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Oral History Commons

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2010

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Articles 31 - 60 of 128

Full-Text Articles in Oral History

Interview No. 1497, Lisa Herrera Sep 2010

Interview No. 1497, Lisa Herrera

Combined Interviews

Lisa got her start in selling retail with her mother and sister who owned and ran a local bridal shop. Lisa’s father also ran a motel and did most of the work at the motel himself. Lisa learned how to manage a business and the work ethic that goes with it from watching her parents run their businesses. Later while Lisa worked at a boutique she was approached by local business woman Joanne Wardy to sell corporations gifts for their company. Lisa got into the business and with the help of her husband she was able to grow slowly and …


A Day In The Life Of A Float Plane Charter Pilot, Bryan Cox Sep 2010

A Day In The Life Of A Float Plane Charter Pilot, Bryan Cox

ERAU Prescott Aviation History Program

Ever taken a float plane trip or wanted to? Learn what it’s like to be a float plane pilot doing charter work in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. Hear this light-heated, informal, presentation by someone who has done all this for “fun and profit”!


Interview No. 1496, Jorge Vielledent Sep 2010

Interview No. 1496, Jorge Vielledent

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

At the time of Jorge’s graduation from The University of Texas at El Paso, his father presented him with $500 dollars so Jorge could get his licenses, registrations, pay the exams fees, and NASD registrations. Initially when Jorge graduated from college he worked internationally with clients all over the world, especially those from México. When the 1994 devaluation of the peso occurred, Jorge ventured into the business he has now. Jorge networks with companies such as AXA. Jorge’s company, Synergy Group works to help people with financial planning. The company assists clients in the accumulation phase, distribution phase and transfer …


Interview No. 1496, Jorge Vielledent Sep 2010

Interview No. 1496, Jorge Vielledent

Combined Interviews

At the time of Jorge’s graduation from The University of Texas at El Paso, his father presented him with $500 dollars so Jorge could get his licenses, registrations, pay the exams fees, and NASD registrations. Initially when Jorge graduated from college he worked internationally with clients all over the world, especially those from México. When the 1994 devaluation of the peso occurred, Jorge ventured into the business he has now. Jorge networks with companies such as AXA. Jorge’s company, Synergy Group works to help people with financial planning. The company assists clients in the accumulation phase, distribution phase and transfer …


Interview No. 1495, Yolanda Diaz Sep 2010

Interview No. 1495, Yolanda Diaz

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Yolanda recalls having a wonderful childhood being raised by her mother. While in high school Yolanda joined Vocational Office Education at Jefferson High school. This program helped Yolanda learn basic bookkeeping and accounting as well as provide opportunities for a job while in high school. Yolanda took advantage of the program and learned as much as she could. Yolanda also worked for the Veterans Affairs as an administrative assistant for the pharmacists. Yolanda would go on to work for Petro Shopping Centers, Jack Cardwell, Media Copy and Texas Gas Services in the accounting and bookkeeping aspects of those businesses. Yolanda …


Interview No. 1495, Yolanda Diaz Sep 2010

Interview No. 1495, Yolanda Diaz

Combined Interviews

Yolanda recalls having a wonderful childhood being raised by her mother. While in high school Yolanda joined Vocational Office Education at Jefferson High school. This program helped Yolanda learn basic bookkeeping and accounting as well as provide opportunities for a job while in high school. Yolanda took advantage of the program and learned as much as she could. Yolanda also worked for the Veterans Affairs as an administrative assistant for the pharmacists. Yolanda would go on to work for Petro Shopping Centers, Jack Cardwell, Media Copy and Texas Gas Services in the accounting and bookkeeping aspects of those businesses. Yolanda …


Interview No. 1703, Alicia Angelica Martinez Aug 2010

Interview No. 1703, Alicia Angelica Martinez

Combined Interviews

Alicia Angelica Martinez was born in El Paso Texas, August 13,1944. When she was 5, she moved to Duranguito from El Segundo Barrio in El Paso Texas. Her mother was a house maker, and her dad worked on a construction company. They were living with her grandparents. They had a two story apartments and their grandparents lived on the first floor, and Alicia and her parents on the second, the place was called La Mansion. She describes La Mansion as a peaceful place where they will have a lot of fun and most of their family was living in there. …


Gregg Cross Interview, Wright State University Alumnus, Chris Wydman, Gregg Cross Aug 2010

Gregg Cross Interview, Wright State University Alumnus, Chris Wydman, Gregg Cross

Wright State University Retirees Association Oral History Project

Chris Wydman interviewed Gregg Cross on August 12, 2010 about the founding of Wright State University and his perspective as a student athlete in the early years of the University. In the interview Mr. Cross discusses his career and his decision to come to Wright State as one of the early students.


