Invocation
Fr. Alberto García, S.J.
Dinner Service
Presentation of Inductees
Tommy de Quesada '94
Alumnus of the Year
José M. González '91
Closing Remarks
Fr. Guillermo M. García-Tuñón, S.J., ‘87
Chairman of the Belen Hall of Fame
Peter Montadas '76
Roberto Borbolla '56
Carlos Bravo '86
Jorge Muñoz-Bustamante '69
Felipe Fernández '94
Fr. Guillermo M. García-Tuñón '87
José Garrido III '99
José López-Varela '87
Alberto Paradela '11
Francisco Paco Ruiz '73
Roberto Borbolla '56
Luis Fernández de Castro '54
Tommy de Quesada '94
Eddie Macías '02
Carlos Jiménez '15
Aida Fernández-Magariño
Fr. Guillermo M. García-Tuñón '87
Felipe Fernández '94
Peter Montadas '76
Crescencio Ruiz '76
Rebeca Lowell
Teresa Martínez
Mirna Menéndez
Jorge Pérez-Alvarez '76
Ronnie Ramos '58
Leo Williams
As Belen Jesuit Preparatory School marked its 60th anniversary in Miami and 168th year since its founding, school leaders in conjunction with the Alumni Association created the Hall of Fame.
“I am very excited to begin this new tradition at Belen Jesuit,” said Fr. Willie ‘87. “Throughout our extraordinary history, there have been so many that have helped shape the school into what it is today. Belen was built on the shoulders of giants and through this hall of fame, we hope to highlight those individuals who have truly left their mark on the school.”
The twenty individuals who have been selected for induction to the inaugural class of the Belen Jesuit Hall of Fame represent the Jesuit values and traditions that are the foundation of our school.
The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to recognize members of the community who participated in, excelled in, developed, or supported the Belen community. Individuals who through their lives have exemplified the Jesuit values at the core of Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, el Colegio de Belén, and Jesuits Schools of Cuba.
Tony Abella was born on July 23, 1951, in Havana, Cuba. He attended el Colegio de Belén from first grade until his graduation in 1959. Tony taught biology at Belen Jesuit from 1963 to 1970 and served as the school’s first non-Jesuit principal from 1970 to 1973.
Fernando S. Arán was born in Havana, Cuba on July 25, 1957. He attended Belen Jesuit from 7th grade and graduated in 1975. He is an accomplished lawyer who has a passion for service and good citizenship. In 2006 Fernando was chosen to be the first President of the Belen Alumni Association. He also served as the Chairman of Belen Jesuit’s Board of Advisors.
José “Pepe” Armas was born in Havana, Cuba in 1958. He started as a 7th grader in 1972 at the Little Havana campus and graduated in 1977. Pepe has a long and distinguished record of accomplishments in the healthcare field and a long track record of generosity towards Belen Jesuit.
Felipe Arroyo was born in Spain in 1920, entered the Society of Jesus in 1937, and was ordained into the priesthood in 1950. Fr. Arroyo worked as a teacher in el Colegio de Belén until he was exiled in 1961. In Miami, he served as both president and principal from 1972 to 1974 and again from 1978 to 1980. Fr. Arroyo also worked as a disciplinarian and spiritual counselor.
Daniel Baldor was born in Havana, Cuba on November 25, 1902, graduated from el Colegio de Belen in 1919, and was ordained a priest in 1931. He served his alma mater in Cuba for eight years as the first native-born Cuban and alumnus as rector. In Miami, he served as President from 1967 to 1972.
Jorge J. Bosch was born June 8, 1925, in Havana, Cuba, and was a founding member of La Agrupación Católica Universitaria in Dolores. In Miami during the early 1970s, Jorge helped the Jesuits with the purchase of land to build a new campus in West Miami-Dade. He served as the first Chairman of the Belen Jesuit Board of Advisors from 1975 to 2012.
Pedro Cartaya was born March 31, 1936, graduated from el Colegio de Belén in 1954, and was ordained in 1967. He began teaching at Belen Jesuit in 1962 and has been a mainstay in the school for 6-decades, having taught Spanish literature, philosophy, and astronomy. Currently, he serves as the Director of Belen’s observatory and as a Spiritual Counselor.
José E. Cil was born June 7, 1969, in Miami and graduated from Belen Jesuit in 1987. He is a successful businessman and since 2019 has served as the Chief Executive Officer at Restaurant Brands International. José believes strongly in the formation of men for others and whenever possible volunteers his time to speak to the students at Belen.
César R. Conde was born on December 8, 1973, and graduated from Belen Jesuit in 1991. He has been a dynamic force in the world of news and has played a significant role in both Spanish and English mediums. Despite his many professional accolades, he is always proud of his alma mater and its relentless commitment to excellence and service to others.
Juan Manuel Dorta-Duque was born on September 23, 1922, graduated from el Colegio de Belén in 1940, and was ordained into the priesthood in 1955. He was more than just a priest; he was a pillar, a true leader that helped mold the Alumni Association into what it is today and will be forever remembered as a legacy amongst alumni.
Carlos J. Finlay was born on December 3, 1833, in Cuba. During the 1870s Dr. Finlay began to work at el Colegio de Belén and went on to serve as the school’s resident physician for over fifty years. The research done at Belén by Dr. Finlay led to the creation of a vaccine for yellow fever. Dr. Finlay’s work was nominated seven times for the Nobel Prize in Physiology and Medicine.
Marcelino García Pérez was born on January 16, 1939, and was ordained on October 24, 1970. In 1983, he began his tenure at Belen Jesuit. During a period of extraordinary growth for the school, Fr. Marcelino served as president until 1992, then both president and principal until 2009. He is the longest-serving president in the history of Belen.
