Manuel González Recognized by ACIS at 10th Las Aromas Golf Tournament

Manuel González Recognized by ACIS at 10th Las Aromas Golf Tournament
Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic 5/6/2012

The Commercial and Industrial Association (ACIS in Spanish) of this region inaugurated the 10th Annual ACIS Business Golf Classic of 2012 on the green of the 18th hole of Las Aromas Golf Club in Santiago, paying homage to business titan Manuel González. More than one hundred competitors took part in the doubles scramble in A, B and C Categories.

The Commercial and Industrial Association (ACIS in Spanish) of this region inaugurated the 10th Annual ACIS Business Golf Classic of 2012 on the green of the 18th hole of Las Aromas Golf Club in Santiago, paying homage to business titan Manuel González. More than one hundred competitors took part in the doubles scramble in A, B and C Categories.

The inauguration included the singing of the National Anthem and raising the tricolor flags of Las Aromas Golf Club and ACIS, by Félix E García, Ricardo Mera and José Antonio Peralta, respectively.

Sandy Filpo, president of ACIS, who thanked the golfers for their presence and patrons and directors for their support, gave the welcome speech.  He said it was an honor to dedicate this event to Manuel González who, as a model businessperson, has been an inspiration to Santiago and the country as a whole for more than 50 years. Mr. González founded Bellón Hardware Store (Ferretería Bellón) with just six employees and today it employs more than 500 people.

Referring to him as an exemplar citizen, Filpo pointed out that Manuel González is the founder of ACIS, the Spanish Center of Santiago and various other social, athletic and cultural organizations.

Mr. Gonzalez thanked the ACIS and its directors. He explained that ACIS, an institution founded when businesspeople had no voice in society, opened the door to allow this sector to express itself in a democracy. Gonzalez was accompanied by his children and grandson as he received a plaque in honor of his work.

Present at the opening were José Octavio Pérez, Sonly Hiraldo, Anthony Marte, José M. Minier, executive director of Tomoko Yamaki and Luis María Peter Solano, who in 2007, was honored by ACIS.

Other guests included Doctor Eduardo Fortuna, head of Gurabo locality; Leo Sánchez and Rafael Octavio Castillos, directors of the Dominican Golf Federation; Leonardo “Tito” Bueno and Freddy Genao, former directors of Las Aromas Golf Club; Américo Núñez, president of the Puerto Plata Golf Club of Playa Dorada; Alberto José, press coordinator for ACIS also featured on the “Entre Amigos” program and journalist Rafael Monsanto, responsible for ACIS’s digital communications.

(Text and photo: Williams Martínez Burgos)