Interview No. 1494, Raul Ramos Aug 2010

Interview No. 1494, Raul Ramos

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Raul Ramos purchased Han-D-Pak from Mr. Young. Raul admits not knowing much about owning a small business however he did see a need for the products within the local market. Raul worked out of a small grocery owned by his mother-in-law and had the help of his two brothers and mother. They would all work to package and deliver the products to the local grocery stores. Raul hand made the racks to hold his product until he was able to hire a carpenter to assist him in the creation of the racks. Raul bought into El Paso products from companies …


Interview No. 1494, Raul Ramos Aug 2010

Interview No. 1494, Raul Ramos

Combined Interviews

Raul Ramos purchased Han-D-Pak from Mr. Young. Raul admits not knowing much about owning a small business however he did see a need for the products within the local market. Raul worked out of a small grocery owned by his mother-in-law and had the help of his two brothers and mother. They would all work to package and deliver the products to the local grocery stores. Raul hand made the racks to hold his product until he was able to hire a carpenter to assist him in the creation of the racks. Raul bought into El Paso products from companies …


S, Robert, Fcrh Honors Program Jul 2010

S, Robert, Fcrh Honors Program

FCRH Honors Program Oral History Project

Dr. Robert S., Ph.D., graduated from Fordham honors with his Bachelor’s of Science in 1960 and from Princeton with his Doctorate in 1964. Both degrees were in chemistry, and Dr. Robert went on to have an astounding career in the field of engineering plastics. He initially served as a captain in the U.S. Army and transitioned to work in technical management at Honeywell, ITW, and Engelhard corporations. After retiring, he became increasingly active in consulting and board work at S.C. Johnson Corporation, R&D Council of New Jersey, the Association of Princeton Graduate Alumni, and the EPA Clean Air Act Advisory …


Interview No. 1493, Julius Lowenberg Jul 2010

Interview No. 1493, Julius Lowenberg

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

When Julius graduated from St. Patrick’s Cathedral High School in the early 1950’s, he went to work for Fur Foods and then the railroad company. After being let go from the railroad company, Julius started volunteer coaching touch football. The following year, Julius began coaching tackle football and basketball at St. Patrick’s. During this time, Julius began attending The University of Texas at El Paso and did so while coaching at St. Patrick’s. Julius left St. Patrick’s to coach at Putnam Elementary when he was offered a high school coaching job at a school in Canutillo, a community in the …


Interview No. 1493, Julius Lowenberg Jul 2010

Interview No. 1493, Julius Lowenberg

Combined Interviews

When Julius graduated from St. Patrick’s Cathedral High School in the early 1950’s, he went to work for Fur Foods and then the railroad company. After being let go from the railroad company, Julius started volunteer coaching touch football. The following year, Julius began coaching tackle football and basketball at St. Patrick’s. During this time, Julius began attending The University of Texas at El Paso and did so while coaching at St. Patrick’s. Julius left St. Patrick’s to coach at Putnam Elementary when he was offered a high school coaching job at a school in Canutillo, a community in the …


Interview No. 1492, Patti Holland Branch Jul 2010

Interview No. 1492, Patti Holland Branch

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Patti Holland Branch began developing her skills as an entrepreneur when she was around the age of 8. Patti purchased a weave machine to make pot holders and sold them around the neighborhood to earn money for her family. Patti would also host a summer school for the kids in her neighborhood and would receive gifts of cash for her efforts. When Patti was a teenager, she worked for the Mayor’s office creating a scrapbook. She eventually earned the Dorrance D. Roderick scholarship to attend Texas Western College. Patti married her husband and they moved to Germany for his work …


Interview No. 1492, Patti Holland Branch Jul 2010

Interview No. 1492, Patti Holland Branch

Combined Interviews

Patti Holland Branch began developing her skills as an entrepreneur when she was around the age of 8. Patti purchased a weave machine to make pot holders and sold them around the neighborhood to earn money for her family. Patti would also host a summer school for the kids in her neighborhood and would receive gifts of cash for her efforts. When Patti was a teenager, she worked for the Mayor’s office creating a scrapbook. She eventually earned the Dorrance D. Roderick scholarship to attend Texas Western College. Patti married her husband and they moved to Germany for his work …


