D., a fellow student at AMC. "He saw past their physical ailments to the person suffering inside."
It is that compassion which has inspired a new generation of physicians to consider following Dr. Paeglow's path. "Without people like him, the humanity of medicine is lost," says one student. His lectures, courses and programs are so popular, that they are often oversubscribed.
One such course is a cultural diversity elective he developed, where first year medical students sign up to learn about cultural competence; work in urban ghettoes, Indian reservations, AIDS treatment centers, or psychiatric hospitals; and then share their experiences with other
students via online focus groups. Another popular Paeglow initiative, Care from the Start, provides students with firsthand experience caring for inner city patients. In addition to helping students hone their clinical skills, the program teaches them how to advocate on behalf of
patients, and how to help those patients overcome barriers to care.
In addition to the many accolades Dr. Paeglow has received from students and colleagues alike, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine honored him in 2003 with its first-ever Power to Change Our World Award.
Nominate a deserving individual for the Humanism in Medicine Award, and view a list of previous award recipients.
Albany Medical College
The Humanism in Medicine Award, sponsored by the Pfizer Medical Humanities Initiative, honors a medical school faculty physician who is a caring and compassionate mentor and a practitioner of patient-centered care.
From Albany to Africa, and back again, Robert J. Paeglow, M.D., has focused his attention on those least able to afford health care and those least likely to seek it. Whether counseling families in the urban clinic he founded or ministering to patients on the medical mission he
organized, Dr. Paeglow, say colleagues, is "driven by a moral imperative to advocate for the health and well-being of the most vulnerable patients, and to educate and foster this idealism in the next generation of physicians."
A former radiation safety specialist who discovered his true calling later in life, "Dr. Bob," as he is known to patients and students, is assistant professor in the department of family and community medicine at the Albany Medical College (AMC). He received his B.S. in biology from
the State University of New York at Albany, and before entering AMC at age 36, worked at the Albany County Department of Public Health and later AMC's Radiation Safety Office.
As the AMC class of 1994's oldest member, Dr. Paeglow gave new meaning to the term "non-traditional student" by embarking early on a path that would truly be unique. As a first-year medical student, his leadership and service skills made such an impression that he received the
Richard Shapiro Award for the greatest contribution to the freshman class. As a fourth-year student, his growing interest in caring for underserved groups led to his joining a medical mission to post-civil war Mozambique. Since then, he has led more than 20 missions of students,
residents and nurses to developing nations in Africa, South America, and the Caribbean, often during his vacation time, and often at his own financial expense.
At home in Albany, Dr. Paeglow has made similar financial sacrifices to keep the Capital Region Prayer and Healing Center (Koinonia Health Center)--the neighborhood clinic he founded in 2002--up and running. Located in the city's poorest and most crime-ridden area (the West Hill
neighborhood in which he grew up), the clinic's mission, as written by Paeglow, is to provide healthcare to "every patient regardless of economic status, social standing, religious or cultural beliefs." Dr. Paeglow's passion to help underserved patients was so deep that he worked
without a salary, often giving what little he had to those who were penniless. "I was amazed to see the compassion and love he had for his patients," said Sanjay Thomas, M.D., a fellow student at AMC. "He saw past their physical ailments to the person suffering inside."
It is that compassion which has inspired a new generation of physicians to consider following Dr. Paeglow's path. "Without people like him, the humanity of medicine is lost," says one student. His lectures, courses and programs are so popular, that they are often oversubscribed.
One such course is a cultural diversity elective he developed, where first year medical students sign up to learn about cultural competence; work in urban ghettoes, Indian reservations, AIDS treatment centers, or psychiatric hospitals; and then share their experiences with other
students via online focus groups. Another popular Paeglow initiative, Care from the Start, provides students with firsthand experience caring for inner city patients. In addition to helping students hone their clinical skills, the program teaches them how to advocate on behalf of
patients, and how to help those patients overcome barriers to care.
In addition to the many accolades Dr. Paeglow has received from students and colleagues alike, the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine honored him in 2003 with its first-ever Power to Change Our World Award.
Nominate a deserving individual for the Humanism in Medicine Award, and view a list of previous award recipients.
Weiko Lin, Visiting Assistant Professor
BA, 1997, University of California at Los Angeles
MFA, Film and TV Screenwriting, 2002,University of California at Los Angeles
Awards
Samuel Goldywn Writing Award
William J. and Lee Phillip Bell "Young and the Restless" Fellowship
David C. Baumgarten Endowed Award for musical theatre
Edna and Yu-Shan Han Award in screenwriting
Research Areas
Playwriting/Screenwriting
Biography
Weiko Lin (Visiting Assistant Professor) teaches playwriting and screenwriting. He received his MFA from UCLA where he received numerous awards including the prestigious Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award. His two full-length musicals, Parachute Kid and Heavenly Peace were
produced at UCLA's Royce Hall. His work has also been produced at the East West Players David Henry Hwang Theatre, the Veteran's Wadsworth Theatre, and the Century Playhouse. As co-writer and associate producer, his most recent work is on the indie action feature film
DEAD MULE SUITCASE starring Robin Shou (MORTAL KOMBAT, BEVERLY HILLS NINJA) and Linden Ashby (MORTAL KOMBAT, WILD THINGS 2). It's slated for production in 2006. Weiko currently workshopped his new play The Best Man at David Henry Hwang Theater and writing an
untitled action thriller screenplay.
BA, 1997, University of California at Los Angeles
MFA, Film and TV Screenwriting, 2002,University of California at Los Angeles
Awards
Samuel Goldywn Writing Award
William J. and Lee Phillip Bell "Young and the Restless" Fellowship
David C. Baumgarten Endowed Award for musical theatre
Edna and Yu-Shan Han Award in screenwriting
Research Areas
Playwriting/Screenwriting
Biography
Weiko Lin (Visiting Assistant Professor) teaches playwriting and screenwriting. He received his MFA from UCLA where he received numerous awards including the prestigious Samuel Goldwyn Writing Award. His two full-length musicals, Parachute Kid and Heavenly Peace were
produced at UCLA's Royce Hall. His work has also been produced at the East West Players David Henry Hwang Theatre, the Veteran's Wadsworth Theatre, and the Century Playhouse. As co-writer and associate producer, his most recent work is on the indie action feature film
DEAD MULE SUITCASE starring Robin Shou (MORTAL KOMBAT, BEVERLY HILLS NINJA) and Linden Ashby (MORTAL KOMBAT, WILD THINGS 2). It's slated for production in 2006. Weiko currently workshopped his new play The Best Man at David Henry Hwang Theater and writing an
untitled action thriller screenplay.
