Jose Antonio Ortega Bonet
Encyclopedia
Jose Antonio Ortega Bonet (October 27, 1929 - September 19, 2009) was a Cuba
n-born entrepreneur
and businessman who founded the Sazón Goya Food Company. Ortega, who was nicknamed "Pepe", was known as "El Gallego" to his friends.
Jose Antonio Ortega Bonet was born in Havana, Cuba, on October 27, 1929. He attended the Belen Jesuit School, which had been founded by the Jesuits in Havana in 1854. Ortega graduated from the University of Havana
with a business science degree. When he was still relatively young, Bonet began working at a food distribution
company called F. Bonet y Cía after the death of his father. He soon launched his own business. Ortega founded the first automobile air-conditioning business in Cuba.
Ortega married his wife, Lucila Galvis Gómez-Plata, a Colombia
n student studying in Havana, in April 1954. The couple had two children during their marriage, María Elena and José Antonio Ortega Jr. The family left Cuba in 1960 following the Cuban Revolution
led by Fidel Castro
. They briefly moved to Lucila's native Colombia before settling in Puerto Rico
in 1963.
Ortega launched a new food business in Puerto Rico. This business which would eventually became the Sazón Goya Food Company under a partnership
with the Unanue family, who owned Goya Foods
.
Ortega and his family moved to Miami, Florida
, in 1976. Once in Miami, Ortega continued to run Sazón Goya, expanding its products into new markets in the United States
with the growth of the Hispanic population throughout the country. Ortega continued to head his company until his death in 2009.
Ortega devoted his time to philanthropy, especially in the Miami area. He devoted time and money to a number of local institutions, including Mercy Hospital
, the José Martí
scholarship
program, the League Against Cancer and the Centro Mater Foundation.
Jose Antonio Ortega Bonet died of cancer at his home in Coral Gables, Florida
, on September 19, 2009, at the age of 79. His funeral was held at the Epiphany Parrish, and he was buried in Woodlawn Park North Cemetery in Miami.
Cuba
The Republic of Cuba is an island nation in the Caribbean. The nation of Cuba consists of the main island of Cuba, the Isla de la Juventud, and several archipelagos. Havana is the largest city in Cuba and the country's capital. Santiago de Cuba is the second largest city...
n-born entrepreneur
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is an owner or manager of a business enterprise who makes money through risk and initiative.The term was originally a loanword from French and was first defined by the Irish-French economist Richard Cantillon. Entrepreneur in English is a term applied to a person who is willing to...
and businessman who founded the Sazón Goya Food Company. Ortega, who was nicknamed "Pepe", was known as "El Gallego" to his friends.
Jose Antonio Ortega Bonet was born in Havana, Cuba, on October 27, 1929. He attended the Belen Jesuit School, which had been founded by the Jesuits in Havana in 1854. Ortega graduated from the University of Havana
University of Havana
The University of Havana or UH is a university located in the Vedado district of Havana, Cuba. Founded in 1728, the University of Havana is the oldest university in Cuba, and one of the first to be founded in the Americas...
with a business science degree. When he was still relatively young, Bonet began working at a food distribution
Food distribution
Food distribution, a method of distributing or transporting food or drink from one place to another, is a very important factor in public nutrition. Where it breaks down, famine, malnutrition or illness can occur...
company called F. Bonet y Cía after the death of his father. He soon launched his own business. Ortega founded the first automobile air-conditioning business in Cuba.
Ortega married his wife, Lucila Galvis Gómez-Plata, a Colombia
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
n student studying in Havana, in April 1954. The couple had two children during their marriage, María Elena and José Antonio Ortega Jr. The family left Cuba in 1960 following the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
led by Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
. They briefly moved to Lucila's native Colombia before settling in Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico
Puerto Rico , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States, located in the northeastern Caribbean, east of the Dominican Republic and west of both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands.Puerto Rico comprises an...
in 1963.
Ortega launched a new food business in Puerto Rico. This business which would eventually became the Sazón Goya Food Company under a partnership
Partnership
A partnership is an arrangement where parties agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests.Since humans are social beings, partnerships between individuals, businesses, interest-based organizations, schools, governments, and varied combinations thereof, have always been and remain commonplace...
with the Unanue family, who owned Goya Foods
Goya Foods
Goya Foods, Inc. is the manufacturer or distributor of a brand of foods sold in the United States and many Latin American countries, with company headquarters in Secaucus, New Jersey....
.
Ortega and his family moved to Miami, Florida
Miami, Florida
Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625...
, in 1976. Once in Miami, Ortega continued to run Sazón Goya, expanding its products into new markets in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
with the growth of the Hispanic population throughout the country. Ortega continued to head his company until his death in 2009.
Ortega devoted his time to philanthropy, especially in the Miami area. He devoted time and money to a number of local institutions, including Mercy Hospital
Mercy Hospital (Miami)
Mercy Hospital is a 473-bed acute care U.S. hospital located in Coconut Grove, Miami, Florida. It is Miami-Dade County’s only Catholic hospital and is a recipient of the MAGNET award for nursing excellence....
, the José Martí
José Martí
José Julián Martí Pérez was a Cuban national hero and an important figure in Latin American literature. In his short life he was a poet, an essayist, a journalist, a revolutionary philosopher, a translator, a professor, a publisher, and a political theorist. He was also a part of the Cuban...
scholarship
Scholarship
A scholarship is an award of financial aid for a student to further education. Scholarships are awarded on various criteria usually reflecting the values and purposes of the donor or founder of the award.-Types:...
program, the League Against Cancer and the Centro Mater Foundation.
Jose Antonio Ortega Bonet died of cancer at his home in Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, on September 19, 2009, at the age of 79. His funeral was held at the Epiphany Parrish, and he was buried in Woodlawn Park North Cemetery in Miami.