I was born in Cuba in 1953 and emigrated, along with my parents and siblings in 196, via Spain (where my family originated). I arrived in the US in 1962 living in Kentucky and Tampa, Florida before settling in PR with my family. I grew up in PR. Having obtained a Masters in Economics from The University of PR, Rio Piedras, I began my career in banking and Wall Street with The Chase Manhattan Bank as a Multinational Corporate Lending Officer in San Juan, P.R. Shortly after, I was assigned to the Treasury Department in Chase PR to be in charge of the purchase of tax exempt funds under Section 936 of the IRS Tax Code.

I then transferred to Chase Manhattan Bank in NY in 1980 where I held various positions as a VP in the Treasury Department including Money Market Sales, Foreign Exchange Sales, Institutional Banking and Foreign Exchange positioning for the Bank's portfolio. I left Wall Street in 1986 to raise my daughter in NYC and in 1989 established an art gallery in (what was then) Czechoslovakia. In 1991 Arias and Vanda Gallery was the first private commercial art gallery established after the fall of Communism.

At present, I am a VP and Associate Broker with The Corcoran Group having been involved in Real Estate since 1994. I am married and have a marvelous 22 year old daughter who is a writing major Senior at Ithaca College. We are all active in politics on behalf of the Democrats. I have been a Democrat my entire life in the US.

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