J. Stephen McColgan, M.D., MBA
Dr. J. Stephen McColgan was born in Boston and graduated from Boston University, Summa Cum Laude. He then attended medical school at Boston University School of Medicine in Massachusetts. He completed his general surgery training at the University of California, Irvine,
where he serves as a clinical instructor of surgery. In addition he spent time training as a cardiovascular research fellow, and then received his Masters in Business Administration from the University of California, Irvine. Dr. McColgan has extensive training in a wide variety of
advanced laparoscopic surgical procedures. He has applied his skills to laparoscopic gastric bypass, with excellent results.
Dr. McColgan has chaired the department of surgery at various medical centers, most recently Bellflower Medical Center. He also contributes his time to the American Heart Association as a member of the board of directors.
Dr. J. Stephen McColgan was born in Boston and graduated from Boston University, Summa Cum Laude. He then attended medical school at Boston University School of Medicine in Massachusetts. He completed his general surgery training at the University of California, Irvine,
where he serves as a clinical instructor of surgery. In addition he spent time training as a cardiovascular research fellow, and then received his Masters in Business Administration from the University of California, Irvine. Dr. McColgan has extensive training in a wide variety of
advanced laparoscopic surgical procedures. He has applied his skills to laparoscopic gastric bypass, with excellent results.
Dr. McColgan has chaired the department of surgery at various medical centers, most recently Bellflower Medical Center. He also contributes his time to the American Heart Association as a member of the board of directors.
Steven C. Nock
snock@sheppardmullin.com
Steven C. Nock is a partner in the Real Estate Department in the firm's Orange County Office. Steve is married to Kathy Lee, our Spokesperson Dawna's sister, who is a Harvard Law School graduate. Kathy works as a lawyer for Orange County, California.
Areas of Practice
Mr. Nock is a real estate attorney specializing in commercial leasing, commercial purchase and sale transactions and real-estate secured loan transactions and workouts.
Mr. Nock has extensive experience with all types of commercial leases, including high-rise office leases, large build-to-suit warehouse leases, retail anchor and shop leases and industrial building leases.
Professional Qualifications and Activities
snock@sheppardmullin.com
Steven C. Nock is a partner in the Real Estate Department in the firm's Orange County Office. Steve is married to Kathy Lee, our Spokesperson Dawna's sister, who is a Harvard Law School graduate. Kathy works as a lawyer for Orange County, California.
Areas of Practice
Mr. Nock is a real estate attorney specializing in commercial leasing, commercial purchase and sale transactions and real-estate secured loan transactions and workouts.
Mr. Nock has extensive experience with all types of commercial leases, including high-rise office leases, large build-to-suit warehouse leases, retail anchor and shop leases and industrial building leases.
Professional Qualifications and Activities
- Mr. Nock was in-house general counsel for 4 years to a group of subsidiaries of Pacific Enterprises (parent of Southern California Gas Company) that developed, leased, sold and syndicated apartment projects, business parks and mid-rise office buildings. During his tenure
at Sheppard Mullin, Mr. Nock was "on-loan" for 6 months to Bank of America's legal department, handling leasing and bank-owned property matters.
- Mr. Nock is an active lecturer in the UC Irvine extension program for real estate developers and is a member of its advisory board. He is also on the board of Irvine Temporary Housing.
- Representative Transactions
- Represented a building owner in negotiating a 50,000 square foot office building lease with Carolco Pictures, Inc. in West Hollywood.
- Represented Bank of America in negotiating several bank branch leases.
- Represented Mossimo, Inc., in negotiating (i) its first retail lease at South Coast Plaza, in Costa Mesa, California, and (ii) its first wholesale showroom lease in New York City.
- Represented Whirlpool Corporation in negotiating a 766,000 square foot build-to-suit warehouse lease in the City of Ontario;
- Represented Coopervision in negotiating a 225,000 square foot build-to-suit manufacturing facility lease in the Irvine Spectrum;
- Represented the Austin Company in negotiating a 50,000 square foot office lease with a profit participation in the City of Irvine;
- Represented Prudential Residential Services Company in reviewing and coordinating the assignment of all of its real estate brokerage office leases in California in connection with a sale of its real estate brokerage business;
- Prepared lease forms and negotiated anchor retail leases for several shopping center owners.
Dr. Jack Fujimoto
He is the eldest son and the brother of Fumie Lee, a registered nurse and mother of our own Dawna Lee Heising. Their brother is Tak Fujimoto, who was the Director of Cinematography on "Silence of the Lambs", "Sixth Sense" and "Philadelphia". Dr. Jack Fujimoto is very
well-known for his service in the Japanese community in Los Angeles . He is the former Dean of Pierce College and is the President of the Japanese American Historical Society of Southern California.
Five Presidents at Once
11/9/2005
Five presidents of Pierce College visited campus Nov. 8 as part of a celebration of the history of the college. Incumbent President Dr. Thomas W. Oliver welcomed Rocky Young, now L.A. Community College District chancellor, Jack Fujimoto, Daniel Means and Herbert Ravetch
to a reception to honor the presidents as well as the history of the college. "It is important to look back as we move forward. We are going through one of the great growing periods in the history of our college but we should never forget the way it once was and those men and
women who made this college what it has become," Oliver said. Each former president spoke fondly of memories of Pierce and their time to lead the college. Nearly 100 campus members dropped by to greet the esteemed group.
Japanese American Historical Society of Southern California
Dr. Jack Fujimoto, President
P.O. Box 3164
Torrance, CA 90510-3164
(310) 324-2874
He is the eldest son and the brother of Fumie Lee, a registered nurse and mother of our own Dawna Lee Heising. Their brother is Tak Fujimoto, who was the Director of Cinematography on "Silence of the Lambs", "Sixth Sense" and "Philadelphia". Dr. Jack Fujimoto is very
well-known for his service in the Japanese community in Los Angeles . He is the former Dean of Pierce College and is the President of the Japanese American Historical Society of Southern California.
Five Presidents at Once
11/9/2005
Five presidents of Pierce College visited campus Nov. 8 as part of a celebration of the history of the college. Incumbent President Dr. Thomas W. Oliver welcomed Rocky Young, now L.A. Community College District chancellor, Jack Fujimoto, Daniel Means and Herbert Ravetch
to a reception to honor the presidents as well as the history of the college. "It is important to look back as we move forward. We are going through one of the great growing periods in the history of our college but we should never forget the way it once was and those men and
women who made this college what it has become," Oliver said. Each former president spoke fondly of memories of Pierce and their time to lead the college. Nearly 100 campus members dropped by to greet the esteemed group.
