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Full-Text Articles in Oral History
Interview No. 1490, Leigh Kersh
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
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. 1488, Ruben E. Guerra
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. 1486, Elma Rodriguez
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
Interview No. 1485, Paul Zacour
Combined Interviews
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 …
Interview No. 1692, Eva Marie Salas Sister
Interview No. 1692, Eva Marie Salas Sister
Combined Interviews
The location of this interview took place at Teirra Madre, a house located off McNutt in Sunland Park, NM. Four sister’s live at this house. Sister Eva Marie Salas was born in La Union, New Mexico. She attended public school and graduated from Gasden High School. Her father was absent during her childhood. Her mother owned a grocery store while they were growing up. Salas said her public school education prepared her for college. She attended Webster College, now Webster University. She discusses the process of becoming a nun. The first six months are known as postulancy. When they are …
Interview No. 1483, Edith Morales
Interview No. 1483, Edith Morales
Combined Interviews
Edith Morales was born in El Paso, Texas but grew up in Ciudad Juárez, México as well. Edith attended The University of Texas at Dallas. She began working at a company called Daisy Tech in Plano, Texas eventually running their Latin America division in Miami, Florida and in México City, México. After twelve years of working for that company, the company went out of business. Edith started Printek Supplies Inc. in Miami. In 2005 while visiting family in El Paso, Edith and her husband decided to move their company and family back to El Paso. Edith belongs to the Greater …
Interview No. 1482, Carlos Guzman
Interview No. 1482, Carlos Guzman
Combined Interviews
Carlos Guzman was born and raised in Puerto Rico and lived in there until he joined the United States Army. Prior to joining the military, Carlos obtained his Bachelor degree from the University of Puerto Rico in biology and chemistry. While in the military, Carlos served as an officer and served in Iraq from 2004 until 2005. Upon returning from Iraq, Carlos began to pursue his M.A. in computer resource management. It was during this time that Carlos met Larry Walter and the two became interested in biofuel technology after a discussion on biofuel. Carlos began investigating what it would …
Interview No. 1481, Armando Reyes
Interview No. 1481, Armando Reyes
Combined Interviews
When Armando was a 12 years old, he began accompanying his father to work at Alejandro’s Plumbing Company. When Armando was a teenager, he worked for that company as well. Armando Reyes graduated from Jefferson High School in 1965 and worked for Pacific Food Express after graduation. Once the job ended, Armando and four friends left for California to find work. He was able to find work in California that paid well but eventually Armando returned to El Paso. When he returned, Armando attended El Paso Community College and worked with his brother Julian at an air conditioning company called …
Interview No. 1480, Gonzalo Rangel
Interview No. 1480, Gonzalo Rangel
Combined Interviews
Gonzalo began working at the age of 13 in a parking lot off of Wyoming St. in El Paso, Texas. The parking lot was owned by Bud Fischer and Gonzalo would park cars and clean them to earn money. By the time he was 15 years old, Gonzalo was able to purchase a 1938 Chevrolet. During high school, Gonzalo and his girlfriend had a baby and got married and Gonzalo left school to work to support his family. He briefly worked at Sanker Plumbing before leaving to work at Bray's Washing Machine to support his new family. Though his father …
Interview No. 1611, Bill Conroy
Interview No. 1611, Bill Conroy
Combined Interviews
Bill Conroy, born in Norwich, New York in 1925, began working for Farah in 1955. Conroy had completed high school in New York, and received a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Denver University in 1949. Conroy worked at several public accounting firms before moving to El Paso to work for a local firm. Due to his close relationship with Farah while working at the El Paso firm, he was offered a position, which he accepted in 1955. Farah at this time was located on Third Street, and the factory was one big room where everyone had a good relationship …
Interview No. 1603, Bill Lawson
Interview No. 1603, Bill Lawson
Combined Interviews
Bill Lawson was the Military Sales Director for the West Coast and Pacific Rim for Farah; he was born in El Centro, CA; he mentions that there was no prejudice where he grew up; his father worked for Chevrolet Garage; he reveals that Farah was his only job for over twenty eight years, required him to travel constantly. Mr. Lawson recounts his time in sales for Farah; he mentions the stress his travel had on his wife, worked on commission so his pay was unpredictable; describes how items that became very popular in a short time could create supply and …
Interview No. 1604, William W. Compton, Ginny Compton
Interview No. 1604, William W. Compton, Ginny Compton
Combined Interviews
William “Bill” W. Compton was a Marketing and Sales Manager for Farah in El Paso, TX; He was born in Boise, ID in 1943; English and Cherokee ancestry; fourth of five children; His father was an abusive alcoholic and died when he was young; he served briefly in the U.S. Marine Corps; His first wife died of a blood clot; He describes interaction with Mormon missionaries and his conversion; He recalls learning sales and marketing skills at General Motors school, details later decision to leave car sales; he explains how he got into the clothing industry after he applied for …
Interview No. 1606, Joe Chemali Jr.
