Joseph A. Unanue

Infobox Person
name = Joseph A. Unanue
occupation = President, (CEO) of Goya Foods


image_size = 180px
caption = Joseph A. Unanue during WW ll
birth_date = birth date|1925|03|14|mf=y
birth_place = Brooklyn, New York
nationality = flagicon|USA American
ethnicity = Spanish American
spouse = Carmen Ana Casal de Unanue
death_date =
death_place =
parents = Don Prudencio Unanue Ortiz, Doña Carolina Casal Unanue
names in other languages =
religion = Roman Catholic Church

Joseph A. Unanue (born March 14, 1925 in Brooklyn, New York) was the president of the family owned Goya Foods, which is the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States.

Early years

Unanue's father Don Prudencio Unanue Ortiz, was born in the Basque region of northern Spain, immigrated to Puerto Rico where he met a young Spanish girl whose parents also had immigrated to Puerto Rico by the name of Carolina Casal. They were married in the island in 1921 and soon after moved to New York and settled in Brooklyn. Joseph Unanue was the second of four children born to the Unanue's.

Prudencio worked as a broker for Spanish companies doing business in the U.S.. He soon realized that there was a need for Hispanic products in the city and in 1936, he founded Goya Foods, a food distributing company, in Manhattan.

Prudencio Unanue was very serious about children's education and enrolled them in Catholic schools. Unanue attended St. Joseph's grammar school and later, St. Celias High School. Since childhood and when not in school, Unanue and his brothers had to work in the family business. His special job was bottling olives. In 1943, he graduated from high school but, since World War II was in full swing, he was drafted into the United States Army.

World War II

After basic training, Unanue attended the University of Puget Sound in Tacoma, Washington. However, due to the intensity of the war, he was soon sent to the battlefield. In 1944, his company landed in France and soon joined General George S. Patton's 3rd Army at the Battle of the Bulge. Unanue was only 19 years old and he was a Private First Class, when his sergeant died in action. He was then named sergeant in the field and made platoon leader. Unanue pulled his men to safety and was awarded the Bronze Star for bravery. [ [http://www.lib.utexas.edu/ww2latinos/template-stories-indiv.html?work_urn=urn%3Autlol%3Awwlatin.226&work_title=Unanue%2C+Joseph Joseph Unanue U.S Latino and Latina World War II] ]

"Goya de Puerto Rico, Inc."

In 1946, after Unanue returned home, he enrolled in The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., where he graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He joined the family business, together with his brothers Tony and Frank Unanue. He learned every facet of the food industry. At first, the major supermarkets, such as A&P and Safeways weren't interested in selling anything with the Hispanic demography in mind. Eventually, with the wave of Hispanic immigrants landing in the United States, the supermarket industry started to take notice. Goya Foods started to supply Safeway's Supermarket in Harlem and the rest soon followed.

In 1956, Unanue married Puerto Rican wife Carmen Ana Casal de Unanue (art collector and philanthropist) with whom he had six children and 16 grandchildren.

In 1976, Unanue was named president of the company whose principal base of operations was now based in New Jersey. His brother Frank, ran the "Goya de Puerto Rico, Inc." located in Bayamon, Puerto Rico. The company, under Joseph's leadership, became the largest Hispanic owned food distributor in the United States, with sales of over $800 million a year and with over 2,000 employees. It has facilities in Puerto Rico, Spain, Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Italy. The company also has facilities in the United States in the cities of Chicago, Miami, Tampa and Houston.

Goya Foods supports many organizations, among them the "Puerto Rican Traveling Theater", "Repertorio Español", "Ballet Hispanico" and the "Puerto Rican Day Parade". It also supports "The New Jersey Council for the Arts", "El Museo del Barrio" and the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

In 1985, Unanue's son Joseph F. Unanue, was named Vice President of Operations, a position he held until 1998 when he died suddenly. His younger son, Andy Unanue, was named to replace Joseph Jr.

In 2008, his son Andy was briefly a candidate for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate seat in New Jersey. He announced his candidacy on March 23, 2008, and filed petitions for the race on April 7, 2008. However, he dropped out of the race four days later, and his committee on vacancies designated former Congressman Dick Zimmer to enter the race under the Unanue petitions. [ [http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2008/04/former_congressman_dick_zimmer.html "Former Congressman Dick Zimmer to run for U.S. Senate"] . "The Star-Ledger", April 11, 2008. Accessed April 11, 2008.]

Later years

In February 2004, after 27 years as president of Goya Foods, 78 year old Joseph, and his son Andy Unanue were ousted from the company by his two nephews. Joseph Unanue resides in Alpine, New Jersey with his wife Carmen Ana and continues to participate in civic and cultural activities. [Jackson, Herb. [http://www.northjersey.com/news/njpolitics/17121111.html "GOP rival urges probe of Senate hopeful"] , "The Record (Bergen County)", March 29, 2008. Accessed July 3, 2008. "Rival Senate candidate Murray Sabrin on Friday seized on Andy Unanue's admission that he lived in New York City since 2004 while continuing to vote and register his cars using his parents' address in Alpine."]

Legacy

Among the many distinctions which Joseph Unanue has received was being knighted in the Order of Malta. He was presented with the "Key" to the city of Boston, Massachusetts. In 1991 he was presented with the "National Hispanic Achievement Award" and was "twice" named the "Man of the Year" by the National Conference of Christians and Jews. The National Suppliers Association presented him with the "Leadership Award".

Unanue has received honorary doctorates from Mercy College, Long Island University in New York and Felician College in New Jersey. The Catholic University of America has named one of its campus houses, The Joseph Unanue House.

Military awards and decorations

Among Unanue 's decorations are the following:

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References

ee also

*Spanish American
*List of famous Puerto Ricans

External links

* [http://www.neco.org/awards/recipients/josephaunanue.html Ellis Island Medal of Honor]
* [http://www.cchcc.net/article053.html Goya Foods President Is Ousted; Son Also Removed in Family Coup]
* [http://academic.shu.edu/latinoinstitute/ JAU Latino Institute]
* [http://utopia.utexas.edu/explore/latino/narratives/06Unanue_joseph.html US Latinos in WWII]