Japanese American Historical Society of Southern California
Dr. Jack Fujimoto, President
P.O. Box 3164
Torrance, CA 90510-3164
(310) 324-2874
Jesse Saenz
Jesse has been involved in pageantry for almost sixteen years. His love for pageantry started when his sister Shawna started competing at the age of six. Jesse choreographed all of his sister's routines during her fifteen year pageant career, helping her win several national
supreme titles. When she decided to slow down on competing, he decided to branch out and help others. Jesse's business, Mr. Jesse Glamour Girls was officially founded in 2005. He specializes in coaching, consulting, clothing design and decorating. Over the past year, his
business has widely expanded and his girls have won numerous state and national level titles!! Jesse also works at his local elementary school with special education children and has done so for the past 8 years. With his love of both children and pageantry, we believe that this is
why his business continues to grow and Mr. Jesse's Glamour Girls continue to rock the stage!!
Jesse has been involved in pageantry for almost sixteen years. His love for pageantry started when his sister Shawna started competing at the age of six. Jesse choreographed all of his sister's routines during her fifteen year pageant career, helping her win several national
supreme titles. When she decided to slow down on competing, he decided to branch out and help others. Jesse's business, Mr. Jesse Glamour Girls was officially founded in 2005. He specializes in coaching, consulting, clothing design and decorating. Over the past year, his
business has widely expanded and his girls have won numerous state and national level titles!! Jesse also works at his local elementary school with special education children and has done so for the past 8 years. With his love of both children and pageantry, we believe that this is
why his business continues to grow and Mr. Jesse's Glamour Girls continue to rock the stage!!
Professor Don Lee (Father of our own Dawna Lee Heising)
He was born in China and went to Stanford and USC. He has a M.S. and MBA from Ryder College . He has 21 patents for his engineering work. Recently, he graduated from Claremont with an MBA and a teaching credential (in his 70’s!) and teaches math and chemistry in high
school. Mr. Lee is a recently retired Electronics Engineer from Raytheon Corporation (maker of the Patriot anti-missile defense system) and is currently starting his second year of teaching Math and Science at South Hills High School. Mr. Lee received his engineering training at
USC after serving three years with the US Air Force. He received a BSEE and MSEE from USC and his MA and credential from Claremont Graduate University. Mr. Lee enjoys classical music, hiking, art, and spending time with his grandchildren (when they are available). He is a
certified genius – his IQ is 158.
He was born in China and went to Stanford and USC. He has a M.S. and MBA from Ryder College . He has 21 patents for his engineering work. Recently, he graduated from Claremont with an MBA and a teaching credential (in his 70’s!) and teaches math and chemistry in high
school. Mr. Lee is a recently retired Electronics Engineer from Raytheon Corporation (maker of the Patriot anti-missile defense system) and is currently starting his second year of teaching Math and Science at South Hills High School. Mr. Lee received his engineering training at
USC after serving three years with the US Air Force. He received a BSEE and MSEE from USC and his MA and credential from Claremont Graduate University. Mr. Lee enjoys classical music, hiking, art, and spending time with his grandchildren (when they are available). He is a
certified genius – his IQ is 158.
Uldarico Arandia Casas Elizalde Santisteban
A biography is defined as a written account of the series of events that make up a person’s life. This autobiography was initially requested by my Cousin Maria Venus Arandia Quejada Rivera-Day and Brother Russell Pecore of MIM (USA). This bio would have not been written if
not from the information provided to me by my aunt, Beatriz Santisteban, an alumnus of Colegeio Del Beaterio, who raised me from the crib to adulthood. Spanish and Philippine history was also consulted to cross-check what is known in my family as against what is in the text and
history. The result is astonishingly correlated with what my aunt told me and what is in Spanish-Philippine history:
1) Ancestral background:
When I was growing up, my aunt, Beatriz C. Santisteban, sister of my father Constancio, repeatedly remind me that we have two priests in our ancestral history. Any growing child normally pays little attention about what was told to them, unless it is relevant to a child needs. In my
particular case, I want to know the truth about my mother, where is my mother? Why I do not have any nearest relatives? As I grow-up I never know of any surviving grandparents. She gave a plausible answer that her father (which is my grandfather, Nicasio) was the only child in
our side of the family, whereas there were four siblings on the other side. In other words, at the beginning, there were two these brothers, who owns cattle ranch in Gumaca, Province of Tayabas renamed: Quezon. The eldest of the two, has only one child, and that is my
grandfather, Nicasio. The younger brother has four children. My grandfather’s father was killed and the strong motive was to get hold of the Royal Decree document. This obvious sibling disparity became the obvious motive why the Royal Decree paper was stolen from my great
grandfather. At the time of my great grandfather’s death, my grandfather Nicasio was a minor. He was “promised” that he will get his fair share of the Royal Decree document once he reaches his age of maturity. The said promised never took place to these days.
Right from childhood, I was already informed of the historical sibling rivalry, leading to the killing and stolen document. I spend part of my teen years in Pasig, Rizal and the other side of the family knew my existence. Yet they made no effort to accept me. In search of truth, I
disobeyed instruction from my auntie, not to look for the other side of the family. One day, I knock into the palatial home located near a movie theater, Victoria. I met one of the four siblings in the other side of the family, Rosa Santisteban. She is my grandfather Nicasio’s first
cousin, hence she is the nearest of the Santisteban. Grandmother Rosa was just too thrilled and welcomed my effort to look for her. My auntie, Beatriz was not please by my action and rightly so. Little did I know after that encounter, my Grandmother Rosa took that opportunity and
granted me a piece of land. In the Philippines, no one give anything for nothing. Especially a piece of land without any plausible reason. The sad truth is, family feud over land property lead to the death of great-grand father. The gesture of giving me a piece of land appears to be a
token “replacement” for the huge land originally stipulated in the Royal Decree that is due me. I visited the “replacement piece of land” located several miles away from the main poblacion (Capasigan). That land was near Rizal Public High School.
The land stipulated in the Royal Decree legally belongs to my grandfather Nicasio. Nicasio has only two children, the eldest son, Constancio (my father) and youngest daughter, Beatriz. My father passed away when I was about 2. So the next to inherit the land is myAunt Beatriz.
Upon her passing, this author is next to inherit the land located at Capasigan (literally translated: Main town of Pasig). Today, Pasig is now part of Metro Manila suburb, when the original Manila was expanded engulfing several towns and cities around the old Manila. Some may
question why does the Santisteban family granted the Royal Decree document? There in only one Santisteban surname in the Spanish-Philippine history and that was the 43rd Spanish Governor-General Pedro Manuel Arandia Santisteban. It is customary for the King of Spain to
grant land after services to his Kingdom in the form of Royal Decree.
