Eugenio Mendoza facts for kids

Eugenio Mendoza Goiticoa (born November 13, 1906, in Caracas, Venezuela; died October 17, 1979, in Caracas) was a very important Venezuelan businessman. He helped modernize his country a lot during the 20th century.

Early Life and Family

Eugenio was the son of Eugenio Mendoza Cobeña and Luisa Goiticoa. His family had famous ancestors. His grandfather was Cristóbal Mendoza, Venezuela's first president. His great-grandmother, Juana Bolívar, was the sister of Simón Bolívar. Even with this famous family, Eugenio grew up without much money. His family had lost a lot of money during Venezuela's wars for independence.

Eugenio married Luisa Rodriguez Planas in 1938. They had four children: Eugenio Andres, Gertrudis, Luisa Elena, and Eugenio Antonio. Sadly, his son Eugenio Andres drowned when he was young.

Building a Business Empire

Eugenio Mendoza was one of seven children. Unlike his brothers, he did not go to university. Instead, he started his first company at just eighteen years old. He teamed up with Moises Miranda to create "Moisés Miranda & Cía". This company sold materials for construction.

By 1932, Eugenio bought out Miranda's share. He became the only owner of the company, which is now called "Materiales Mendoza". In the years that followed, he also started "Maquinarias Mendoza". This company focused on heavy equipment.

Eugenio even talked with important people like Henry A. Wallace, who was the Vice President of the United States. He also spoke with the U.S. State Department and Nelson Rockefeller. These talks were about selling construction materials in Venezuela. At that time, many supplies were needed for World War II.

By 1943, he had created "Venezolana de Cementos". This company grew to be the biggest supplier of cement in Venezuela. It had factories in cities like Barquisimeto and Maracaibo. Later, he also started "Protinal," which made animal feed. This company helped make poultry a low-cost food source. He also founded "Venezolana de Pinturas" (paints) and "Venezolana de Pulpa y Papel" (paper).

His group of companies, "El Grupo Mendoza," became a huge industrial group by the 1970s. It included businesses in cement, construction, heavy machinery, paint, paper, animal feed, and even car manufacturing. Today, the car part is known as General Motors of Venezuela.

Serving His Country

When Eugenio Mendoza was 34, he became the Minister of Industry Promotion. This was during the presidency of Isaías Medina Angarita (1941-1945). Other important people like Arturo Uslar Pietri also worked with Medina Angarita. This group worked to help Venezuela's industries grow and develop the country.

In 1958, he was again asked to be a minister. This was after Marcos Pérez Jiménez was removed from power.

Helping Others Through Philanthropy

Eugenio Mendoza also cared a lot about helping people. He started the "Fundación Mendoza." For twenty years, this foundation led efforts to help communities in Venezuela. A major project was founding the "Hospital Ortopedico Infantil." This is one of the largest children's hospitals in Latin America. The foundation also helped start many schools.

In 1970, he founded the Universidad Metropolitana. This is a private university in Caracas. It became his most important project in his later years. It was the first university in Venezuela to offer degrees in business management and finance. It is still one of the most respected private universities in Venezuela today.

Today, Eugenio's three children and grandchildren continue his business and charity work through "El Grupo Mendoza" and "Fundación Mendoza."