The Spain U.S. Chamber Of Commerce
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APRIL 2, 1959: 50th Anniversary of the Founding of the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce
Fifty years ago, on April 2, 1959, the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce was incorporated in the state of New York as a not-for-profit corporation.
At that moment in history, Spain was isolated, in both its political and commercial relations with the world, and especially with the United States. When the Chamber was formed, the United States and Spain still did not enjoy full diplomatic relations, Spain’s economy was at a difficult stage in its development, and Spain itself was seen by some as unwelcome on the international stage. Those who founded the Chamber were well aware that they were forming this organization under the long shadow of complicated Spain-U.S. relations.
However, despite the adverse conditions, or perhaps because of them, the founders believed it to be essential that the Spanish-American business community have an independent, bilateral organization to advocate on behalf of its own interests, as well as to act for the broader Spanish-American business community.
When they looked at the dark clouds and turbulent seas that separated Spain and the United States, they asked themselves: How can we help gulf this divide? How can we, during this difficult period, rise above political conflict and help calm the economic waters for our respected businesses and our peoples?
Their answer was pointed: If you want to gulf a divide, if you want to rise above, you have to build a bridge. Build a bridge between two nations with difficult relations. Build a bridge between businesses that need each other for their respective success. And build a bridge between the people of Spain and the US companies that might want to invest in their futures.
In the early years, the Chamber acted as an intermediary for Spanish and American government officials who otherwise couldn’t officially communicate. And the Chamber even hosted public forums with opponents of the Spanish government.
The Chamber held conferences for major executives at American companies being courted to invest in Spain.
The Chamber was an information resource, listing trade opportunities for importers and exporters alike. In response, companies joined the chamber by the hundreds to take advantage of these resources.
The Chamber offered networking opportunities, so people could expand their business connections. In response, executives from thousands of miles away flew to New York just to attend Chamber functions.
The Chamber found its mission in building bridges, and in doing so, helped gulf the divide.
Today we find ourselves in another period of adversity. The US and Spanish economies are undergoing serious difficulties, particularly affecting the financial and housing sectors. The global economy is in recession. And the Spain-US political relationship has suffered the past few years.
There are many reasons for people to be discouraged, and to think that the best days are behind us. But we would ask you to think back to the founders of this organization and imagine the world that laid before them in 1959.
Under those difficult circumstances, the founding members didn’t flinch and turn away; they came together, because they believed they could make a difference for the future.
And look what has been achieved, not only by the actions of the Chamber, but by the thousands upon thousands of people who each have acted to build bridges in their own industries, moving us forward in a direction of greater prosperity and growth.
- Santander and BBVA now both rank among the top ten banks in the world.
- Iberdrola is recognized as a world leader in one of the industries of the future — clean, renewable energy.
- Gamesa is a welcome foreign investor in the US and creator of green jobs in Pennsylvania.
- Cemusa has established a major presence in American cities such as Miami, Boston, and now New York City.
- Dragados is now working with the MTA on updating the New York City Subway. And its parent company ACS is involved in important construction projects in the US.
- Ferrovial, a world leader in construction and private infrastructure management, has won significant projects here.
- Freixenet has invested heavily in its brand to become a household name in the US, as well as to purchase wineries in California and throughout the Americas.
- Telefonica has expanded to become one of the largest, most globalized, and most important telecommunications companies in the world.
- Moreover, Spanish companies across the board have become major investors in the US.
- And despite the downturn, Spain’s economy is still the eighth largest in the world, and a critical market for the United States.
When we believe the future looks bleak, when we believe that our best days are behind us, we should look at how far our countries have come in the past fifty years, and how we have overcome the challenges of those years. We should adopt the perspective of our founders, harness the hope that lit their paths in darker times, and ask of ourselves no less than what they asked of themselves: How can we build bridges, over the turbulent seas? How can we gaze into a brighter future, through dark storm clouds overhead? How can we, like the founders, build a bridge to cross the divide?
This is why the Chamber continues to exist today, fifty years after its founding. And this is why we believe that fifty years from today, a similarly passionate group of business people will still come together, and fervently say to one another: It’s our turn to make that bridge wider.
PAST AND CURRENT CHAIRMEN AND PRESIDENTS OF THE SPAIN-U.S. CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
We would like to applaud all of the past and current chairmen and presidents of the Spain-U.S. Chamber of Commerce, whose efforts over the past 50 years have made the Chamber a prosperous institution.
Current & Former Chairmen
Andrew Whist
1993-1997
David Schneider
1997-1998
Raymond E.C. Surguy
1998-2000
Emilio Alvarez-Recio
2000-2003
Marío Díaz-Cruz, III
2003-2007
Ignacio Garijo-Garde
2007-2008
Marío Díaz-Cruz, III
2008-
Current & Former Presidents
Manuel Rodriguez
1959-1961
Robert T. Simpson
1961-1962/1969-1971
William R. Sugg
1962-1964
R.D. Carter
1964-1966
George Dietz
1966-1969
Fernando Aleu
1971-1973
Harry Pangburn
1973-1975
Maurice Cusack
1975-1977
Felipe Propper de Callejon
1977-1980
Frederick E. Tetzeli
1980-1982
Ricardo Jové
1982-1984/1989-1993
Joseph R. Sanchez
1984-1987
Luis Benitez de Lugo
1987-1989
Francisco Alcón
1993-1997
Fernando Lario
1997-1998
Blake Davies
1998-2001
Antonio Camuñas
2008-