Interview No. 1606, Joe Chemali Jr.
Combined Interviews
Joe Chemali Jr. was born in Colorado City, TX on August 30, 1926; grandfather was Andrew Farah, brother of Farah Company founder Mansour Farah; family was of Lebanese ancestry, described as patriotic Americans; He grew up in Marfa, TX; Mr. Chemali was in the U.S. Navy during World War II. Mr. Chemali describes his first work as a foreman at a cotton warehouse in Alpine, TX; He recalls making deliveries to El Paso and how this eventually resulted him working for Willie Farah in 1950; He explains decision to work for Farah, company was rapidly expanding; states Farah had all …
Interview No. 1612, Frank Ratti
Interview No. 1612, Frank Ratti
Combined Interviews
Frank Ratti, born in New Jersey on November 1942, worked for Farah from 1968 to 2008. After his career in United States Air Force, Ratti became a salesman selling shirts, headscarves, and other head ware for an apparel company in North Dakota. In 1968, a friend and a Farah employee asked Ratti if he would be interested in working for Farah, and he began working as a Salesman in that same year. Through out his career at Farah, Ratti’s job positions changed periodically from Salesman to Regional Manager, and he mainly worked in the Upper Midwestern region, which included Iowa, …
Interview No. 1613, Haleen F. Zweifel
Interview No. 1613, Haleen F. Zweifel
Combined Interviews
Haleen F. Zweifel was born in El Paso, Texas in 1955 to Willy and Betty Farah, who owned and ran Farah Manufacturing Company. As a little girl, she went to Mesita Elementary, she graduated from Coronado High School. Zweifel’s high school summer breaks were spent working for Farah during the night shift. During her employment at Farah, she had heard that some of the union supporters starting setting workers’ cars on fire and witnessed union supporters throwing dead chickens at workers as they walked out of work. As the strike became violent, her father constantly worried for her safety. Union …
Interview No. 1610, Rod Champney
Interview No. 1610, Rod Champney
Combined Interviews
Rod Champney worked for Farah for about 10 years as a pilot and an engineer. His father had established himself in El Paso, Texas during World War II and his mother was born in El Paso. Champney, born in 1946, graduated from Burgess High School and then The University of Texas at El Paso (UTEP) with a degree in physics. It was while he attended UTEP when he accepted a position at Farah to fly one of two Lear jets owned by the company in 1968. As a pilot, Champney recalled a close relationship to Willy Farah because he was …
Interview No. 1605, Emma Acosta
Interview No. 1605, Emma Acosta
Combined Interviews
Emma Acosta born in El Paso, Texas in 1953 was employed at Farah for the summer program in 1969 and 1970. Acosta’s limited family income was the main reason why she sought a job while she attended El Paso High School. Acosta would use half her wages to help support the family and the other half as extra spending money. Her job duties working for Farah originally were to sew a few stitches on children’s pants. Acosta became bored with the receptiveness of the work. Her supervisor noticed a decline in the quality of her work, and she was assigned …
Interview No. 1607, Joe Gomez
Interview No. 1607, Joe Gomez
Combined Interviews
Joe Gomez was born in Cayay, Puerto Rico on September 20, 1947; his father was in the military, his mother was a housewife; he has four brothers and sisters; he came to El Paso and could not speak English, told that he had to learn English or he would be dropped from school; later moved to Germany for three years, he came back to graduate from Burges High School and went to UTEP. Mr. Gomez recalls that he got a job at Firestone Tires to support his family, explains difficulty in finding a good job at the time; explains he …
Interview No. 1479, Robert Navarro
Interview No. 1479, Robert Navarro
Combined Interviews
Robert Navarro was born and raised in El Paso, Texas and attended school in El Paso. After Robert graduated from high school, he attended Texas Western College in El Paso, Texas and graduated in 1961 with a B.S. in Civil Engineering. He entered the United States Army via the ROTC program for two years. After the Army, Robert attended New Mexico State University and received his Masters in Structural Engineering. During his time as a graduate student, Robert worked for A.B. Peinado and Sons. After graduating, he continued to work for that company. A.B. Peinado and Sons got into land …
Interview No. 1618, Josephine Maceyra
Interview No. 1618, Josephine Maceyra
Combined Interviews
Josephine Maceyra in 1958 left a job as a supervisor of surgery in a hospital to take an industrial nurse position at the Farah Company at the insistence of Willie and James Farah; Mrs. Maceyra initially worked at 3rd street location; she eventually was placed in charge of all clinics in each factory and the hospital for the company; she explains that medical care was provided free of charge for all employees; she recalls the personalities of Willie and James Farah; Mrs. Maceyra mentions James having a very friendly personality, recounts the time he had a heart attack at work …
Interview No. 1478, Robert Wingo
Interview No. 1478, Robert Wingo
Combined Interviews
Robert Wingo was born in Columbus, Ohio but spent the majority of his life in El Paso, Texas. Robert attended elementary and high school in El Paso. After graduating from high school, Robert was drafted into the Vietnam War. After the serving his time in the Vietnam War, Robert attended The University of Texas at El Paso and in 1973 he got his BBA in Marketing. While attending UTEP, Robert worked for BDM Corporation on Fort Bliss. After graduating, Robert started working for Billy the Kid and ended up as the VP of Advertising. In 1983, the company was sold …
