The Simón Bolívar University presented the award as businessman of the year to the president of the Port of Barranquilla, René Puche Restrepo, while the builder Rubén Carvajal received the same distinction from Mayor Mello Castro.

The first ceremony was face-to-face while the Valledupar Chamber of Commerce held the event in compliance with biosafety standards.

The business administrator René Puche Restrepo, a graduate of the University of Texas, has presided over the local port since 2013. He has more than 25 years of experience in the logistics sector.

Valledupar businessman of the year, Rubén Carvajal, co-founder of the construction company Carvajal y Soto, together with his childhood friend, the late Jaime Soto Guerra, recalled that the key to success is that from the beginning they set out to serve the city, generate employment, deliver good quality works within the stipulated deadlines and be punctual in payments to workers and suppliers.

“That is what gives them credibility and positioning in the region,” he adds.

Business Merit 2020

The other recipients of the Business Merit Award from the Simón Bolívar University are:

Merit for employability in times of Covid-19: Hada international S.A del Atlántico and De Lima Grupo Empresarial Ltda de Cundinamarca.
Merit to business solidarity in times of Covid-19: Ultracem del Atlántico and the Fundación de Palmicultores del Catatumbo de Norte de Santander.
Merit to business sustainability in times of Covid-19: Esenttia S.A. de Bolívar, Coguasimales Services de Norte de Santander. A special mention went to Transelca.
Merit for innovation in times of Covid-19: Diabetrics Healthcare SAS from Atlántico, SKG Tecnología from Cundinamarca and Aoxlab SAS from Antioquia.
Merit to the graduate Unisimón: Sandra Patricia Plata Coronado, from the Law program and the Master’s degree in Administrative Law and Bibiana Quintero Orozco, from the same program at the Cúcuta headquarters.
Meritorious businessman: Mauricio Molano Camacho, president of the Molano Social Foundation, member of the board of directors of branch products and creator of the Foundation and founder of the business development department of the Bogotá Chamber of Commerce.

The winners in Valledupar

The mayor of Valledupar, Mello Castro, led the delivery of the awards granted by the section of the Chamber of Commerce.

The recognition of Business Merit, which for 10 consecutive years has been carried out by the Valledupar Chamber of Commerce for the Cesar River Valley, granted the following distinctions.

• Micro-Entrepreneur of the Year: Fashion Designer Darío Valencia.
• Commercial and Service Merit: Ricardo Celedón, Mario Henao and Julio Oñate from the Varadero restaurant.
• Affiliate of the Year: Karen Guerrero Calderón, cosmetologist and cosmiatra.
• Posthumous tribute: Alberto Herazo Molina.
• Community recognition: Drummond-Alfredo Araújo Castro.
• A whole business life: Servipan, La Viña restaurant and chicken grill.
• Exemplary citizen: Julio Villazón Baquero.
• Outstanding young man: Daniel Andrés Palacios.
• Musical cultural merit: maestro Ovidio Granados and the Music Box.
• Literary cultural merit: Carlos Rodolfo Ortega.
• Heroic effort Instituto Cardiovascular del Cesar.
• Inter-institutional cooperation: Sena.