Rodolfo C. Salazar ME ‘63

Rodolfo C. Salazar has two older brothers who studied Engineering. So, when it was time for him to go to college, his father suggested that he follow suit. No problem, for after all he liked Science and Math subjects, liked to tinker with things, to assemble, and disassemble things. So it was not hard for him to say yes to his father.

In 1963, he studied at Princeton University’s Department of Aerospace and Mechanical Sciences, College of Engineering. In 1964, he moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to enroll in the Graduate School of Industrial Administration of a prestigious Science and Technology institution, Carnegie Mellon University.

His first job was a liaison representative of C. Itoh & Company, Ltd., one of the highest trading firms in Japan. He was handling electronics and radio equipment and parts, textile machinery and other heavy machinery. It was in C. Itoh that he learned the business side of engineering. In school, he had learned the primary technical and technological aspects of engineering. At work, he now learned principles and systems of pricing. He was also able to hone his social skills as he had to personally deal with clients. At the same time he was working, he spent his evenings in review classes preparing for the board exams.

When asked about his favorite projects, he recalls how he was particularly interested when a company would give him a small or large organization he was tasked to develop. He would ask himself, “How do I turn this around and make it better?” He said that the key was always the people of the company .He would encourage each and every one in the team to step up to the challenge of contributing to their company’s growth.

He also underwent intensive training and orientation in Pfizer Inc. Operations. He was able to anticipate and analyze risks, make assumptions and take action. His basic formula was, “Anytime there is uncertainty, there is always risk.”

At present, Rodolfo Salazar is a Management Consultant as DMCI and to some members of the Lopez Group of Companies. He has been involved in business development and strategic group initiatives, such as strategic planning, risk management, organization development, marketing and business management excellence.

He confesses that, truth to tell, he really was an introvert. But, he laughs, the reason he learned to be good at talking to people was that he needed to, if he wanted to keep his job!