Pan American Day and  Scholarship Luncheon 

 

  

Keynote Speaker  

The Panamanian Ambassador to the United States 

 His Excellency Emanuel González‐Revilla   

The Union League of Philadelphia 

April 16, 2015 

 

 

The Pan American Association of Philadelphia

The Pan American Association of Philadelphia traces its roots to 1940 when a handful of individuals saw a need for a greater awareness of the Americas and decided to form an organization dedicated to that purpose. These individuals included two professors from the University of Pennsylvania: Dr. Arthur Whitaker, a leading Latin American expert who wrote more than a dozen books on the subject, and Dr. George Allen Mason, for many years head of its world renowned Anthropology Department; two physicians: Dr. Chevalier Jackson and Dr. Jorge Perez; three local business leaders: Alejandro Reyes, Luis Hoyos and William J. Clothier II; and Lt. Commander Thomas O’Bryan.

The articles of incorporation define its mission:

To promote cultural, educational and economic activities designed to increase understanding and cooperation among the peoples of the Americas.

Since its founding, the need for The Pan American Association of Philadelphia and its dedication to Panamericanismo has grown. Panamericanismo is the special relationship that exists among the countries and peoples of the Western Hemisphere. Today, the North American Free Trade Agreement and bilateral commercial treaties are helping to forge strong bonds among these countries. Waves of immigration are creating important social and economic impacts in the United States and in Latin America.

The 2010 Census counted over half a million Hispanics in the Philadelphia region, nearly double the number in 2000. And in Philadelphia more than 100,000 are from Puerto Rican ancestry, 40,000 from Mexican ancestry and thousands associate themselves from other countries of Latin America. Under these circumstances, the need for cultural understanding expressed by our founders has become even more relevant. The Pan American Association of Philadelphia is dedicated to fostering and promoting Panamericanismo in the Delaware Valley.

As an all-volunteer, non-partisan, non-profit organization, the Pan American Association has accomplished a great deal during the past 75 years. In the early years of the Association, it was the single, most influential voice of Latin American culture in Philadelphia. Through the years, it has maintained a unique status as an organization that unites Latin Americans from many countries and backgrounds. In fact, we like to think that the Pan American Association functions as a bridge connecting all peoples living in our region, including those with roots in Latin America.

Pan American Association Programs

Examples of the programs and the important work that we do include:

• Pan American Day: Every mid-April the Association celebrates the founding of the Organization of American States, at which time a number of student scholarships and prizes are awarded to area college students for distinguished work in Latin American studies.

• Annual Meeting and Clothier Award Luncheon: Attendees hear keynote addresses by distinguished U.S. Government officials and visiting foreign dignitaries. We also honor notable individuals in the region who have made significant contributions to civic service, philanthropy and the ideals of Panamericanismo.

• Consular Receptions: These events welcome newly-arrived Latin American Consuls and thank departing Consuls and consular officers for their service in Philadelphia.

• The Annual Carranza Memorial Ceremony: This celebration is held in Mount Holly, New Jersey and honors the memory of aviation pioneer Captain Emilio Carranza of the Mexican Air Force. In 1928, he flew solo from Mexico City to New York, but on his return trip his plane crashed in the Pinelands of New Jersey.

• Circulo Castellano Luncheons: A monthly lunch format program where members and guests discuss economic and political issues affecting the countries of the Western Hemisphere.

• Holiday Socials: Gatherings that celebrate the diverse regions of Latin America through

music, dancing and the plastic arts.

Today, approximately half of our membership is of Latin American descent. We do not lobby on behalf of any country or take official policy positions on current issues. Rather, we seek to provide a forum for the discussion and understanding of those issues and, above all, we continue to promote the ideals of Panamericanismo in our region.

Program

Networking Reception

11:45 a.m. to 12:15 p.m.

Luncheon 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m.

Welcome Romulo L. Diaz, Jr., Esq.

