Category Archives: Noticias

The history of our country is full of admirable names, all of them whom left their mark on this earth. We study the lives and work of these men at school the moment we learn to read, and we make of them the role models to follow and emulate, as aspiring good citizens. However, history nowadays continues to write itself; there is another class of men and women, that though they’ve not been called to arms to defend their Fatherland, as was back then, today, they are an example for their hard work, their success, their dignity and honesty.

The town of Moca, home to great Dominicans since its inception, is the homeland of Hugo Pérez Ovalles, a pioneering forward-thinking man, whom championed his own battles with effort, and hard work, becoming who he is today. The mastermind behind “Therrestra”, a leading construction company, at the service of tourist, residential and commercial development projects, specialized in project design, construction and oversight in the Dominican Republic and in the Caribbean.

Therrestra is currently present in the Dominican Republic and in Jamaica, currently generating 2,000 jobs.

Also, the company is registered in Aruba, St. Maarten, Saint Lucia, Cuba and the U.S.

Through this interview, today we will learn a little more about the way of life of someone that came from nothing and has no intention of stopping.

1- Did you ever dream or believe you’d become a construction entrepreneur?

When I was a boy, I dreamt of becoming a cabinetmaker or a baker. There was a bakery right in front of the house. Dream of becoming an engineer? Never. Renowned entrepreneur? Never

After I graduated, and like any engineer, I dreamt of having a 3M³ Tipper Truck, a Mixing Cone, a Vibratory Compactor and maybe build two houses per year.

2- Moving between two worlds, as are construction and business, would you say this is your calling? How did you learn this?

Professionally speaking, it doesn’t matter what you do for a living, because you will never see it separate from business. The two go by the hand. Developing a good construction, is doing good business, for present times and the future.

I think my calling, though I must confess I am terrible at self-marketing, I am somewhat crass in that sense, is that I am tireless, I’m limitless. I strive responsibly for what I believe is right.

3- You’ve been responsible for important developments, hence achieving recognition in a very competitive field. What is your secret?

In anything you do, there must always be something extra, that special touch that sets you aside from the rest. Our secret is: Good pricing, good execution, good project management, trimming, accountability and timely delivery, before the deadline. Bottom line, the key is the details, it’s all in the details.

4- What do you believe your company is yet to achieve?   

Not settling is part of human nature. We always want more. We want to continue working to become a standard and example all throughout the Caribbean, of what Dominicans can achieve. We’ve got the skills, the technique and the drive for it.

5- What would you like to accomplish that could be considered your greatest contribution to society?

For instance, the day that Freddy Beras-Goico died, every citizen, the State, all of us in unison, mourned his passing. My belief is that when our time comes, the country, your province, your town or slum, name a street, a park, build a bust or anything in your honor, then your time on this Earth will not have been in vain. We want to be the standard and ambassadors of hard work, of the Dominican Republic.

The 2 de Mayo Rotary Club issued a recognition to Grupo Therrestra, for its extraordinary contributions towards the entity, helping towards a better governance for the 2017-2018 term.

Edward Paulino, Rotary Club chair, stressed the great work Therrestra and its CEO, Hugo Pérez Ocalles, have done and continue to do towards the wellbeing of the Moca community. “This is proof that when people whom share a vision come together, great results are only the beginning; this is our goal at the Rotary Club, and it is also Therrestra’s goal”, Paulino explained.

The 2 de Mayo Rotary Club is an organization which gathers people whom are committed towards acting and making a difference through social labor in the community.

The event took place in the Don Bosco Theatre, in the Moca municipality, where several members of the Rotary Club, community leaders of Moca and team members of Therrestra were among the attendees.

Early into the conversation, one of the first words to come out of our interviewee’s mouth is “excellent”. That’s how he defines the professional windfall he is currently experiencing.

“Upon graduating, I prayed that as an Engineer, I could build two houses a year, and own my own truck, mixing cone and compactor. Today, we have an entire fleet, and we develop two hotels a year. Life has multiplied my wishes more than tenfold”.

“I manage several positions under my own position as CEO; from meetings to budgets, quotes, accounting, insurance, human capital, social responsibility, publicity, etc. It is a very interesting job, and I’m never bored. Each day brings about a new adventure; a new opportunity; a new beginning”.

Hugo Pérez Ovalles showcases a critical and knowledgeable understanding of his field, hence making him a firsthand observer of the current urban state of Santo Domingo. Reason why he never hesitates when he says “As a developer, I feel proud of the numerous modern buildings that are currently developing in Santo Domingo. Our city is on the path towards becoming more modern and avant-garde when pointing out the recent architectural designs”. “We are paving the path towards a secure future. Yes, I am worried about transit with regards to the increase in housing facilities”.

There is an infrastructure scarcity to attend to the real needs. I don’t see an urban development plan that supports this increasing transit flow”, Pérez added. Hugo then referred to a renowned filmmaker, when we asked him how he faces forward every new challenge.

“Billy Wilder said it best in one of his characters: “This earthly life is a battle, my friend” To me, life is a battle, each day is a battle, and I go from one battle to the next, and by this I mean, on the day-to-day, I can lose a battle but never the war. Step by step, day by day, every minute…. His personal definition of a perfect day is the following: “A perfect day is when you leave your house with a full-day agenda of meetings, activities and appointments, and at the end of the day, you come back having met the entire agenda. Everyone welcomes you, nothing was postponed, and you didn’t even get a flat tire”.

Are you a beach or mountain lover?
My day-to-day is spent under the sun, facing the sea. On my free time, I’d never think of going to the beach. I’m a mountain man, I love the cold, and freshwater.

How are you when it comes to food? Do you cook?
I haven’t yet run into something I wouldn’t eat. I don’t have a favorite dish, I can eat anything and everything. I’m not a picky eater, so, I eat to live, but I don’t live to eat.  Yes, I’m learning how to fix sandwiches.

What does traveling mean to you? Any destinations you visit more than once? What’s on your travel bucket list?

One day, I told myself “enough!” “I’m tired of seeing the world on a TV screen, magazines, books and the web. I’m always in Miami, Cuba, and NYC. I visit Aspen every year, and I never tire of it. But I still need to see the world: Australia, Thailand, Australia, Russia, etc.

How do you feel about the other streams of art? Architecture, Painting, etc?
I’m very lousy at drawing; once, I tried to draw a horse for my daughters, and it turned out looking like a very ugly dog; at least we thought it looked like a dog. From the arts, I like music and dancing.

What do you wish to leave behind, as your legacy?
I’ve always thought, that when my time comes, even if a Street, a park or a building bear my name, it would be enough for me to feel fulfilled. I don’t want my time in the world to end, leave it behind as just another passerby. I would like to change several things about my country, but it’s beyond my control. I hope to change some lives and influence others with my way of thinking and acting. That would be my legacy.