Interview No. 1694, Helen Santamaria Sister Jul 2010

Interview No. 1694, Helen Santamaria Sister

Combined Interviews

Her given name Helen E. Santamaria was born April 18, 1943. Her nun name is Helen Miriam Santamaria. She is named after her mother and she wanted to keep the name Helen. Her mother is a native El Pasoan. Her father is from Mexico who came to visit his brother in Juarez. He attended a wedding and met her mother. She was 16 and he was 23. She described their meeting at love at first sight. The pair waited for her to graduate from High School, El Paso High School to get married. She graduated in May and the pair …


M, Ken, Fcrh Honors Program Jul 2010

M, Ken, Fcrh Honors Program

FCRH Honors Program Oral History Project

Dr. Ken M., a mathematics major from the class of 1962, dedicated his life to the study and teaching of mathematics and its applications in computer and information science. After graduating from the Fordham honors program, he studied on an NSF fellowship, a Woodrow Wilson Fellowship, and a NATO post-doctoral fellowship after obtaining his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley. He has taught and conducted research at Princeton University, the Rockefeller University, the University of Bruxelles, the University of Paris, and multiple CUNY universities. His work in logic, computational science, and artificial intelligence is highly regarded and has been …


Interview No. 1491, Mike Garcia Jul 2010

Interview No. 1491, Mike Garcia

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Mike was brought to El Paso by his godmother to attend school at Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, Texas when he was 11 years old. Mike had his first job working at a bowling alley in El Paso at the age of 12. At the age of 15 years old, he got married. Mike cared for and loved his mother Benita very much. He recalls that she taught him to better his life, to better his family, to do the proper thing, to be honest with himself, and to have self-respect. Mike has used these concepts to build his …


Interview No. 1491, Mike Garcia Jul 2010

Interview No. 1491, Mike Garcia

Combined Interviews

Mike was brought to El Paso by his godmother to attend school at Lydia Patterson Institute in El Paso, Texas when he was 11 years old. Mike had his first job working at a bowling alley in El Paso at the age of 12. At the age of 15 years old, he got married. Mike cared for and loved his mother Benita very much. He recalls that she taught him to better his life, to better his family, to do the proper thing, to be honest with himself, and to have self-respect. Mike has used these concepts to build his …


Interview No. 1490, Leigh Kersh Jul 2010

Interview No. 1490, Leigh Kersh

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Leigh Kersh was born in El Paso, Texas to Moe and Rosie Kersh. Leigh attended The University of Texas at El Paso and The University of Texas at Austin before attending New York University and graduating with a degree in Physiology. While Leigh finished her degree at NYU, she worked for Federal Express in customer service and then once she graduated she became their corporate physiologist. Leigh credits her time with Federal Express for learning how to do customer service, how to run an operation, and how to train the right people for the company. Leigh grew up watching her …


Interview No. 1693, Elisa Rodriguez Sister Jul 2010

Interview No. 1693, Elisa Rodriguez Sister

Combined Interviews

Elisa Rodriguez was born on May 15, 1936 during a home birth in the Segundo Barrio. She and her family lived on Santa Fe Street. Her father was born in Torreon, Mexico. His father died when he was 1, and his mother remarried and had two other children. Her mother was born in San Elizario. She was one of seven children. Sisters of Loretto started in San Elizario in 1878. There was an early connection between her mother and the convent. She went from El Paso High School to St. Joseph High School and graduated from there. Rodriguez speaks about …


Interview No. 1490, Leigh Kersh Jul 2010

Interview No. 1490, Leigh Kersh

Combined Interviews

Leigh Kersh was born in El Paso, Texas to Moe and Rosie Kersh. Leigh attended The University of Texas at El Paso and The University of Texas at Austin before attending New York University and graduating with a degree in Physiology. While Leigh finished her degree at NYU, she worked for Federal Express in customer service and then once she graduated she became their corporate physiologist. Leigh credits her time with Federal Express for learning how to do customer service, how to run an operation, and how to train the right people for the company. Leigh grew up watching her …


