Oscar M. LopezLOPEZ Group chairman emeritus Oscar M. Lopez (OML) enjoyed reading employee replies to the short email he sent out on December 15, before the holiday break.

In the email, OML expressed satisfaction over the 2010 performance of the operating companies, as well as of the major holding companies of the Lopez Group. He also said there would be much more to look forward to in 2011.

“There are a lot of reasons to be optimistic as we move to the coming year; after all, if we can’t look past obstacles in our way, we can’t move toward the future. We can do this by showing resilience and optimism in everything we do. Remember that we are looking to build a conglomerate that will last long beyond the time of its founders. We do this by encouraging values, which allow us to see opportunities we can build on,” OML wrote.

He also reminded everyone to take care of their health and well-being, and to strengthen bonds with the family, “our source of strength as we face the unknown challenges of the coming year.”

Many Lopez Group employees, each of whom received the personalized email in his or her office inbox, responded with gratitude to OML’s message. Some were touched by the new role the chairman emeritus was taking in the Group, promoting values that are essential to the longevity of the business. Some expressed a desire to see OML in person, as he has not visited some operating units for quite a while. Others were simply surprised to receive a personal email from him.

Sharing wisdom

OML personally read all the employee replies and intends to regularly communicate his thoughts with them by email and through social media. As the champion of the Lopez Group values, he has committed to share his wisdom, culled from decades in business and management, as well as in the advocacy of health and fitness.

In a New Year message emailed on January 8, OML reminded employees that simply being optimistic is not enough for the country to succeed. “We have to all contribute our share of action to realize our dreams and aspirations.

This new year will no doubt bring a lot of new things for us—as part of the Lopez Group and as citizens of this country. The momentum for growth is there. Let us make sure we use it for our advantage.”

He also announced the launch of his blog in mid-January as his way of “reaching out to everyone, and for everyone to share with me your thoughts on practically anything you have on your minds.”

Contest

In his latest email dated January 31, OML invited recipients to join a contest that aims to instill the Lopez Credo in their hearts. “What I want you to do is to share in 2-4 sentences how you apply the Lopez values in your daily work. I, together with the Oscar Summit team, will be selecting the best story,” he said.

Entries must be emailed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. on or before Friday, February 18, 2011.