Navalia reminds Mr Germán Suárez, the Astican’s alma matter
It also recognizes Vice Admiral of the Spanish Navy professional career, Mr. Manuel Antonio Martinez-Ruiz
Within Navalia Meeting 2023 program held in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, from 20th to 22nd September, organizers were clear that it wouldn’t be possible to celebrate this event in Las Palmas without reminding the figure of Mr. Germán Suárez.
For many years, Vigo’s shipbuilding industry has had a special relationship with the Canary Islands and with Mr. Germán Suárez. “A so close relationship, up to the point, that he sent his son to Vigo for his first professional experience, as he told us a few months ago in our city,” declared in his speech Mr. José García Costas, president for Navalia.
With his entrepreneurial character, he created his own company: Italmar Consignaciones and thanks to his tendency towards consensus and always with a smile on his face, he became a national and international reference from his beloved Astican.
If, in 2021 we paid a heartfelt tribute to Mr. Alfonso Paz Andrade, in this 2023 edition Navalia thanks a personality within shipbuilding and extends it to all companies and business factory in the Canary Islands.
Navalia also wanted to highlight the career of a shipbuilding industry professional who, through an institution like the Spanish Navy, has made our prestige in the military industry excellent, as is the case of Vice Admiral D. Manuel Antonio Martínez Ruíz, which after 40 years of service, has gone into reserve.
With a resume impossible to summarize, his time in the Navy Corps, engineers and his role in destinations such as the Navy Research and Development Centre or representing Spain in international programs gave way in 2018 to his promotion as rear admiral of the Engineers Navy Corps, and he was appointed deputy director of Navy Engineering, until he finally became vice admiral of the Navy Corps of Engineers and director of Naval Engineering and Construction.
Like Mr. Germán, his ties with Vigo are not only professional: “he also has a son born in Vigo,” García Costas stated in his speech.
In future editions Navalia will continue to recognize those personalities and professionals who have left their mark in the naval sector and with whose work and effort they have made the naval industry an international benchmark.