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Time and time again, it is the Ateneo's pride that we hear of Ateneans in the top brass of the country's biggest corporations.  While perhaps fewer in numbers, equally commendable are those Ateneans in the top brass of the government.   One of these "few good men" is Gregory Domingo, the recently appointed Bureau of Investments (BOI) Governor.

Born and raised in Metro Manila, Domingo began his Ateneo education in the 7th grade staying on until the completion of his degree in BS Management Engineering in 1977.  While he insists that he's not an exceptional student, he admitted that when in comes to math, he's an expert. It is for this reason, in addition to ME's reputation as being one of the Ateneo's toughest courses, that he chose the said course.  At a time when ME was still a 5-year course, Domingo completed it in 4 ½ years taking advance courses during the summers. He was one of only 17 seniors who graduated in 1977, a batch that started with 120 ME freshmen. 

Asked about what he can recall about the Ateneo, Domingo says with a smile that what's good with Ateneo is that the school is a total environment—that is, Ateneans are given ample opportunities to learn inside and outside the classroom.  And so how much you can learn depends on how involved you become in both academic and extra-curricular activities.  And in agreement to what he just said, during his time in the Ateneo he was indeed involved—as an Aegis staffer in his 5th year, as president of the Glee Club and managing editor of the Guidon in his 4th year, and as an ORSEM volunteer.

His first job took him to an advertising agency, working as a project coordinator for a beauty contest.  While according to him it was a lot of fun for a while, he eventually moved on to more serious responsibilities and transferred to SGV after a year.  His stint with SGV was just less than a year.  However, this short time had proved to be a worthwhile experience for him, with SGV's excellent training and with having been able to work in the management services area doing project feasibility studies.   Thereafter, he enrolled at the MBA program of the Asian Institute of Management (AIM), completing the program in 2 years (from 1978-1980).  Immediately after was a scholarship grant to the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton Business School for the Masters program in Operations Research.  It was then another 15 years before he could come back to the country.  He was mostly in the New York area during his stay in the US.  His stay was marked with working for various financial institutions and investment banks.  His longest tenure was spent with Chase Manhattan bank, the last part of which was spent here in the Philippines.  It was also in New York that he met his wife who gave him four beautiful kids.  And so, in 1995, with a growing family to raise, they decided to return to the Philippines. 

Prior to the BOI appointment, he was the President of Carmel Rey Industrial Park in Calamba, Laguna.  Just last year, he started what was supposed to be a 1-year sabbatical that was inevitably cut short by his appointment to the BOI's top post.  He plans to serve the BOI for 2 to 3 years or as he says, for as long as he can afford to!

While it is at his BOI office that he spends most of his time, you might just catch him fishing in Batangas. 

And so finally, asked on what he has to say to the Ateneo community, Mr. Domingo said that the Ateneo is a great institution as he has been witness to how it works. That is why Ateneans should consider themselves extremely fortunate to be given the opportunity to study in a great institution.  As for the alumni, he encourages them to contribute something to the country and somehow find a way to devote their time and work for the government for at least a couple of years.

SOM Team in PANA Marketing Competition Finals

The entry submitted by SOM representatives for the marketing competition organized by the Philippine Association of National Advertisers (PANA) has qualified to the final round, which is to take place on September 8, 2001. 

Representatives were chosen based on their willingness to participate and their high ranking in their marketing class.  Ronald D. Margallo (Meco), Claire Syson (BM-H), RJ Samson (Comtech), Tracy Pamintuan (Mgt), and Paul Cuaso (Comtech) are the five participants who formulated a project proposal for the "Cola Wars" case that was provided by PANA.  Mr. Neil Bernardo of the Marketing and Law department oversees the team.

First General Assembly for SOM Seniors Held

A General Assembly of SOM seniors was held last August 15, 2001 at the Escaler Hall from 4:30-6:00 p.m.  The very first of its kind, the assembly was initiated by Mrs. Annie V. Capistrano, chair of the Quantitative Methods and IT (QMIT) department.  The assembly commenced with a brief introduction of the SOM by the Dean Dr. Emmanuel Velasco.  Topics include, among others, course offerings of the SOM, the new organizational structure, and the vision of SOM.  What followed is a discussion by Mrs. Capistrano regarding concerns of the graduating seniors—prerequisites to graduation, advisement, and checklists.  Also brought to attention is the proverbial question "Where do I go after graduation?"  Statistics were shown as to where SOM alumni chose to go after college—further studies, private companies, entrepreneurship, etc.  Moreover, department chairs and program directors were named out for the benefit of those students who do not know them yet.

The assembly ended with a brief talk by Terry David, chair of Leadership and Strategy department.  His focus then, was how future graduates should be out there to challenge the employee mentality and shift into an entrepreneur/investor mentality.    

While it is not a perfect attendance, the assembly was very well attended, with the SOM seniors filling up the whole of Escaler Hall.

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