Still in Management - JB Laraya

After 9 years as President and Director of NSC, I resigned in February 1989. Shortly after, I rejoined Dole/Castle & Cooke where I was named President & Managing Director of Dole Asia. Dole Asia was into business development in Japan, South Korea, China, Taiwan and Southeast Asia. In 1992, I took early retirement from Dole Asia.
In October 1992, Mr. Senen C. Bacani, former Secretary of Agriculture under President Cory Aquino, and I ventured into our management and consultancy firm, ULTREX Management & Investments Corp.,where I have been Chairman until today. ULTREX established fruit companies in South Cotabato, Mindanao to grow and export bananas in partnership with foreign fruit marketing companies; to process and export dried mangoes, pineapples, papayas, and other local fruits; as a fruit buying company to procure pineapples, mangoes and papaya; and distributor of dried fruits in the local market.
From 1993 to present , I also held top level executive positions and directorships in companies involved in telecommunication, power supply, property development and diversified services.
I may have moved on from steel manufacturing to a variety of other industries, but the years I spent with all of you at NSC, I still hold dear.

Season's Greetings to one and all.

Jose Ben Laraya

Photo taken during JBL's visit to Toronto in September 2004.