AIM Honors Distinguished Retiring Faculty Members

After rendering years of dedicated service to AIM, eight senior professors availed of the Institute’s voluntary retirement program. They are: Prof. Rafael J. Azanza, Jr., Prof. Teodoro Ma. P. Dizon, Prof. Jose M. Faustino, Prof. Sol A. Hernandez, Prof. Victor S. Limlingan, Jr., Prof. Errol B. Perez, and Prof. Purba H. Rao. Two of the six distinguished professors accommodated our interview about their memories of AIM, their legacy, and their aspirations for the Institute and its graduates.



How did you start teaching?

Professor Faustino: I started teaching in 1980. Before that, I got invitations to teach evening seminars, especially because I graduated from Harvard. I knew from the start that I love teaching, but could not pursue it right away because I was involved in the corporate life. So, I envisioned that I would teach after 10 years when I reach my goal of becoming V.P. in the company. Fortunately, I became the V.P. of Pepsi Cola in 5 years time. Until I realized that corporate life was not very fulfilling. I define fulfillment as being able to develop young people to be the best they want to become. That is when I decided to teach. I got offers to teach in the German Management Institute in Cologne. From 2001 to 2008, Leiden University in Netherlands also invited me to teach the Global Marketing Course.

How do you want to be remembered as a teacher?

Professor Faustino: I always tell my students that in my class, they will have a hard time. However, in reality, my students have fun learning and nobody sleeps. I am also strict in a sense that students have to be well prepared for classroom discussion.

What is your most memorable experience in class?

Professor Faustino: Every class is a memorable one. It keeps me young and working hard.

What is the legacy you want to leave AIM?

Professor Faustino: For the past 30 years, I have been an active Program Director of the Strategic Marketing Course. But most importantly, the legacy I want to develop is to have successful graduates who have taken the marketing class.

What is your greatest fulfillment in teaching?

Professor Faustino: Students grow professionally, mentally and emotionally.

After teaching at AIM, what else do you want to pursue?

Professor Faustino: Start writing a book about Marketing.

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Years of service in AIM.

Professor Azanza: Since 1971, but not continuously. There were work leaves.

What is/are your most memorable experience/experiences here in AIM?

Professor Azanza: There's not just one. For me, the turn-on here is seeing students get good jobs that they would not have gotten without AIM, and seeing them to be successful in their careers It is wonderful when we hear about them and their families prospering. And it is an uplifting experience seeing our alumni provide employment to people, and developing Asia . All that is memorable.

How do you want to be remembered as a Professor?

Professor Azanza: Well, in the long run, we are all forgotten. That's OK. A Professor lives on in his students. I would, if anything, just like to be remembered as part of the AIM team of faculty who tried to help out Asia. That's quite enough.

What is the legacy you want to leave the Institution?

Professor Azanza: My room (It is an urban legend). The words "boom-boom" (an inside joke.) Seriously, I hope my legacy is that I helped a number of students and businessmen appreciate the importance of, and logic in, Finance. I hope that simplifying Finance and making it funny is some sort of legacy, to be carried on by others. I want to write a "serious jokebook" about Finance in my retirement.

What are the changes you’ve seen in AIM through the years?

Professor Azanza: I think the level of psychological normality has somewhat improved. There are also more Doctorates among the faculty, something we should have done a long, long time ago. We started with a small endowment and I regret that we still have, relatively speaking, a peewee endowment, making the running of endless short programs still necessary to make ends meet. We lost the diversity among our student body that made this place such an interesting kaleidoscope of diverging views, smells, religions, social mores, career paths, and marital hookups. May the diversity return.

Now that you’re retired, what will be the things you will be busy with?

Professor Azanza: I still have board directorships, consultancies, vices. And I will still work at AIM on a reduced basis as an Adjunct faculty member. I will write cases and books and teach occasionally, maybe do MRR or other mentorships. The modern trend is that nobody completely retires, and modern medicine keeps us alive excessively.