These centuries old turbulent family history combined with very few Santisteban surnames left around forced me into virtual “exile,” spending my teen years alone, desperately searching for love and identity even to this day. I do not even know my own mother, nor own any of her
pictures for me to recognize her face. Where is she? I was told she died, but where is her tomb? At least I know that my father passed-away. My Aunt Beatriz, being the last of her kind, must have recognized that she had to transfer to me our family history. I thank God for
providing me this crystal clear memory. I am still able to remember many details of my family history, their names and who they were in the Spanish-Philippine history. Besides the Royal decree, I also inherited the Agnus Dei explained in the following paragraph. It is apparent that
none of the Santisteban on the other side, sees the significance of this Sacramental religious item. They are more interested in the tangible items than the spiritual. This Agnus Dei, contains 16 first class relics of Saints. The Agnus Dei, according to written history was distributed
by the Holy Father during Eastern Sundays to Kings and Queens, to foreign dignitaries, and government officials. My aunt Beatriz repeatedly told me that we have two priests in our ancestry. Could anyone of these two priests originally own this Agnus Dei? These two priests’
ancestors turn out to be Fr. Jeronimo De Santisteban, OSA (1542-?), one of the first four priests to have first circumnavigated the world; and Bishop Manuel Lopez Santisteban (1783-1859), Bishop Emeritus of Avila, Spain. The Agnus Dei, an object of Christian devotion considered
“Sacramental” by the Catholic Church could have been owned by anyone of these priests is estimated to be 700 years old now.
2. Two major devastating events that made me a much stronger person than I thought:
A). Orphan at an early age of 2.
Immediately after I was born in July 4, 1939, my grandfather Nicasio took me home from Mary Child Hospital nursery crib minus my mother. Even to this day, what ever story there was about my mother, remains a mystery. My aunt remained reluctant to provide details of my
mother’s “disappearance.” It must have been very painful for a mother who carries the fetus for nine months and after giving birth; never given a chance to hold and raise her own child. My “disappearance” caused her to suffer from Post Partum Depression and was hospitalized at
Mandalayong Mental Hospital all the way into the 50’s or 60’s without my knowing it. All I was told, my father met my mother during his tour of duty as an architect assigned to San Jose De Buena Vista, province of Antique. The two got married and upon their return to Manila, the
newly wed was immediately turned away by my grandfather, Nicasio Santisteban.
At the time of my birth, my grandparents reside inside the compound of Lithographia de Carmelo Y Bauermann (Carmelo and Bauermann Printing Press). The Lithographia earned the recognition of the longest printing press in the Philippines of their time. We are related to the
founder Eulalio Carmelo by marriage to Dona Toribia Santisteban. Then Don Eulalio Carmelo became a widower. The family thought of who else can better take care of his orphaned children, decided to marry the first cousin of his wife, Maxima Casas Santisteban. The most famous
of the Don Eulalio’s children was Alfredo Santisteban Carmelo, who in his own rights became the first Filipino pilot, an accomplished entrepreneur, a sportsman and a painter. My aunt remembered her uncle Alfredo own a Biplane and regularly used Azcarraga Street (now renamed:
CM Recto Ave.) as his backyard airfield. Those were the time when there were no electric post to worry and the entire vicinity was just grassy field as far as one eye’s can see. There were only two existing building, that of Magnolia Milk Company and the compound of printing press
itself. My grandfather Nicasio Casas Santisteban skill as a lithographer came handy for the printing business. He designs and lithograph news events, portraits and transfer them by hand etching on stones. Those where the time when photography was not even yet conceived nor
invented. The finished stories etched on stones were then pressed to make books and newspapers. As an immediate family member, my grandfather was allowed to stay within the compound and raise his family. The Carmelo Printing Press is originally located next to Far Eastern
University. We are also within walking distance to the famed Black Nazarene of Quiapo Church, where I was baptized and confirmed and became an altar server.
In contrast, my mother whose complete history is completely unknown to my grandparent compared to our status of the time is a reminder and a foreboding reminder for me to follow my father’s footstep and avoid similar pitfalls. Meaning, the family rules states when my turns
come, my future wife had to be born in Manila. My Dad topped the Government Board of Architecture exam. He was one among the first batch graduate of the College of Architecture, Mapua Institute of Technology. Unfortunately, my father did not live long enough to enjoy his
profession or see me grow up. During my father’s short life, there was that devastating Tuberculosis outbreak in the Philippines and several countries world-wide. Hundreds if not thousand died. The local medical community was caught unprepared to deal with the outbreak with
no known medical treatment. Thousands succumb to the deadly malady. Among the prominent victims was Manuel L. Quezon, lst President of the Philippine Commonwealth. President Quezon would be remembered as the one who staunchly fought for the cause of Philippine
Independence. He delivered his famous speech in the US Congress said: “I’d rather have a government run like hell by Filipinos than a government run like heaven by the Americans.” President Quezon never lived to see his dream witnessing the Philippine finally was granted
Independence, July 4, 1946 nor lived to see that the Philippines governments are NOW run like hell by Filipinos. Despite effort to seek treatment abroad, on August 1, 1944. President Quezon died in Saranac, New York. Similarly, my father passed away, leaving me completely orphan
around the age of two. My growing years was tough devoid of any known close relatives in either side of my parents except the sister of my father. The same year 1944 an American Biologist Selman Waksman and his associates developed the treatment against a bacillus
pathogen. Thus streptomycin became the first major treatment for tuberculosis. The treatment came rather too late for thousands of victims and died nonetheless. Not long thereafter, a different kind of problem engulfs European nations. Germany was at war and was already
marching across Europe capturing Jews all over and sending them to their death by the millions.
b) My aunt and myself sole survivor of Bae, Laguna massacre:
December 8, 1941 that fateful morning when several squadrons of Japanese planes made a complete surprised attacked and bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. United States suffered tremendous lost of 4,575 servicemen. Upon completion of Japanese mission, on their way back
home to Japan, the invading Japanese airplanes had to pass the Philippine Islands also attacked Nichol’s US Airbase (now known as Manila International Airport) and similarly destroyed the airfield. It must be somewhere at the beginning of WWII that my grandfather must have
died. I never recalled seeing neither him dead nor my aunt ever mentioning about when and how he died. Japan an ally of Germany was in full swing conquering South East Asian countries and some parts of Russia. Meanwhile Japan has already landed in Northern Luzon and fast
closing in to capture the City of Manila. The Carmelo’s directed my aunt, Beatriz to evacuate to Bae, Laguna. This time, it’s only this writer, my cousin, Seraphia De La Cruz and my aunt left to fend for our selves. Throughout the war, my aunt managed successfully the rice mills
owned by the Carmelo. True to his famous war cry and promised: “I shall return”, General Douglas McArthur spearheaded his returning liberating forces across Midway Island of the Pacific toward the Philippines. Japanese soldiers confiscated the Rice Mills from my aunt, padlock
it with unknown captured guerillas and burnt it to the ground! The towns people initially escaped with their lives in a nearby make shift air raid shelter. However, the Japanese soldiers discovered the flimsy coconut leaves covered hiding place. Everyone was ordered to come-out,
only to die by bayoneted! My cousin Seraphia was among those killed. She was actually the first to come out, followed by my aunt and myself. My aunt saw her niece went down twice stuck with bayonet. Even as death was staring directly at her face, she managed to tell me never
to let go holding her skirt. She knew the power of Agnus Dei and the power rest upon who is wearing it. I followed her instruction as we walk toward the waiting Japs. My aunt was carrying two huge bags, filled with Japanese currency, income from the Rice Mills she manages.
