OJC hosts business leaders from Peru

Otero Junior College recently had the opportunity to host four business leaders from Peru who are visiting Colorado as members of the Rotary International Foundation’s Group Study Exchange team. According to Sally Cope, a member of the local Rotary Club, the team will be touring Colorado through the end of October learning about technology, communications, health care, and business management. “For over 40 years the Rotary Foundation has been sponsoring the Group Study Exchange program in an effort to foster professional development, international understanding, and cross-cultural friendships among nations,” said Cope. “The local Rotary Club put together a tour of our area that we felt would showcase our business and technology leaders as well as allow the team members to experience some of our history and culture,” she said.

A team of business leaders from Peru recently toured Otero Junior College to learn about the college’s communication technology. The group was part of the Rotary International Foundation’s Group Study Exchange Team. Team members on the tour who met with OJC President Jim Rizzuto included: (l-r) Francis Nagle, Maritza Zegarra, Jim Rizzuto, president of Otero Junior College; Giolietta Toledo, and Daniel Povis.

Mark Allen, director of the OJC Computer Center, provided the team with a tour of the college’s Computer Network Center, demonstrated the use of PICTEL technology in the video conference room, spoke about the college’s IP based phone system, and gave a brief overview of the SmartStations® and SmartBoard® utilized in many of the college’s classrooms. “The team members were familiar with a lot of our communication technology, including our IP phone system,” said Allen. “While most modern communication technology is available to them, their biggest obstacle in developing a communication infrastructure throughout their country lies with the fact that a large part of their country is mountainous with rough terrain. The costs associated with laying fiber and establishing networks in those regions are extremely expensive. As a result, some regions of their country do not have access to up-to-date technology,” said Allen.

The team’s leader, Francis Nagle, is a member of Rotary in Peru. Nagle’s business deals with semiconductors and computers for the airline industry. Giolietta Vecchione Toledo is an administrator in a painting company. Maritza Enciso Zegarra is involved with communicators in technology and education. Daniel C. Povis is an information technology consultant. Also a member of the team but not on the tour of OJC was Dr.

Carlos Enrique Davila Estrada, an orthopedics and trauma surgeon. Dr. Estrada toured the Arkansas Valley Medical Center while the rest of the team toured Otero Junior College.

While in La Junta, the team also toured DeBourgh Mfg., Southeast Colorado Power, CenturyTel, Bent's Old Fort and the Koshare Indian Museum and Kiva.

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