Alejandro Reyes, Irene Rivera Diaz and PAAP Community Service Scholarships and Janice Bond Senior Awards

Professor Ronald Webb and Rafael Arismendi

Keynote Address The Panamanian Ambassador to the United States

His Excellency Emanuel González-Revilla

Gift Presentation Abelardo Lechter, Ph.D., R. Lee Roberts and RADM Joseph C. Hare (USNR)

Closing Remarks Romulo L. Diaz, Jr.

The Panamanian Ambassador to the United States His Excellency Emanuel González-Revilla

Emanuel González-Revilla was appointed to serve as the Ambassador of the Republic of Panama to the United States by the newly elected President of Panama, H.E. Juan Carlos Varela Rodriguez in August of 2014. Ambassador González-Revilla presented his credentials to the President of the United States on September 18, 2014. Born and raised in Panama City, Panama, Ambassador González-Revilla was educated in the United States, attending the Peddie School in Highstown, NJ, later to earn his Bachelor’s degree in Finance from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and his Masters Degree in Accounting from the University of Miami.

Prior to his recent appointment, Ambassador González-Revilla was a renowned businessman with vast experience in a broad array of industries, founding and leading a range of successful endeavors in the private sector. Until August of 2014, the Ambassador served in various capacities, including: Chairman and Co-Founder of both Panama Power Holdings, Ltd., a clean- energy venture and Melones Oil Terminal, Inc., a full service barrel fuel storage facility in the Pacific entrance of the Panama Canal; as well as Vice Chairman of Trader Tankers, Ltd., a premier barge and bunkering operation providing fuel to ships crossing The Panama Canal.

In addition, the Ambassador is on leave as a Member of the Board of the different companies including: Banco General, S.A., the largest privately owned bank in Panama; Cable Onda, S.A, Panama’s largest Cable TV MSO and full service telecommunications provider; Medcom Holdings, Inc., a Broadcast Television Holding company and MHC Holdings, Inc., a family controlled, publicly traded holding company with investments in financial services and telecom.

Ambassador González-Revilla is a Member of the Board of Overseers of the Graduate School of Education of the University of Pennsylvania and has been a member of the Young Presidents Organization since 2004.

Ambassador González-Revilla and his wife Luciana have two sons, Emanuel III and Alejandro.

Academic Awards

Alejandro Reyes Award

This award was established to honor the memory of one of the founding members of the Pan American Association of Philadelphia, Alejandro Reyes.

This award is presented by the Pan American Association of Philadelphia to a Junior Year undergraduate student to be used for his or her expenses attending a college or university in the Delaware Valley area.

Irene Rivera Diaz Award

The Irene Rivera Diaz Scholarship was established in 2014 to honor the memory of the mother of Pan American Association President Romulo L. Diaz, Jr. Mrs. Diaz was born in Mexico and immigrated to Texas as a young child with her family. She was a working mother, an active community volunteer and was committed to serving the working poor and increasing educational opportunities. The annual scholarship supports disadvantaged college students with an interest in Latin American studies.

This award is presented by the Pan American Association of Philadelphia to a non-senior undergraduate student to be used for his or her expenses attending a college or university in the Delaware Valley area.

PAAP Community Service Award

The Pan American Association of Philadelphia Community Service Award was established in 2015 to honor an undergraduate student exemplifying the spirit of public service in either Latin America or the Greater Philadelphia Latino community.

We believe that any successful endeavor--academic, professional, or personal--should inspire a commitment to serving the community. With this award, we hope to challenge students to engage in the community and help nurture a sense of global social responsibility and duty.

Janice Bond Senior Awards

A plaque and stipend is presented to graduating Seniors from area colleges and universities for general excellence in courses related to Latin America during four years. Other criteria include participation in extra-curricular activities related to Latin America, as well as study and service in Latin countries.

David Escobar-Martín (Temple University) Alejandro Reyes Scholar

David is a Junior at Temple University in Philadelphia where he is majoring in Latin American Studies and Spanish with a minor in French. A Cuban-American who immigrated with his family to the United States when he was only a toddler, David is quite passionate about his Latin American heritage and his poetry. Not only is he the PAAP Reyes Scholarship recipient, but also was recently honored as Montgomery County’s Poet Laureate for 2015.

