Joaquin Aguirre ’44


Joaquin Aguirre ’44 died on January 7 in Santa Cruz, Bolivia. “Jack” came to Dartmouth as the Bolivian honors exchange student, studying comparative literature and philosophy, and went on to study at Stanford University. In 1992 he was recognized as Bolivia’s Man of the Year for giving his land-locked nation its first outlet to the sea, along the Parana-Paraguay river system. After more than a decade and many obstacles, he established a major shipping center, Puerto Aguirre, which opened the agricultural area of the eastern lowlands of Bolivia to world markets. His entrepreneurial efforts included establishing the first supermarket chain in Colombia in the 1950s and the development of pre-cooked baby cereals and dehydrated banana products, both of which were sold to major U.S. companies. Jack established and presided over several corporations in Bolivia, as well as serving as an advisor on economic development to the president of Bolivia in the 1970s. In addition, he wrote three historical novels in his native Bolivian. In his bio for the 50th yearbook he wrote, “Thanks, Dartmouth, you gave me the inspiration of the Renaissance!” Those of you who attended the 65th reunion will surely remember his lively presence and the 19 family members who accompanied him, adding a festive air to the doings. Jack is survived by his wife, Martha, five children and eight grandchildren.