Sila María Calderón facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sila Calderón
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Calderón in 2001
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| Governor of Puerto Rico | |
| In office January 2, 2001 – January 2, 2005 |
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| Preceded by | Pedro Rosselló |
| Succeeded by | Aníbal Acevedo Vilá |
| Mayor of San Juan | |
| In office January 2, 1997 – January 2, 2001 |
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| Preceded by | Héctor Luis Acevedo |
| Succeeded by | Jorge Santini |
| Secretary of State of Puerto Rico | |
| In office 1988–1989 |
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| Governor | Rafael Hernández Colón |
| Preceded by | Alfonso Lopez Chaar |
| Succeeded by | Antonio Colorado |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Sila María Calderón Serra
September 23, 1942 San Juan, Puerto Rico |
| Political party | Popular Democratic |
| Other political affiliations |
Democratic |
| Spouses |
Francisco González
(m. 1964; div. 1975)Adolfo Krans
(m. 1978; div. 2001)Ramón Cantero Frau
(m. 2003; div. 2005) |
| Children | 3, including Sila |
| Education | Manhattanville College (BA) University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras |
Sila María Calderón Serra (born September 23, 1942) is an important politician and businesswoman from Puerto Rico. She made history by becoming the first woman to be elected and serve as governor of Puerto Rico. She was governor from 2001 to 2005. Before that, she held many other important jobs in the government. She was also the mayor of San Juan, the capital city, from 1997 to 2001.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Sila Calderón Serra was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on September 23, 1942. Her parents were César Augusto Calderón and Sila Serra Jesús. Her grandfather came from Mallorca, Spain. This helped her get Spanish citizenship in 2012.
She went to high school at Colegio Sagrado Corazón de Las Madres. In 1964, she graduated with honors from Manhattanville College in New York. She earned a degree in Government. Later, she studied at the University of Puerto Rico.
Starting Her Career
Working in Government and Business
Sila Calderón began her career in 1973. She worked as an assistant to the Labor Secretary. Two years later, she became a special helper for economic development to Governor Rafael Hernández Colón.
After Governor Hernández Colón's term ended, Calderón worked in the private sector. She became a director at Citibank in San Juan. She helped create new products that made the bank more successful. In 1978, she became president of a family real estate company. This company owned and managed buildings.
Returning to Public Service
In 1984, Rafael Hernández Colón was elected governor again. He chose Sila Calderón to be his Chief of Staff. She was the first woman to hold this important position. In 1988, she was named Puerto Rico's 12th Secretary of State.
During this time, she also helped the Governor with economic advice. She served on important boards, like the Puerto Rico Government Development Bank. She also led a committee for industrial development.
Becoming a Political Leader
Mayor of San Juan
Sila Calderón returned to public life in 1995. She decided to run for Mayor of San Juan. She won the primary election easily. In 1996, she was elected Mayor of San Juan. She was the first woman elected to this role in the city's history.
As mayor, she started many big projects. She worked to improve areas like Old San Juan and Río Piedras. She also started the Special Communities Program. This program helped poor neighborhoods become stronger and develop their economies.
Governor of Puerto Rico
In 1999, Calderón announced she would run for Governor of Puerto Rico. She won the primary election in her party. In 2000, she ran against other candidates and won the election. This made her the first elected female governor in Puerto Rico's history.
As governor, Sila Calderón focused on helping communities in need. She signed a law that invested a lot of money. This money was used to create the Puerto Rico Office for Socioeconomic and Community Development. The goal was to start many development projects in hundreds of communities.
In 2003, Governor Calderón decided not to run for re-election. She wanted to finish the promises she made during her first term. In 2004, she handled a difficult situation calmly. A man entered the governor's mansion and took someone hostage. Governor Calderón spoke with him, and he surrendered safely.
Life After Governorship
Today, Sila Calderón is a partner in a business consulting firm called IGlobaL. This company works with businesses in Central America, the Caribbean, and the United States. She also leads a foundation called The Center for Puerto Rico: Sila M. Calderón Foundation. This foundation helps with issues like poverty, women's rights, and improving cities.
Awards and Recognitions
Sila Calderón has received many awards and honors throughout her career:
- The Puerto Rico Chamber of Commerce named her "Outstanding Woman in the Public Sector" three times.
- In 1987, she received the Order of Isabella the Catholic from the King of Spain, Juan Carlos I.
- In 2003, she received the Harvard Foundation Award.
- In 2004, she received the Golden Plate Award from the Academy of Achievement.
She has also received several honorary degrees from universities:
- Manhattanville College gave her two honorary degrees in Arts and Humanities.
- Boston University and New School University both gave her honorary Doctor of Laws degrees in 2001.
During her time as governor, she worked to build stronger ties between Puerto Rico and other Latin American countries. She visited the Dominican Republic, Panama, and Costa Rica. These countries honored her with their highest civil awards.
Personal Life
Sila Calderón has three children: Sila María, Francisco Xavier, and María Elena. Her daughters, Sila María and María Elena, are lawyers. They served as "First Ladies" during her time as governor. Francisco is an investment banker.
Calderón has been married three times. She was married to Francisco Xavier González Goenaga from 1964 to 1975. She then married Adolfo Krans in 1978, and they divorced in 2001. In 2003, she married Ramón Cantero Frau, who was her former Secretary of Economic Development. They divorced two years later.
See also
In Spanish: Sila Calderón para niños
- List of governors of Puerto Rico
- History of women in Puerto Rico
- List of female governors in the United States