Marisol Alvarez (Immaculata University) Irene Rivera Diaz Scholar

Marisol is a Junior at Immaculata University, Chester County, where she is majoring in Spanish and Psychology. The daughter of Mexican immigrants, Marisol has a keen interest in helping the Latino immigrant community cope with the mental stress that often accompanies living in a different culture, and hopes to work in the counseling field. Aside from her studies, Marisol has participated in several volunteer activities such as interpreting at area hospitals.

David Alexander Arroyo (University of Delaware) PAAP Community Service Scholar

Of Puerto Rican heritage, David is currently a Freshman at the University of Delaware where he is majoring in Civil Engineering with a minor in Latin American & Iberian Studies and working toward a certificate in Brazilian Portuguese. Extraordinarily active in community service, David has volunteered at multiple organizations and was recently awarded the 2014 Community Service Award for Kent County, given by the Latin-American Community Center, as part of the Hispanic Student Recognition Program.

Janice Bond Senior Award Recipients Dennis Alvarez (Immaculata University) Mary Biggs (Bryn Mawr College) Julia Burke (Saint Joseph University) Kristina Fallon (Temple University) Eliana Katz (Ursinus College)

Lucero Pizano (University of Delaware) Cristina Rocca (Villanova University) Emily Rooney (West Chester University) Isabel Sacks (Swarthmore College) John Wojciechowski (Drexel University)

 

 

The Pan American Association of Philadelphia

Officers

President and CEO: Romulo L. Diaz, Jr., Esq.

Vice Presidents: Charles Humphrey and Ruben Reyes

Treasurer: Arturo Guillen

Secretary: Diana Larigoitia, Ph.D.

Board of Directors Chairman: Abelardo Lechter, Ph.D.*

Rafael Arismendi; Patricia Boshuizen; Evelyn Baram Clothier, Esq.; Pelayo Coll, Esq.; Matthew J. Comisky; Hon. Pedro Cortes; Esq.; Hon. Nelson A. Diaz; Joseph Dominguez, Esq.;

Hon. Carlos Giralt; Roy Goodman; Walter Haenn III;  RADM Joseph C. Hare (USNR)*; Hon. Benjamin Leavenworth; Hon. Peter S. Longstreth; Gabriel Marcella, Ph.D.;

Fernando Mendez; R. Lee Roberts*; Kenneth I. Trujillo, Esq.; Ronald Webb, Ph.D.

Charles Shreiner, Emeritus Hon. Yolanda Hartnett, Emerita *Past President

Pan American Day Steering Committee

Co - Chairs Patricia Boshuizen and Lorena Ahumada, Esq.

Members

Rafael Arismendi Arturo Guillen

Walter Haenn III

Diana Larisgoitia, Ph.D. Ruben Reyes

Ronald Webb, Ph.D. Ex Officio

Romulo L. Diaz, Jr., Esq. and Abelardo Lechter, Ph.D.

Pan American Day Education Committee

Co - Chairs

Ronald Webb, Ph.D. and Rafael Arismendi

Members Arturo Guillen

RADM Joseph C. Hare (USNR) Gabriel Marcella, Ph.D.

Ruben Reyes

 

 

SILVER SPONSORS

 

 

 

 

 

 

MEDIA SPONSOR

TABLE SPONSORS

Asociación Puertorriqueños en Marcha

Comcast NBC10 Telemundo 62

Congreso de Latinos Unidos

Global Arena

Greater Philadelphia Latin America Studies Consortium (GPLAC)

Honorary Consulate of Uruguay

LEFA International

Portones Del Mar Yacht Club & Resort

Reed Smith

Roberts Filter

Temple University

 

 

BRONZE SPONSORS

We gratefully acknowledge the support received from the following Working Partners:

Congreso de Latinos Unidos

Global Arena

Lyquix Web Design

The Union League of Philadelphia

 

 

Presenting Sponsor