Currently,
the Board of Directors of the Friends of
Cocos Island Foundation is composed of distinguished
members of the business, scientific and
governmental sectors of our country, who
have placed their commitment and experience
at the disposition of FAICO, with a desire
to contribute to the consolidation of the
conservation and protection of Cocos island,
which is a World Heritage Marine Sanctuary.
The diverse preparation and experience of
the board members has enriched the various
projects and proposals relating to Cocos
Island. FAICO board members are aware of
the historic role they are playing, together
with the administrative personnel, in projecting
the exceptional nature of Cocos Island at
the international level, and the importance
of demonstrating its marine and land wealth
to everyone around the world. Currently,
the following people serve on the FAICO
Board of Directors:
Mario Carvajal Herrera President
Mario Carvajal Herrera, Costa Rican, is a PhD in Administration and Political Science from the University of Kansas, Master in Public Administration with Specialty in Management and Administration Techniques from the State University of New York at Albany, Licentiate in Economic Science with Specialty in Public Administration and Licentiate in Law from University of Costa Rica.
In the public sector, he has held positions as Ambassador of Costa Rica to the European Union, Minister of State Transformation, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Raising, Director of the National Park Foundation (1992-1994), National Legislator and Chair of Several Commissions, Minister of Exports and Investment, Presidential Advisor Minister in Cooperative Development, General Manager of the National Production Council, Vice Minister of Economy, Industry and Trade.
In addition he has been member of the Boards of Directors of: PROCOMER, CEMPRO, ICAFE, Liga de la Caña, Banco Popular and CNP.
In the cooperative sector, Mario was Founder and Chair of Consejo de Administración del Banco Cooperativo Costarricense R.L. (BANCOOP), Advisor to Consejo de Administración, General Manager of Coopemontecillos, R.L. and Chair of Consejo Nacional de Cooperativas (CONACOOP).
In the private sector, he was General Manager of Empaques Asépticos Centroamericanos, S.A. (EACSA), General Manager of LL Ornamentales de la Montaña, S.A., Founder and Member of the Board of Directors of EACSA, Member of the Board of Directors of Productos Columbia S.A. and Executive Director of the Chamber of Industry of Costa Rica. He is the Founder and current Director of Fundación Pax Costarricensis since 1988.
Carlos Manuel Uribe, 54, a Costa Rican citizen, is Vice President of the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Centroamérica. An outstanding businessman, he was Vice President of Corporación de Supermercados Unidos in Costa Rica and later Vice President of the Agro-Industrial Division of Wal-Mart Centroamérica. He is a member of the Boards of Directors of several leading Costa Rican companies.
A graduate of the School of Business Administration at Mc Gill University in Canada, he also studied photography at the Germain School of Photography in New York. His leadership in undertaking Corporate Social Responsibility at Central American level has led him to become a member of the Commission for the “Peace with Nature” Initiative promoted by the President of Costa Rica, Dr. Oscar Arias Sánchez.
He has had a very active role as land and marine nature photographer. He has been professor of photography at Universidad de Costa Rica. Has published and exhibited photographs, receiving national and international awards for his work.
Conservation of the planet, Cocos Island in particular, is one of the great passions in his life.
Born on May 7, 1960. He has been the General
Manager of S.C. Johnson Company of Central
America, Inc. since 1991. He holds an
MBA from The Wharton School, University
of Pennsylvania, and both Bachelor’s
and Licentiate degrees in Agricultural
Economy from the University of Costa
Rica.
He is currently a member of the Board
of Directors of Humboldt High School,
the Young Presidents Organization,
and EAN Costa Rica.
He has previously participated on
the Boards of Directors of AmCham,
the Neotrópica Foundation and
Empresarios Juveniles (Young Businessmen).
He worked for the Jaime Gutiérrez
D. Social Support Association and
for the Inter-American Institute for
Agricultural Cooperation.
Born in 1957, he has a Master’s
Degree in Business Administration with
emphasis in Business Management (1996-1997)
and a Licenciate Degree in Forest Sciences
with a specialty in Forest Production
(1981-1983).
He currently holds the position of
Manager of Protected Wildlife Areas
of the National Conservation Area
System (SINAC, “Sistema Nacional
de Áreas de Conservación”)
of the Ministry of Environment and
Energy (MINAE, “Ministerio del
Ambiente y Energía”).
He has acted as Advisor to the Higher
Directorate of Natural Resources,
Coordinator for the Financial Strategy
and Costa Rican Coordinator of the
Business Management Action Initiative
of SINAC. Between 1996 and 1999, he
was Executive Director of the National
Forest Fund (FONAFIFO, “Fondo
Nacional de Financiamiento Forestal”).
In addition, he was Director of the
Office of Coordination and Monitoring
of the Forest Credit and Financing
Trust Funds (OFICOSE, “Oficina
de Coordinación y Seguimiento
de los Fideicomisos destinados a Crédito
y Financiamiento Forestal”),
and Head of the Forest Financing Department
(DEFIFO, “Departamento de Financiamiento
Forestal”) of the Ministry of
Natural Resources, Energy and Mines
(MIRENEM, “Ministerio de Recursos
Naturales Energía y Minas”).
Mr.
Manfred Peters Seevers was born in Costa
Rica and studied Economy in the University
of Heidenberg in Germany. He has held
various management positions in important
companies dedicated to the production
and exportation of coffee in Costa Rica.
He has also held various positions in
the Costa Rican government, including
that of Vice Minister of Agriculture
and Livestock, Presidential Advisor
and Assistant Director of the Center
to Promote Exportations (CEMPRO). He
was the Director of the National System
of Conservation Areas (1994-1995) and
Director of the Office of Cooperation
and International Relations of the Ministry
of the Environment and Energy.
Peters has worked intensively on numerous
Boards of Directors, occupying the positions
of Director and of Delegate for the
Costa Rican government on many, including:
Banex Bank, FUNDECOR, CAFESA, Agricultural
Sugar Cane League, INFOCOOP, Forestry
Development Fund. He is an active member
of the Central American Sustainable
Development Fund. Currently, he combines
his functions as Technical Advisor for
CATIE with his work as Director of the
Administrative Board of the Friends
of Cocos Island Foundation.
Telfax 2256-7476 | 2257-9257 | Aptdo.
276-1005, Barrio Corazón de Jesús, Costa
Rica | Address Yamuny, Avenue 10, 125 m Sur Building. La Harinera del Consejo Nacional de Producción, 3th floor.
Carlos Manuel Uribe, 54, a Costa Rican citizen, is Vice President of the Board of Directors of Wal-Mart Centroamérica. An outstanding businessman, he was Vice President of Corporación de Supermercados Unidos in Costa Rica and later Vice President of the Agro-Industrial Division of Wal-Mart Centroamérica. He is a member of the Boards of Directors of several leading Costa Rican companies.
