William Riefkohl
Encyclopedia
William Riefkohl López is the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association
.
, to William Riefkohl Villodas from Patillas
and Monsita López Ramírez from Canóvanas
. He earned three degrees form the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
: Bachelors in Arts, Masters in Public Administration and a Juris Doctor. In 1963 he joined the Alfa Activo Chapter of Phi Sigma Alpha
Fraternity, and was later its Chancellor.
(Spanish: "Administración de Fomento Económico", or just, Fomento) first as Industrial Promotions Officer (1968 to 1970) and later as legal aide (1970 to 1972). He was subsequently named Executive Assistant to the Administrator, and Director of the Office of European Promotions from 1974 to 1977. After "Fomento", Riefkohl joined the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón
as a member of its faculty from 1977 to 1985 and from 1993 to 1994 where he taught social sciences, international organizations, legislative process, government of Puerto Rico and of the United States. In 1971 he wrote the book: "Política pública del gobierno de Puerto Rico en torno a la planificación de la industria del turismo y su relación con la crisis actual de esa industria".
From 1988 to 1992 William Riefkohl acted as the Sub administrator of the Puerto Rico Economic Development Administration. During this time he coordinated promotional activities at Fomento offices outside Puerto Rico and established commercial contacts with a number of international companies. He restructured the international promotions of Fomento in Europe and Asia and established the Office of Promotions and Inversions in Brussels, Belgium. He facilitated the creation of the Institute of Science and Technology. Furthermore he restructured the strategies to develop Puerto Rico as a center for services for the Caribbean
. During this time at Fomento the effort to develop Puerto Rico as a international center for cinematographic filming began.
From 2001 to 2002 he was the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company
, exceling in establishing industrial conglomerates or clusters as starts to the future industrial development of Puerto Rico. In 2002 he returned to the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association as its Executive Vice President.
Currently at the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association, Riefkohl serves as its Chief Executive Officer, where he oversees the fulfillment of its constitution, rules, and resolutions. Among his other responsibilities are recommending public policy to the Board of Directors of the Association and ensuring the execution of the Association's strategic plans. He is also a frequent legislative lobbyist of the economic development of Puerto Rico and he carries out and extensive and intensive public hearings program.
Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association
The Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association or "Asociación de Industriales de Puerto Rico" was established in 1928 as a non-profit, voluntary and private organization with the intention of joining in the same organization the manufacturer and service industries in Puerto Rico in the same...
.
Early life
William Riefkohl was born in Rio Piedras, Puerto RicoRío Piedras, Puerto Rico
Río Piedras is a district of San Juan, Puerto Rico. Founded in 1714, it has been the home of the University of Puerto Rico's main campus since 1903, earning the town the popular name of Ciudad Universitaria...
, to William Riefkohl Villodas from Patillas
Patillas, Puerto Rico
Patillas is a municipality of Puerto Rico located in the southeastern coast, south of San Lorenzo; west of Yabucoa and Maunabo; and east of Guayama and Arroyo. It is spread over 15 wards and Patillas Pueblo...
and Monsita López Ramírez from Canóvanas
Canóvanas, Puerto Rico
Canóvanas is a municipality in Puerto Rico, located in the northeastern region, north of Juncos and Las Piedras; south of Loíza; east of Carolina; and west of Río Grande. Canóvanas is spread over 7 wards and Canóvanas Pueblo...
. He earned three degrees form the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus
The University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras , also referred to as UPR-RP, is a public research university located on a campus in Río Piedras, San Juan, Puerto Rico...
: Bachelors in Arts, Masters in Public Administration and a Juris Doctor. In 1963 he joined the Alfa Activo Chapter of Phi Sigma Alpha
Phi Sigma Alpha
Phi Sigma Alpha Fraternity commonly known as La Sigma, is a Puerto Rican fraternity established originally as the Sigma Delta Alpha Fraternity on October 22, 1928 at the University of Puerto Rico by 12 students and a professor...
Fraternity, and was later its Chancellor.
Career
Riefkohl worked at the Puerto Rico Economic Development AdministrationPuerto Rico Economic Development Administration
The Puerto Rico Economic Development Administration, known as "Fomento" in Spanish, was created in the 1940s and for many years was the main government agency responsible for the dramatic industrialization of Puerto Rico from the 1950s to the 1990s...
(Spanish: "Administración de Fomento Económico", or just, Fomento) first as Industrial Promotions Officer (1968 to 1970) and later as legal aide (1970 to 1972). He was subsequently named Executive Assistant to the Administrator, and Director of the Office of European Promotions from 1974 to 1977. After "Fomento", Riefkohl joined the University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón
University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón
The University of Puerto Rico at Bayamón is a state university located in the municipality of Bayamón, Puerto Rico. UPR-Bayamón is better known as CUTB from its previous name of Colegio Universitario Tecnológico de Bayamón in Spanish...
as a member of its faculty from 1977 to 1985 and from 1993 to 1994 where he taught social sciences, international organizations, legislative process, government of Puerto Rico and of the United States. In 1971 he wrote the book: "Política pública del gobierno de Puerto Rico en torno a la planificación de la industria del turismo y su relación con la crisis actual de esa industria".
From 1988 to 1992 William Riefkohl acted as the Sub administrator of the Puerto Rico Economic Development Administration. During this time he coordinated promotional activities at Fomento offices outside Puerto Rico and established commercial contacts with a number of international companies. He restructured the international promotions of Fomento in Europe and Asia and established the Office of Promotions and Inversions in Brussels, Belgium. He facilitated the creation of the Institute of Science and Technology. Furthermore he restructured the strategies to develop Puerto Rico as a center for services for the Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
. During this time at Fomento the effort to develop Puerto Rico as a international center for cinematographic filming began.
From 2001 to 2002 he was the Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company
Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company
The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company , along with the Puerto Rico Government Development Bank , was created by the government of Puerto Rico in 1942, during the administration of Governor Rexford G...
, exceling in establishing industrial conglomerates or clusters as starts to the future industrial development of Puerto Rico. In 2002 he returned to the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association as its Executive Vice President.
Currently at the Puerto Rico Manufacturers Association, Riefkohl serves as its Chief Executive Officer, where he oversees the fulfillment of its constitution, rules, and resolutions. Among his other responsibilities are recommending public policy to the Board of Directors of the Association and ensuring the execution of the Association's strategic plans. He is also a frequent legislative lobbyist of the economic development of Puerto Rico and he carries out and extensive and intensive public hearings program.
Awards
William Riefkohl has received numerous awards, including Public Servant of the Year award in 1991 by the Puerto Rican Products Association, in 2002 Distinguished Citizen by the Cement Producers of Puerto Rico Association, in 2004 Distinguished Citizen by the Puerto Rico Export Council, in 2006 the "Caballero Sigma" medal by Phi Sigma Alpha fraternity. In 2010 Phi Sigma Alpha fraternity dedicated their annual convention to him.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...