Interview No. 1489, Don Shapiro Jul 2010

Interview No. 1489, Don Shapiro

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Don Shapiro was born and raised in the New York Metropolitan Area. In the 1930’s Don’s father Isadore worked in the fur district in New York City. When Don graduated from high school, he joined the United States Naval Reserve during World War II. After WWII, Done atteneded NYU and got a degree in accounting. After graduating NYU, he became a door to door salesman in New York City. After a time in New York, Don and his friend Harry Katz decided to drive cross country to California and work to earn money along the way. They started by driving …


Interview No. 1489, Don Shapiro Jul 2010

Interview No. 1489, Don Shapiro

Combined Interviews

Don Shapiro was born and raised in the New York Metropolitan Area. In the 1930’s Don’s father Isadore worked in the fur district in New York City. When Don graduated from high school, he joined the United States Naval Reserve during World War II. After WWII, Done atteneded NYU and got a degree in accounting. After graduating NYU, he became a door to door salesman in New York City. After a time in New York, Don and his friend Harry Katz decided to drive cross country to California and work to earn money along the way. They started by driving …


Interview No. 1464, Silbano Robledo Jul 2010

Interview No. 1464, Silbano Robledo

Combined Interviews

Silbano Robledo was very tired of working in his town from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm without a good salary. After he got married, he started a small business selling peanuts. Mr. Robledo traveled to Monterrey, Nuevo Leon, Mexico to get hired as a bracero; He worked in El Valle picking cotton and then traveled to La Mesa de Lobos and worked doing the same job. He worked as a bracero for three years until 1959. He worked from twelve-hour days with a salary of $ 7.00 dollars per day. Robledo lived with his co-workers and they all together bought …


Interview No. 1488, Ruben E. Guerra Jul 2010

Interview No. 1488, Ruben E. Guerra

Combined Interviews

Mr. Guerra was born and raised in McAllen, TX. He speaks about how his family was one of the founding families in McAllen and started as a land clearing business. Mr. Guerra said both sides of his family came from different socioeconomic classes but each side was hardworking. He worked at a small convienience store his family owned during the summer when he was about eight to ten years old. When he was in the eighth grade, his family moved to El Paso at the urging of doctors who said his bother would die if he did not move to …


Interview No. 1487, Gustavo Rodriguez Jul 2010

Interview No. 1487, Gustavo Rodriguez

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Gustavo learned the glass trade while growing up and working alongside his father. The name of his father’s business was Rodriguez Glass. Gustavo’s father had a hard time purchasing glass at an honest price and would purchase glass from Ciudad Juárez, México until a man from Amarillo approached them about buying the glass from him. Gustavo met his wife Elma when they were in high school and they married five years later. Gustavo was in the United States Navy Construction Battalion Reserves and was drafted into the Vietnam War in the early 1960’s. When Gustavo returned home, he had $500 …


Interview No. 1486, Elma Rodriguez Jul 2010

Interview No. 1486, Elma Rodriguez

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Elma met her husband Gus when they were in high school and they married five years later. Gus served in the Vietnam War and when he got out he was given $500.00 so he and Elma decided to start a business. At the time they lived on Basil St. and they started their business out of their home garage and so they named their company Basil Glass Incorporated. Another reason why they named their company Basil Glass instead of their last name is because they wanted to avoid as much discrimination as possible. As Hispanic entrepreneurs starting a business in …


Interview No. 1486, Elma Rodriguez Jul 2010

Interview No. 1486, Elma Rodriguez

Combined Interviews

Elma met her husband Gus when they were in high school and they married five years later. Gus served in the Vietnam War and when he got out he was given $500.00 so he and Elma decided to start a business. At the time they lived on Basil St. and they started their business out of their home garage and so they named their company Basil Glass Incorporated. Another reason why they named their company Basil Glass instead of their last name is because they wanted to avoid as much discrimination as possible. As Hispanic entrepreneurs starting a business in …


Interview No. 1485, Paul Zacour Jul 2010

Interview No. 1485, Paul Zacour

Paso del Norte Entrepreneurship Oral History Project

Paul Zacour took real estate classes and began to sell real estate when he was 19 years old. After graduating from The University of Texas at El Paso in 1986, Paul moved to Austin, Texas to be a part of the real estate market boom. In 1992, Paul moved back to El Paso, Texas. He began to work with Fred McKinstry doing appraisals together. The name of the company then became McKinstry-Zacour and Associates. When the opportunity to buy the company arose, Paul took it and Fred McKinstry semi-retired. The company then morphed into Zacour and Associates. Paul’s company works …