Larry Seilhamer Rodríguez
Encyclopedia
Larry Seilhamer Rodríguez is a Puerto Rican
politician
member of the Senate of Puerto Rico since January 7, 2009. He is affiliated with the pro-statehood New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico
.
, New York
, on December 13, 1954. He is the son of George Seilhamer and Isabel Rodriguez. Larry has four children, Dennis, David, Desiree and Deborah Seilhamer
.
Larry moved to Puerto Rico
months after he was born and was raised in Ponce
. He attended the Santa Maria Academy, were he obtained his high school diploma. In 1976, Larry graduated Cum Laude from the University of New Haven
with a degree in Civil Engineering
. He also has a bachelor's degree
in Science, with a concentration in Pre-medicine, from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
.
As part of his career, Larry has work for the Autonoumous Municipality of Ponce as Director of Budget and Planning Operations, as well as Director of Housing and Urban Development. More recently he was the president of Southern Consultants and Engineers, an engineering and surveying company based in Ponce.
In the sports arena, Larry has represented Puerto Rico in basketball
and tennis
. He is a former professional basketball player, who played mostly for the Ponce Lions
. He also played college basketball for his alma mater
, the University of New Haven.
On 20 March 2011, he announced his intention not to seek another term as Senator for District V (Ponce), but instead seek a Senator-at Large seat, amidst the failure of a Senate bill, which he had authored, which would had ordered the Puerto Rico Buildings Authority to build a new vocational school in Ponce to replace the 60-year-old Escuela Superior Vocacional Bernardino Cordero Bernard.
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...
politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
member of the Senate of Puerto Rico since January 7, 2009. He is affiliated with the pro-statehood New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico
New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico
The New Progressive Party of Puerto Rico is a political party that advocates for Puerto Rico's admission to the United States of America as the 51st state...
.
Personal life
Lawrence Seilhamer, known as "Larry", was born in The BronxThe Bronx
The Bronx is the northernmost of the five boroughs of New York City. It is also known as Bronx County, the last of the 62 counties of New York State to be incorporated...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, on December 13, 1954. He is the son of George Seilhamer and Isabel Rodriguez. Larry has four children, Dennis, David, Desiree and Deborah Seilhamer
Deborah Seilhamer
Debora Seilhamer is a female volleyball player from Puerto Rico, who played as a libero for the Women's National Team at the 2008 Olympic Qualification Tournament in Japan. There the team ended up in eighth and last place, having received a wild card for the event after Peru and Kenya withdrew...
.
Larry moved to 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...
months after he was born and was raised in Ponce
Ponce, Puerto Rico
Ponce is both a city and a municipality in the southern part of Puerto Rico. The city is the seat of the municipal government.The city of Ponce, the fourth most populated in Puerto Rico, and the most populated outside of the San Juan metropolitan area, is named for Juan Ponce de León y Loayza, the...
. He attended the Santa Maria Academy, were he obtained his high school diploma. In 1976, Larry graduated Cum Laude from the University of New Haven
University of New Haven
The University of New Haven is a private university that combines a liberal arts education with professional training. The university comprises five colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the Tagliatela College of Engineering, the Henry C...
with a degree in Civil Engineering
Civil engineering
Civil engineering is a professional engineering discipline that deals with the design, construction, and maintenance of the physical and naturally built environment, including works like roads, bridges, canals, dams, and buildings...
. He also has a bachelor's degree
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in Science, with a concentration in Pre-medicine, from the University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez
The University of Puerto Rico at Mayagüez or Recinto Universitario de Mayagüez in Spanish , is a land-grant, sea-grant, space-grant state university located in the city of Mayagüez, Puerto Rico...
.
As part of his career, Larry has work for the Autonoumous Municipality of Ponce as Director of Budget and Planning Operations, as well as Director of Housing and Urban Development. More recently he was the president of Southern Consultants and Engineers, an engineering and surveying company based in Ponce.
In the sports arena, Larry has represented Puerto Rico in basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
and tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
. He is a former professional basketball player, who played mostly for the Ponce Lions
Ponce Lions (basketball)
The Leones de Ponce are a BSN basketball team based in Ponce, Puerto Rico. The Lions are one of the BSN's most successful franchises, having won a total of twelve championships...
. He also played college basketball for his alma mater
Alma mater
Alma mater , pronounced ), was used in ancient Rome as a title for various mother goddesses, especially Ceres or Cybele, and in Christianity for the Virgin Mary.-General term:...
, the University of New Haven.
Political career
Seilhamer was elected to the Puerto Rico Senate on November 4, 2008, representing 12 municipalities as follows: Lajas, Guanica, Sabana Grande, Maricao, Yauco, Lares, Utuado, Adjuntas, Jayuya, Guayanilla, Peñuelas, and Ponce. In the Senate, he is the chairman of the Urban and Infrastructure Committee. In addition, his fellow senators chose him to serve as the Senate Majority Whip for the 2009-2012 term, making him the fourth highest ranking member of the Puerto Rico Senate. More recently, in August 2011, Seilhamer became interim Senate Majority Leader, as well as chairman of the Comisión de Reglas y Calendario (English: Rules and Scheduling Committee). On September 1st, 2011, Seilhamer was designated the new Majority Leader by his peers in the Senate.On 20 March 2011, he announced his intention not to seek another term as Senator for District V (Ponce), but instead seek a Senator-at Large seat, amidst the failure of a Senate bill, which he had authored, which would had ordered the Puerto Rico Buildings Authority to build a new vocational school in Ponce to replace the 60-year-old Escuela Superior Vocacional Bernardino Cordero Bernard.
See also
- List of famous Puerto Ricans
- German immigration to Puerto RicoGerman immigration to Puerto RicoGerman immigration to Puerto Rico increased when German businessmen immigrated to Puerto Rico during the early part of the 19th century. However, it was the economic and political situation in Europe during the early 19th century plus, the fact that the Spanish Crown issued the Royal Decree of...