She has to bring that income for remittal to her great-grandfather, Eulalio Carmelo. The soldiers got curious at the two huge bags. When they saw the money, they pocketed some and motioned my aunt free to go. The last tally turns out that my aunt and I was the sole survivor in
that Bae, Laguna massacre. In the end the Agnus Dei has saved our lives, as expressly written.
3) Personal accomplishments and failures.
After the liberation of the Philippines, my aunt immediately enrolled me at Ateneo De Manila, in Fadre Faura, Ermita, Manila, site of the famed Manila Observatory. Evidently, the war prevented my earlier enrolment, hence I was about 3 to 5 years older than the required age of _____.
In the end, whatever surviving building left over after the war, became our classroom. The famed Manila Observatory located inside Ateneo De Manila ground, was partially destroyed and many surrounding buildings was replaced with the Military round top galvanized roofing. I
surmised that the school was briefly occupied by the US Armed forces before turning them back to the Jesuits administration. After two years, our funds were almost gone and some of our distant relatives in Pasig, asked us to move there. So we have to move to Pasig midway
during the school year. I was temporarily accepted at Colegio Del Buen Consejo, all girls’ school. Imagine am the only male.! Having come with Ateneo De Manila background, I was immediately admired both by the students and faculty members. I easily stand out having been able to
communicate fluently in English. At the end of the school year, I moved to the regular co-ed Pasig Catholic School. Where my religious formation and exposure continues under the Belgian priest. This is where I begun serving the Mass in Latin during the Pre-Vatican 1I era. My aunt
Beatriz was relentless in making sure that I understand the meaning of Eucharistic Mass, a philosophy she learned as a student of Colegio Del Beaterio founded by Mother Ignacia Del Espiritu Santo. Shaped as a child in the spirit of the Holy Eucharist I found myself devoted to the
Blessed Sacrament. Today, I am an Extraordinary Minister of Eucharist faithfully delivering the Sacred host to the sick and homebound.
Throughout my elementary, high school and college years, I often find myself at the top of the class, earning honors. Making my aunt happy in her knowledge that I inherited the intelligence of my father. Many of my school projects were tack on the bulletin board and rarely returned
to me. Unlike other growing boys in and around the neighborhood, on weekends, I frequent the Church and learned my Latin, in preparation for the Latin Mass of that Vatican I era, where priest says their Mass facing the Altar with their back against the congregation.
I have no recollection exactly when we moved back to Manila, it was having been during my 2nd year high school. When our next door neighbor to Carmelo Printing Press heard of our pitiful fate, she asked us to move-in to her residence. She knew my grandfather when they were
young. I can no longer remember her name, but she gave us roof over our head for free. As an alumnus of Beaterio, my aunt does not have any working skill to be able to join the general working public populated by the male gender. Women of her era are sending to school simply
to learn how to become a good wife and raise a family. Only the male children are sending to college, as the man are to suppose to be the bread earner to support his family. My aunt was obviously troubled that she can literally can no longer provide my education. I work
wherever I can odd jobs here and there. Am literally on my own, but I never give up. Unlike youth of my age, I did not enjoy the things they were doing. My mind is focus in search for our next meal. I went to University of Santo Tomas, High School Department, approach Fr. Katigbak,
the HS principal and told him about my story and my desire to continue my education. The good principal saw something in me and offered me to continue my school for free and in return, I would have to work as a school janitor. I took the job, earned some allowance money that put
food on the table. At the end of my high school education instead of attending the graduation, I got myself a high school ring for a souvenir. I still have that ring to this day.
During my High School years, I’d shown leadership ability and was chosen to command a Company as Captain of the PMT Cadet Corps. After graduating HS, in 1959, I was assigned by the Philippine National Red Cross to go to Boac, Marinduque following local disaster. There I met
the Local PNRC Marinduque Chapter Administrator, Dr. Luisa Montelleano. When she learned of my flight, her family offered me scholarship if I agree to take Dentistry in UP College of Dentistry. In short, I was offered to take over their family dental clinic. I took the opportunity,
although my choice was actually Medicine. While in UP, my skills learned while in the Military high school training help qualified me to join the Model Company of the UP ROTC cadet corps. In a nutshell, I got to UP as a result of one good soul from Boac, Marinduque but with a string
attached. Religious leaning continuous to show in my activities. I was active with the Student Catholic Action and as well with my military training. It was in UP I first heard of the word: Psychology, got fully evaluated for career guidance counseling. Against advice from my
sponsor, I enrolled at UP Fadre Faura just across my primary school: Ateneo de Manila. I feel am back where I started. My scholarship was withdrawn when they learned that I drop out of Dental studies. Low on cash, I left UP Diliman and got to Adamson University, at first working
in the admission office. In my last two years, I qualified for full University Scholarship. My last two years of College was completely free, provided I maintain 4 averages. I joined the Editorial Staff of the university. Meanwhile, the Philippines were experiencing great political turmoil,
many students were joining communist leaning organizations. I recognized the difference and was active in pro-democratic movement. I became active against Communism. The Philippine Government recognized my effort and at the end of my college, I was eventually awarded by
the Philippine Congress as an Anti Communist leader. I graduated with honor: Cum Laude. Unlike my peers, all throughout the years I was pursuing my education, my aunt and are low in cash. I did not enjoy other peers enjoyed. No movies, none of the courtships, gangs, etc.
How can I. At home, we have more immediate problem. On many occasion, we do not even know where our next meal will come from. All we have are our faith in God.
After college, I briefly taught in college, at the same time going through my Post graduate studies at the University of Santo Thomas. In was during my high years that I first fell in love. I met this medical student from MCU, Clarita Alvarez. Our love was pure and holy, until someone
forced her to marry him. Still wringing from devastating pain after losing my first love, it was during that period that I eventually met Cecilia, born of course in Manila and we got married with my aunt’s approval. It turns out that I can’t forget my first love. Still broken hearted, I planned
to leave the country for good. With Cecille and her family’s help and approval, we left for the United States. Today we have two beautiful daughter, both born in New York City. Christine, a NYC Math Champion, two time valedictorian, Cum Laude from Fordham, one published research
from Rockefeller University, a Registered Dietitian from NY State and now 4th year medical student from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Younger sister Constance recently promoted as Senior Editorial Assistant, Wiley Publishing Company, the oldest and biggest publishing in the US.
