Joseph A. Unanue

Joseph Unanue is the former Chairman and CEO of Goya Foods, Inc., which is the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the country. Goya Foods, Inc. manufactures, markets, and distributes approximately 1,000 different food products. Goya Foods, Inc. is an international operation stretching from Secaucus, NJ, Bayamón, Puerto Rico, Seville, Spain, to Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Goya has ten U.S. facilities in: Illinois, Florida, New Jersey, New York, Massachusetts, Texas and California.

Mr. Unanue graduated from The Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C. with a degree in mechanical engineering.

He joined the family firm after his service in the US army where he was awarded the Bronze Star.  In 1972 he became acting president until the death of his father in 1976 upon which he became Chairman, President and CEO.  Under his leadership, the company grew from a small regional food company with approximately $8 million in total sales to a global brand with over $800 million in sales and 15 locations worldwide.

Given his extensive community service, Mr. Unanue has been honored repeatedly by community groups.  The National Conference of Christians and Jews has twice hailed Mr. Unanue as “Man of the Year.”  The National Minority Suppliers Association awarded Mr. Unanue its Leadership Award.  In addition, he was presented the Key to the City of Boston, and in 1991 Hispanic Magazine honored Mr. Unanue with the National Hispanic Achievement Award.  During both the New York Puerto Rican Day Parade and the Hispanic Heritage Parade, Mr. Unanue served as the Grand Marshall.  He also served as a member of the Board of Trustees of the Catholic University of America.

Carmen Ana Casal de Unanue

Faithful, lifelong service to her family, her church and her community are hallmarks of the life of Carmen Ana Casal de Unanue.  Her deep commitment to others distinguishes her as a woman of great compassion and vision.

Born in Puerto Rico, Mrs. Unanue spent her elementary school years at the Academia del Perpetuo Socorro in San Juan.  She attended high school at the Academy of Mount Saint Vincent in Tuxedo Park, New York.  Upon completion of high school, she returned to Puerto Rico to attend the University of Puerto Rico.  After receiving her degree, she married Joseph A. Unanue.  Mr. Unanue is the retired president of Goya Foods, Inc., the largest Hispanic-owned food company in the United States.

For many years, Mrs. Unanue has been involved in numerous religious and community activities.  She has taught Spanish and Religious Education at both St. Joseph School in Bogota, New Jersey and St. Therese in Cresskill, New Jersey.  Carmen is well known throughout the Archdiocese of Newark and the local Latino Community for her many volunteer works.

Her commitment to the community is evident through her involvement in various charitable organizations.  She is an active executive board member of el Museo del Barrio, New York City's only Latino museum dedicated to Puerto Rican, Caribbean and Latin American art, serving as the current president.  In 2006, she was named to the board of directors of The Resource Foundation, an organization committed to increasing the self reliance and living standards of the disadvantaged throughout Latin America.  Mrs. Unanue spent many years on the Board of Trustees of public television, WNET, channel 13 in New York City.  She was a board member of the Don Bosco Executive Development Council of Patterson, New Jersey.  Previously, she served on the Overseers Seminary Committee at Immaculate Conception Seminary in South Orange, New Jersey.

With her family, she frequently travels to Honduras to work with residents in remote villages.  Her desire is to share her time, talent and treasure with others in evident in her dedication to this undertaking.  Through these trips she has partnered with the Agua para del Pueblo project, providing vital infrastructure to bring potable water to villagers without means to do so themselves. In addition, she has been instrumental in the building of schools in villages where there is a need.  Mrs. Unanue sees the call to stewardship as a way of life.

In 2005, Mrs. Unanue was honored by the American Bible Society for her contribution and leadership to the Hispanic community.  At the request of Pope John Paul II, she served on a ten woman steering committee that was responsible for organizing the first Catholic Pro Familia in Puerto Rico in September 1993.  In this capacity, she was able to work with Papal Emissary and close family friend, noted author, Monsignor Lorenzo Albacete.  Mrs. Unanue was honored by President Ronald Reagan for her community service.  In 1984, Seton Hall University awarded Ms. Unanue an honorary Doctorate of Humanitarian Service.

Mr. and Mrs. Unanue are active and committed philanthropists.  Both personally and through the C&J Unanue foundation, Mr. and Mrs. Unanue have supported a number of organizations including Ballet Hispanico, Museo Del Barrio and the Archdiocese of Newark.  The Foundation is funding the Joseph A. Unanue Institute for Latin American Studies at Seton Hall University.

The Unanue's resides in Northern New Jersey.  They are the proud parents of six children and sixteen grandchildren.