Jose Manuel Armenteros Rius passed away on Saturday, 18 January 2025. His family was preparing his 100th birthday on 26 March. He was working on an expanded version of his life memoirs. He had lots to tell and share.
Armenteros is renowned for his significant contributions to the nation’s development, particularly in the water engineering, the environment and business. Of Spanish descent, he was actually born in the eastern province of San Pedro de Macoris. He carried out a doctorate in engineering at the Escuela Superior de Ingenieros de Caminos, Canales y Puertos de Madrid, Spain and returned to the Dominican Republic where his career was marked by environmental stewardship.
Armenteros founded the Fondo Pro Naturaleza (ProNatura) in the 1990s, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving watersheds, conserving soils, and reforesting the Dominican landscape. Under his guidance, ProNatura implemented numerous initiatives, including national park management plans, ecological restoration projects, and community empowerment programs. He is the champion of the “ebano verde,” the cloud forest endemic tree he preserved by creating the privately managed reserve, Reserva Científica Ebano Verde in the La Vega province mountains. The facility enabled visitations where Dominicans can learn to appreciate the importance of the hardwood tree. The effort ensured the tree would be preserved and continue to be available locally.
Armenteros’s pioneering work in hydroelectric power and water resource management brought clean water to millions of Dominicans. The Ministry of Environment issued him a lifetime achievement award for his work in water resource conservation in 2022.
Armenteros’s innovative approach to collaboration, involving both public and private sectors, fostered sustainable development and improved the lives of countless communities.
Beyond his environmental endeavors, Armenteros was a highly respected industrialist. As the founder of Mendoza, Armenteros y Asociados (Mendar), he played a pivotal role in numerous infrastructure projects, including hydroelectric power plants, rural aqueducts, and hydrological studies.
Armenteros also held leadership positions in various industrial associations, including the Asociación de Industrias de la República Dominicana and the Cámara de Comercio y Producción de Santo Domingo. He is credited with fostering the law that created resources for chambers of commerce nationwide. His international experience extended to Spain, where he served as a technical director for several hydroelectric projects.
Listin Diario writes that José Manuel Armenteros Rius was more than an engineer or businessman; he was a visionary who understood the interconnectedness of economic development and environmental sustainability.
Read more in Spanish:
Listin Diario
Reserva Cientifica Ebano Verde
20 January 2025