Like Christine, Constance brought prestige and honor seen through our ancestral history.
Before I have my two daughters, I got accepted at Teacher’s College, Columbia University, NYC. After three years of Postgraduate studies, I earned my Masters in Psychology, specializing in Clinical Psychology. Looking back, it is evident that despite overwhelming life challenges,
that God’s hand evidently guided me all throughout my life. Raised by an aunt with incredible religiosity, I became staunchly devoted to the Holy Eucharist; just as she learned from the teachings of Mother Ignacia. My aunt never failing in advice to remain humble and to endure
whatever life trials brings forth. All these possibly explain why wherever I went, I am virtually associated and known by the Parish wherever I resided. Today, am one of the original founding members of the Filipino Diocesan Apostolate of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Following 1995
10th World Youth Day in Luneta, Philippines, the Holy Father Pope John Paul 11 announced the departure of the Image of Mary bound for the United States. I felt humbled and honored to be assigned by the Filipino Diocesan Apostolate, Diocese of Brooklyn to accept 175 years old
duplicate image of Nuestra Señora De La Paz & Buen Viaje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage) also known as Our Lady of Antipolo. My job is accompanying the traveling Image in 10 church
A biography is defined as a written account of the series of events that make up a person’s life. This autobiography was initially requested by my Cousin Maria Venus Arandia Quejada Rivera-Day and Brother Russell Pecore of MIM (USA). This bio would have not been written if
not from the information provided to me by my aunt, Beatriz Santisteban, an alumnus of Colegeio Del Beaterio, who raised me from the crib to adulthood. Spanish and Philippine history was also consulted to cross-check what is known in my family as against what is in the text and
history. The result is astonishingly correlated with what my aunt told me and what is in Spanish-Philippine history:
1) Ancestral background:
When I was growing up, my aunt, Beatriz C. Santisteban, sister of my father Constancio, repeatedly remind me that we have two priests in our ancestral history. Any growing child normally pays little attention about what was told to them, unless it is relevant to a child needs. In my
particular case, I want to know the truth about my mother, where is my mother? Why I do not have any nearest relatives? As I grow-up I never know of any surviving grandparents. She gave a plausible answer that her father (which is my grandfather, Nicasio) was the only child in
our side of the family, whereas there were four siblings on the other side. In other words, at the beginning, there were two these brothers, who owns cattle ranch in Gumaca, Province of Tayabas renamed: Quezon. The eldest of the two, has only one child, and that is my
grandfather, Nicasio. The younger brother has four children. My grandfather’s father was killed and the strong motive was to get hold of the Royal Decree document. This obvious sibling disparity became the obvious motive why the Royal Decree paper was stolen from my great
grandfather. At the time of my great grandfather’s death, my grandfather Nicasio was a minor. He was “promised” that he will get his fair share of the Royal Decree document once he reaches his age of maturity. The said promised never took place to these days.
Right from childhood, I was already informed of the historical sibling rivalry, leading to the killing and stolen document. I spend part of my teen years in Pasig, Rizal and the other side of the family knew my existence. Yet they made no effort to accept me. In search of truth, I
disobeyed instruction from my auntie, not to look for the other side of the family. One day, I knock into the palatial home located near a movie theater, Victoria. I met one of the four siblings in the other side of the family, Rosa Santisteban. She is my grandfather Nicasio’s first
cousin, hence she is the nearest of the Santisteban. Grandmother Rosa was just too thrilled and welcomed my effort to look for her. My auntie, Beatriz was not please by my action and rightly so. Little did I know after that encounter, my Grandmother Rosa took that opportunity and
granted me a piece of land. In the Philippines, no one give anything for nothing. Especially a piece of land without any plausible reason. The sad truth is, family feud over land property lead to the death of great-grand father. The gesture of giving me a piece of land appears to be a
token “replacement” for the huge land originally stipulated in the Royal Decree that is due me. I visited the “replacement piece of land” located several miles away from the main poblacion (Capasigan). That land was near Rizal Public High School.
The land stipulated in the Royal Decree legally belongs to my grandfather Nicasio. Nicasio has only two children, the eldest son, Constancio (my father) and youngest daughter, Beatriz. My father passed away when I was about 2. So the next to inherit the land is myAunt Beatriz.
Upon her passing, this author is next to inherit the land located at Capasigan (literally translated: Main town of Pasig). Today, Pasig is now part of Metro Manila suburb, when the original Manila was expanded engulfing several towns and cities around the old Manila. Some may
question why does the Santisteban family granted the Royal Decree document? There in only one Santisteban surname in the Spanish-Philippine history and that was the 43rd Spanish Governor-General Pedro Manuel Arandia Santisteban. It is customary for the King of Spain to
grant land after services to his Kingdom in the form of Royal Decree.
These centuries old turbulent family history combined with very few Santisteban surnames left around forced me into virtual “exile,” spending my teen years alone, desperately searching for love and identity even to this day. I do not even know my own mother, nor own any of her
pictures for me to recognize her face. Where is she? I was told she died, but where is her tomb? At least I know that my father passed-away. My Aunt Beatriz, being the last of her kind, must have recognized that she had to transfer to me our family history. I thank God for
providing me this crystal clear memory. I am still able to remember many details of my family history, their names and who they were in the Spanish-Philippine history. Besides the Royal decree, I also inherited the Agnus Dei explained in the following paragraph. It is apparent that
none of the Santisteban on the other side, sees the significance of this Sacramental religious item. They are more interested in the tangible items than the spiritual. This Agnus Dei, contains 16 first class relics of Saints. The Agnus Dei, according to written history was distributed
by the Holy Father during Eastern Sundays to Kings and Queens, to foreign dignitaries, and government officials. My aunt Beatriz repeatedly told me that we have two priests in our ancestry. Could anyone of these two priests originally own this Agnus Dei? These two priests’
ancestors turn out to be Fr. Jeronimo De Santisteban, OSA (1542-?), one of the first four priests to have first circumnavigated the world; and Bishop Manuel Lopez Santisteban (1783-1859), Bishop Emeritus of Avila, Spain. The Agnus Dei, an object of Christian devotion considered
“Sacramental” by the Catholic Church could have been owned by anyone of these priests is estimated to be 700 years old now.
2. Two major devastating events that made me a much stronger person than I thought:
A). Orphan at an early age of 2.