José Antonio Garrido was born on August 5, 1928 in Cuba and graduated from el Colegio de Belén in 1946. He was a successful businessman both in Cuba and in Miami. In the late 1960s, during Belen’s most dire hour of financial need, Tony Garrido mortgaged his business to save Belen. He remained generous to Belen his entire life both with his time and his treasure.
Roberto C. Goizueta was born on November 18, 1931, and graduated from el Colegio de Belén in 1949. His generosity made our gymnasium possible and established the Goizueta Scholars Program at Belen. Through The Goizueta Foundation, Roberto’s commitment to Belen continues to help implement the vision for the school’s future.
John Guiteras was born on January 24, 1930, and graduated from el Colegio de Belén in 1948. During the early 1970s, Jack worked tirelessly to bring the Ramón Guiteras Memorial Library to Belen Jesuit, along with the famed Cuban Collection. Jack was extremely committed to his alma mater through his leadership. During his involvement, the library collection and technology offerings grew significantly.
José Izquierdo was born in Spain in 1922 and was ordained a priest in 1953. He served the Belen Jesuit community in Miami from 1965 to 1992 in various roles, but most notably as a disciplinarian and principal. Fr. Izquierdo was known to be stern yet gentle. He never raised his voice and his presence commanded unending respect from all his students.
Mariano Loret de Mola was born on July 7, 1939 and graduated from el Colegio de Belén in 1958. From 1968 to 1972, he worked at Belen Jesuit in various positions, including assistant principal for discipline, and served as the school’s first athletic director in Miami. In 2010, Mariano returned to Belen and devoted seven years to promoting and growing the Alumni Association as its Executive Director.
Luis Ripoll was born in 1918, graduated from el Colegio de Belén in 1936, and was ordained a priest of the Society of Jesus in 1951. Belen Jesuit opened in Miami on September 18, 1961, and Fr. Ripoll served as the rector from 1961 to 1964. He also served as a spiritual counselor, a position he would have for over two decades from 1965 to 1987.
Antonio Sánchez de Bustamante y Sirvén was born on April 13, 1865, and graduated from el Colegio de Belén in 1880. He was a distinguished attorney and public servant. Antonio served as the Cuban delegate to the Paris Peace Conference in 1919 and as Cuba’s representative at the World Court in The Hague. He was nominated in 1949 for the Nobel Peace Prize.
Jorge Sardiña was born on May 16, 1927, graduated from el Colegio de Belén in 1945 and was ordained a priest on June 20, 1959. He served briefly at Belen Jesuit from 1961 to 1965 and returned to Miami in 1981 where he served students for the rest of his life. A man totally devoted to God, Fr. Sardiña touched the hearts of his Jesuit brothers, faculty, staff, students, and Belen family members.
The formal nomination process is now open for consideration for the class of 2023 Hall of Fame. We are asking you as a member of our community to collaborate with us by nominating people that correspond with one of the following five categories:
The Belen Alumni Office will assist you in the nomination process or put you in contact with the corresponding decade representative of the nomination committee. The nomination form can be accessed online at www.belenjesuit.org/HOFNomination.
This award is given to the alumnus who best demonstrates dedicated service to Belen Jesuit Preparatory School, lives a life of moral virtue, and is a leader spiritually, ethically, and financially for the betterment of his Alma Mater and community.
José M. González '91 is the type of person who knows what it means to be selfless and put the needs of others before his own.
González came from humble beginnings. In his first year at Belen, tragedy struck his family when his father passed away. Facing financial difficulties, his future at Belen was uncertain. However, the administration was there to support his family and allowed him to continue studying at Belen Jesuit.
After Belen, his professional career began when he was still studying in college. He began working in the Miami-Dade County building and zoning department while studying political science at FIU. Balancing his job and studies, his college experience was not the traditional 4-year path. Ultimately he graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science in 2000. He jokes that he went to school for 9 years but isn't a doctor. While he worked at the county, he met developer Armando Codina ’65. This connection led to González’s involvement in the planning and approval of Dolphin Mall.
Today, he works at Florida East Coast Industries, the legacy company of American industrialist Henry Flagler. Among his more exciting developments is the new Brightline rail system that runs from Miami to Orlando, which is changing the face of transportation in Florida. He is currently working on a rail project connecting Las Vegas to Los Angeles.
In any project or business transaction, González lives by a set of basic principles. He establishes an environment of respect and inclusion. The janitor deserves just as much respect as the CEO. When he starts a project he meets with the community it will affect, he listens to their voices and makes sure their input is acknowledged. In his personal life, he does just the same. He says, “if you can’t get it right at home, you can't get it right anywhere.” He sets an example for his family, recognizing that you have to practice what you preach.
Belen was there for him, and now he is there for Belen, committed to helping others with the success with which he's been blessed. He gives so that those who need it, have the ability to attend regardless of their circumstances. When both of his sons began attending Belen, his bond with the school became stronger, and he became more involved. Now, he sits on the Belen Board of Advisors. González has contributed his knowledge in the field to help Belen complete its master plan. He was pivotal in the several approvals needed for the plan, from the stadium lights to the chapel.
Beyond his support for Belen, González has become very involved in helping the homeless community in Miami. He began volunteering at the Chapman Partnership years ago with his family, serving meals to the homeless. Now, although he sits on their board and contributes philanthropically to the organization, he continues to serve the homeless community. He believes you can’t just write a check because the human connection is pivotal to making a difference. “It's important for people to feel that they matter.”
*This article was featured in the Alumni Magazine Winter 2022 Edition.
