Panama Mourns Two Influential Figures Remembered for Service and Civic Leadership
During Sunday’s Eucharistic celebration, Archbishop José Domingo Ulloa offered a special tribute to Luis H. Moreno and Roberto Motta Alvarado, who died this week. The homily highlighted their service to the country and their close ties to Church-led works in Panama. Ulloa described both men as people who marked national life through testimony, service, and commitment. He also extended condolences to their families and invoked prayers for the promise of eternal life and strength in faith.
President Mulino Awards a Medal to Luis H. Moreno for his Legacy to the Country on Monday January 13 of 2025
Moreno, born in Chitré, built a long career in finance and civic life. He began at The Chase Manhattan Bank in David, where he worked as a “banker on horseback,” traveling to farms across Chiriquí province. His career later took him to New York, where in 1970 he became the first Panamanian to serve as general manager and president of The Chase Manhattan Bank. That milestone placed him among the country’s most prominent banking leaders on the international stage. Below, a big hug to Luis H. Moreno from President Mulino.
In 1990, Moreno took over as manager of Banco Nacional de Panamá at a difficult moment for the financial system. He became an important part of the economic team in the government of Guillermo Endara Galimany, which faced the challenge of stabilizing public finances after years of institutional weakness and fiscal strain. His work was part of a broader effort to support economic recovery during a period that demanded discipline, coordination, and confidence in public institutions.
Motta Alvarado pictured above held shares and leadership roles in several major Panamanian institutions, including Banco General, La Prensa, ASSA Compañía de Seguros, Gold Mills, and Calox. His professional path connected business leadership with public life and education. He also helped found Universidad Católica Santa María La Antigua, reinforcing his commitment to higher education in Panama.
Beyond the corporate world, he was a member of Club Rotario Panamá Sur, president of the Asociación de Ejecutivos de Empresa, a director of the Chamber of Commerce, and an activist in the Cruzada Civilista. Those close to him remembered a man devoted to work, faith, and country, with a career that brought together entrepreneurship, civic engagement, and educational support.
The recognition of Moreno and Motta Alvarado reflects the lasting influence of leaders whose contributions reached finance, business, education, and public service. Their lives represent a generation of Panamanians who helped shape key institutions and supported national development through private initiative and civic participation. In a country where banking, commerce, and education remain central to long-term growth, their careers stand out as examples of leadership tied to institution-building and public responsibility.