Immediately after I was born in July 4, 1939, my grandfather Nicasio took me home from Mary Child Hospital nursery crib minus my mother. Even to this day, what ever story there was about my mother, remains a mystery. My aunt remained reluctant to provide details of my
mother’s “disappearance.” It must have been very painful for a mother who carries the fetus for nine months and after giving birth; never given a chance to hold and raise her own child. My “disappearance” caused her to suffer from Post Partum Depression and was hospitalized at
Mandalayong Mental Hospital all the way into the 50’s or 60’s without my knowing it. All I was told, my father met my mother during his tour of duty as an architect assigned to San Jose De Buena Vista, province of Antique. The two got married and upon their return to Manila, the
newly wed was immediately turned away by my grandfather, Nicasio Santisteban.
At the time of my birth, my grandparents reside inside the compound of Lithographia de Carmelo Y Bauermann (Carmelo and Bauermann Printing Press). The Lithographia earned the recognition of the longest printing press in the Philippines of their time. We are related to the
founder Eulalio Carmelo by marriage to Dona Toribia Santisteban. Then Don Eulalio Carmelo became a widower. The family thought of who else can better take care of his orphaned children, decided to marry the first cousin of his wife, Maxima Casas Santisteban. The most famous
of the Don Eulalio’s children was Alfredo Santisteban Carmelo, who in his own rights became the first Filipino pilot, an accomplished entrepreneur, a sportsman and a painter. My aunt remembered her uncle Alfredo own a Biplane and regularly used Azcarraga Street (now renamed:
CM Recto Ave.) as his backyard airfield. Those were the time when there were no electric post to worry and the entire vicinity was just grassy field as far as one eye’s can see. There were only two existing building, that of Magnolia Milk Company and the compound of printing press
itself. My grandfather Nicasio Casas Santisteban skill as a lithographer came handy for the printing business. He designs and lithograph news events, portraits and transfer them by hand etching on stones. Those where the time when photography was not even yet conceived nor
invented. The finished stories etched on stones were then pressed to make books and newspapers. As an immediate family member, my grandfather was allowed to stay within the compound and raise his family. The Carmelo Printing Press is originally located next to Far Eastern
University. We are also within walking distance to the famed Black Nazarene of Quiapo Church, where I was baptized and confirmed and became an altar server.
In contrast, my mother whose complete history is completely unknown to my grandparent compared to our status of the time is a reminder and a foreboding reminder for me to follow my father’s footstep and avoid similar pitfalls. Meaning, the family rules states when my turns
come, my future wife had to be born in Manila. My Dad topped the Government Board of Architecture exam. He was one among the first batch graduate of the College of Architecture, Mapua Institute of Technology. Unfortunately, my father did not live long enough to enjoy his
profession or see me grow up. During my father’s short life, there was that devastating Tuberculosis outbreak in the Philippines and several countries world-wide. Hundreds if not thousand died. The local medical community was caught unprepared to deal with the outbreak with
no known medical treatment. Thousands succumb to the deadly malady. Among the prominent victims was Manuel L. Quezon, lst President of the Philippine Commonwealth. President Quezon would be remembered as the one who staunchly fought for the cause of Philippine
Independence. He delivered his famous speech in the US Congress said: “I’d rather have a government run like hell by Filipinos than a government run like heaven by the Americans.” President Quezon never lived to see his dream witnessing the Philippine finally was granted
Independence, July 4, 1946 nor lived to see that the Philippines governments are NOW run like hell by Filipinos. Despite effort to seek treatment abroad, on August 1, 1944. President Quezon died in Saranac, New York. Similarly, my father passed away, leaving me completely orphan
around the age of two. My growing years was tough devoid of any known close relatives in either side of my parents except the sister of my father. The same year 1944 an American Biologist Selman Waksman and his associates developed the treatment against a bacillus
pathogen. Thus streptomycin became the first major treatment for tuberculosis. The treatment came rather too late for thousands of victims and died nonetheless. Not long thereafter, a different kind of problem engulfs European nations. Germany was at war and was already
marching across Europe capturing Jews all over and sending them to their death by the millions.
b) My aunt and myself sole survivor of Bae, Laguna massacre:
December 8, 1941 that fateful morning when several squadrons of Japanese planes made a complete surprised attacked and bombed Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. United States suffered tremendous lost of 4,575 servicemen. Upon completion of Japanese mission, on their way back
home to Japan, the invading Japanese airplanes had to pass the Philippine Islands also attacked Nichol’s US Airbase (now known as Manila International Airport) and similarly destroyed the airfield. It must be somewhere at the beginning of WWII that my grandfather must have
died. I never recalled seeing neither him dead nor my aunt ever mentioning about when and how he died. Japan an ally of Germany was in full swing conquering South East Asian countries and some parts of Russia. Meanwhile Japan has already landed in Northern Luzon and fast
closing in to capture the City of Manila. The Carmelo’s directed my aunt, Beatriz to evacuate to Bae, Laguna. This time, it’s only this writer, my cousin, Seraphia De La Cruz and my aunt left to fend for our selves. Throughout the war, my aunt managed successfully the rice mills
owned by the Carmelo. True to his famous war cry and promised: “I shall return”, General Douglas McArthur spearheaded his returning liberating forces across Midway Island of the Pacific toward the Philippines. Japanese soldiers confiscated the Rice Mills from my aunt, padlock
it with unknown captured guerillas and burnt it to the ground! The towns people initially escaped with their lives in a nearby make shift air raid shelter. However, the Japanese soldiers discovered the flimsy coconut leaves covered hiding place. Everyone was ordered to come-out,
only to die by bayoneted! My cousin Seraphia was among those killed. She was actually the first to come out, followed by my aunt and myself. My aunt saw her niece went down twice stuck with bayonet. Even as death was staring directly at her face, she managed to tell me never
to let go holding her skirt. She knew the power of Agnus Dei and the power rest upon who is wearing it. I followed her instruction as we walk toward the waiting Japs. My aunt was carrying two huge bags, filled with Japanese currency, income from the Rice Mills she manages.
She has to bring that income for remittal to her great-grandfather, Eulalio Carmelo. The soldiers got curious at the two huge bags. When they saw the money, they pocketed some and motioned my aunt free to go. The last tally turns out that my aunt and I was the sole survivor in
that Bae, Laguna massacre. In the end the Agnus Dei has saved our lives, as expressly written.
3) Personal accomplishments and failures.
After the liberation of the Philippines, my aunt immediately enrolled me at Ateneo De Manila, in Fadre Faura, Ermita, Manila, site of the famed Manila Observatory. Evidently, the war prevented my earlier enrolment, hence I was about 3 to 5 years older than the required age of _____.
