Alumni of Costa Rica Band Together in Newest Addition to Wharton Club Network
We spoke with Jaime J. Montealegre, W’73, the president of the Penn/Wharton Club of Costa Rica, about the impetus behind the new organization and more.
WHARTON MAGAZINE: What’s been the driving force behind the new club?
JAIME J. MONTEALEGRE: The enthusiastic group behind the idea is made up of the following Wharton alumni: Paul Bornemisza, WG’88; Juan Ignacio Gonzalez Arias, WG’97; Jose Pablo Montoya Dobles, G’92, WG’92; Roman Macaya, WG’98; and Eduardo Zuñiga, GL’09, WEV’09. Those five individuals, and myself, make up the board. The following Wharton alumni are also founding members of the club: Piero DiCapua, WG’76; Carlos Rojas, WG’93; Rosalia Morales, G’10, WG’10; and Alejandro Vega, G’09, WG’09.
WM: What do you hope for the club in its first year?
MONTEALEGRE: We will reach out to all of the Wharton and Penn alumni in Costa Rica, inform them of the existence of the club and encourage them to become members. We would like to have at least two events with speakers.
WM: In the long term?
MONTEALEGRE: We would like to create a network that Penn alumni find valuable—a network that will help them in their different professional needs. We would also like to promote Wharton and Penn in the local community.
WM: What should we know about the Costa Rican alumni group?
MONTEALEGRE: Know that there is a group of Penn alumni, very well connected in the local community, working on behalf of Wharton and Penn. This network can also be of help to Penn alumni who want to move to Costa Rica.
WM: About the regional business scene in general?
MONTEALEGRE: Costa Rica is a very exciting and beautiful country that has a lot to offer. It is a great destination for a vacation. It is becoming a very attractive place for retirement. It is also a great alternative for medical tourism and has become a great destination for business process outsourcing (BPO). It has a dynamic pool of well-educated labor. It is the longest lasting democracy in Latin America. There are no issues with security, and it is continually ranked as one of the happiest places in the world. Frankly, the quality of life here is fantastic. I think the place is still undiscovered.