Interview No. 1505, Nan Napier
Interview No. 1505, Nan Napier
Combined Interviews
Tres Mariposas was started by three women in El Paso, Texas and after a time, only one of the women owned the dress shop. This woman, Betty Bowman (Young) sold the business to her husband, Sam Young Jr. Sam was a client of Frank Napier and he then sold Tres Mariposas to Frank Napier. Frank Napier’s wife, Isabel Napier ran the store for a while until they presented their son, Charles and his wife Nan with the opportunity to run the store. Nan ran the store by herself until her two children were born and then her husband joined her. …
Interview No. 1535, Armando Alvarez
Interview No. 1535, Armando Alvarez
Combined Interviews
Armando Alvarez was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. Alvarez played for the El Paso Patriots soccer team for three years, after turning down a scholarship to SMU. After working odd jobs around El Paso, Alvarez moved to Arizona to attend Collins College and became a graphic designer. He then found employment with different small glass companies such as Kraft Quality Glass, then moved to commercial companies. Alvarez states the main difference between large and small companies is the attention to detail. This is why he opened a small business in order to pay more attention to detail. Viva …
Interview No. 1543, Julio Cesar Viramontes
Interview No. 1543, Julio Cesar Viramontes
Combined Interviews
Julio Cesar Viramontes was born in a small town in Mexico around Fort Hancock, Texas. Viramontes attended Cathedral High School in El Paso but did not graduate. He was introduced to the garment industry when he began working at Supreme Laundry. Viramontes was able to purchase his own Laundromat in Canutillo while still working at Supreme Laundry. He also had to opportunity to purchase a Supreme Laundromat in central El Paso, so he became the owner of two El Paso Laundromats. Viramontes also began washing blue jeans for El Paso companies after hours. The Laundromat then became an industrial cleaner, …
Interview No. 1541, Carlos Gándara
Interview No. 1541, Carlos Gándara
Combined Interviews
Carlos Gándara was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. As a child, Gándara had paper routes and collected bottles for extra money. Gándara was introduced to selling office products when he became a driver for BPSI (Business Products and Supplies Inc.) He moved to different office supply stores but credits BPSI for his formal training. Glen Powers was his selling mentor and motivated Gandara to become a better salesman. Gándara recieved professional manager experiance and was the manager at Struges Office Supplies for two years. He was then employed by a national office supply chain and laid off. He …
Interview No. 1542, Oscar Venegas
Interview No. 1542, Oscar Venegas
Combined Interviews
Oscar Venegas was born in Juarez, Mexico and obtained dual citizenship in the United States and Mexico. Venegas is a graduate of Burges High School, here he was influenced to become financially successful. He enrolled at The University of Texas at El Paso and graduated with a degree in civil engineering. After graduating, Venegas started working for local businesses, R.E. McKee and Jordan & Nobles. In 1982, Venegas decided to go into business for himself instead of working for McKee and Jordan & Nobles. With previous knowledge of sales and project managing, Venegas began his own construction company. He was …
Interview No. 1539, Juan Bárcena
Interview No. 1539, Juan Bárcena
Combined Interviews
Juan Bárcena was one of 7 children born and raised in El Paso, Texas. His family immigrated from Mexico and settled in central/south El Paso. He graduated from Cathedral High School and attended East Texas High School before joining the airforce. Bárcena created his company ABA Labels printing inc which creates labels for all industries servicing the El Paso and Juarez area. He created this business at the age of 40, after her long term job began laying off people. Bárcena has 50 years of printing experience, now he specializes in creating food labels and computer printing. Through an SBA …
Interview No. 1536, Richard Castro
Interview No. 1536, Richard Castro
Combined Interviews
Richard Castro was born in Del Rio, Texas to two hard working immigrant parents. Castro remembers his mother being a seamstress and working late into the night in order to make her quota. His father owned his own construction business and would give his son business advice of never putting limitations on yourself. Castro was also influenced by his brother who attended college. Even though Castro faced challenges in school, he attended and graduated from Texas State University. Castro became a teacher but did not make enough money, so he had to take on side jobs in order to make …
Interview No. 1538, Teresa Gándara
Interview No. 1538, Teresa Gándara
Combined Interviews
Teresa Gándara was born and raised in Central El Paso, Texas. She attended various catholic schools and graduated from El Paso High School. She credits her catholic education for helping her through school. Even though her parents did not approve of her going to college. She cleaned houses, was a house painter, and a life guard throughout her college years. These jobs helped her to pay rent and basic needs. Gándara received her bachelors and master’s degree from the University of Texas at El Paso. While attending school, Gándara met her mentor Connie Gamboa who taught her how to channel …