In the end, whatever surviving building left over after the war, became our classroom. The famed Manila Observatory located inside Ateneo De Manila ground, was partially destroyed and many surrounding buildings was replaced with the Military round top galvanized roofing. I
surmised that the school was briefly occupied by the US Armed forces before turning them back to the Jesuits administration. After two years, our funds were almost gone and some of our distant relatives in Pasig, asked us to move there. So we have to move to Pasig midway
during the school year. I was temporarily accepted at Colegio Del Buen Consejo, all girls’ school. Imagine am the only male.! Having come with Ateneo De Manila background, I was immediately admired both by the students and faculty members. I easily stand out having been able to
communicate fluently in English. At the end of the school year, I moved to the regular co-ed Pasig Catholic School. Where my religious formation and exposure continues under the Belgian priest. This is where I begun serving the Mass in Latin during the Pre-Vatican 1I era. My aunt
Beatriz was relentless in making sure that I understand the meaning of Eucharistic Mass, a philosophy she learned as a student of Colegio Del Beaterio founded by Mother Ignacia Del Espiritu Santo. Shaped as a child in the spirit of the Holy Eucharist I found myself devoted to the
Blessed Sacrament. Today, I am an Extraordinary Minister of Eucharist faithfully delivering the Sacred host to the sick and homebound.
Throughout my elementary, high school and college years, I often find myself at the top of the class, earning honors. Making my aunt happy in her knowledge that I inherited the intelligence of my father. Many of my school projects were tack on the bulletin board and rarely returned
to me. Unlike other growing boys in and around the neighborhood, on weekends, I frequent the Church and learned my Latin, in preparation for the Latin Mass of that Vatican I era, where priest says their Mass facing the Altar with their back against the congregation.
I have no recollection exactly when we moved back to Manila, it was having been during my 2nd year high school. When our next door neighbor to Carmelo Printing Press heard of our pitiful fate, she asked us to move-in to her residence. She knew my grandfather when they were
young. I can no longer remember her name, but she gave us roof over our head for free. As an alumnus of Beaterio, my aunt does not have any working skill to be able to join the general working public populated by the male gender. Women of her era are sending to school simply
to learn how to become a good wife and raise a family. Only the male children are sending to college, as the man are to suppose to be the bread earner to support his family. My aunt was obviously troubled that she can literally can no longer provide my education. I work
wherever I can odd jobs here and there. Am literally on my own, but I never give up. Unlike youth of my age, I did not enjoy the things they were doing. My mind is focus in search for our next meal. I went to University of Santo Tomas, High School Department, approach Fr. Katigbak,
the HS principal and told him about my story and my desire to continue my education. The good principal saw something in me and offered me to continue my school for free and in return, I would have to work as a school janitor. I took the job, earned some allowance money that put
food on the table. At the end of my high school education instead of attending the graduation, I got myself a high school ring for a souvenir. I still have that ring to this day.
During my High School years, I’d shown leadership ability and was chosen to command a Company as Captain of the PMT Cadet Corps. After graduating HS, in 1959, I was assigned by the Philippine National Red Cross to go to Boac, Marinduque following local disaster. There I met
the Local PNRC Marinduque Chapter Administrator, Dr. Luisa Montelleano. When she learned of my flight, her family offered me scholarship if I agree to take Dentistry in UP College of Dentistry. In short, I was offered to take over their family dental clinic. I took the opportunity,
although my choice was actually Medicine. While in UP, my skills learned while in the Military high school training help qualified me to join the Model Company of the UP ROTC cadet corps. In a nutshell, I got to UP as a result of one good soul from Boac, Marinduque but with a string
attached. Religious leaning continuous to show in my activities. I was active with the Student Catholic Action and as well with my military training. It was in UP I first heard of the word: Psychology, got fully evaluated for career guidance counseling. Against advice from my
sponsor, I enrolled at UP Fadre Faura just across my primary school: Ateneo de Manila. I feel am back where I started. My scholarship was withdrawn when they learned that I drop out of Dental studies. Low on cash, I left UP Diliman and got to Adamson University, at first working
in the admission office. In my last two years, I qualified for full University Scholarship. My last two years of College was completely free, provided I maintain 4 averages. I joined the Editorial Staff of the university. Meanwhile, the Philippines were experiencing great political turmoil,
many students were joining communist leaning organizations. I recognized the difference and was active in pro-democratic movement. I became active against Communism. The Philippine Government recognized my effort and at the end of my college, I was eventually awarded by
the Philippine Congress as an Anti Communist leader. I graduated with honor: Cum Laude. Unlike my peers, all throughout the years I was pursuing my education, my aunt and are low in cash. I did not enjoy other peers enjoyed. No movies, none of the courtships, gangs, etc.
How can I. At home, we have more immediate problem. On many occasion, we do not even know where our next meal will come from. All we have are our faith in God.
After college, I briefly taught in college, at the same time going through my Post graduate studies at the University of Santo Thomas. In was during my high years that I first fell in love. I met this medical student from MCU, Clarita Alvarez. Our love was pure and holy, until someone
forced her to marry him. Still wringing from devastating pain after losing my first love, it was during that period that I eventually met Cecilia, born of course in Manila and we got married with my aunt’s approval. It turns out that I can’t forget my first love. Still broken hearted, I planned
to leave the country for good. With Cecille and her family’s help and approval, we left for the United States. Today we have two beautiful daughter, both born in New York City. Christine, a NYC Math Champion, two time valedictorian, Cum Laude from Fordham, one published research
from Rockefeller University, a Registered Dietitian from NY State and now 4th year medical student from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. Younger sister Constance recently promoted as Senior Editorial Assistant, Wiley Publishing Company, the oldest and biggest publishing in the US.
Like Christine, Constance brought prestige and honor seen through our ancestral history.
Before I have my two daughters, I got accepted at Teacher’s College, Columbia University, NYC. After three years of Postgraduate studies, I earned my Masters in Psychology, specializing in Clinical Psychology. Looking back, it is evident that despite overwhelming life challenges,
that God’s hand evidently guided me all throughout my life. Raised by an aunt with incredible religiosity, I became staunchly devoted to the Holy Eucharist; just as she learned from the teachings of Mother Ignacia. My aunt never failing in advice to remain humble and to endure
whatever life trials brings forth. All these possibly explain why wherever I went, I am virtually associated and known by the Parish wherever I resided. Today, am one of the original founding members of the Filipino Diocesan Apostolate of the Diocese of Brooklyn. Following 1995
10th World Youth Day in Luneta, Philippines, the Holy Father Pope John Paul 11 announced the departure of the Image of Mary bound for the United States. I felt humbled and honored to be assigned by the Filipino Diocesan Apostolate, Diocese of Brooklyn to accept 175 years old
duplicate image of Nuestra Señora De La Paz & Buen Viaje (Our Lady of Peace and Good Voyage) also known as Our Lady of Antipolo. My job is accompanying the traveling Image in 10 church