In Memoriam: Ulises Giberga
One of Chase's last bankers in Cuba; Western Hemisphere exec
(Based on death notice in the New York Times and this story on the Chase Alumni website, including Giberga's recollections of the last days of Chase Havana, before it was nationalized)
Ulises Giberga, whose 22-year Chase career began in Cuba and later encompassed the Western Hemisphere, died in New York City on December 3, 2024, nine days short of his 92nd birthday.
Giberga was born in December 1932 in Havana, Cuba, where he attended grade school before enrolling in the Peddie School, Hightstown, NJ. He graduated magna cum laude from Brown University in 1953, with a BA in Economics. He minored in math and French and was a member of Phi Beta Kappa.
While at Brown, he attended the University of Havana Summer School and earned a Cuban Government Certificate for Teaching English as a Foreign Language.
On June 29, 1953, Giberga joined Chase, Havana in the Credit Deparment. He was sent to New York in January 1954 for credit training and was appointed Assistant Manager of the Cuba branch in 1956/57. He also attended the University of Havana Night School during periods of 1954 to 1957 and completed three out of the five years required for a CPA degree but was unable to finish when the University was closed due to political unrest.
The Chase Cuban branch was nationalized on September 17, 1960. Giberga was hired by Chase New York on October 10, 1960, to work in the Caribbean Area office in New York.
Later posts included: Nassau, Bahamas, as Secretary/Treasurer of The Chase Manhattan Trust Corporation Limited; Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas Virgin Islands branches as Assistant Manager, head of Credit Department; St. Thomas as Assistant General Manager for Branches in Northern Caribbean (ex Puerto Rico); Miami as VP CMOC-Miami and General Manager of Chase’s branches in the Caribbean (ex Puerto Rico); New York as Head of Western Hemisphere Correspondent Banking and General Manager of Private Banking International-Western Hemisphere. He retired from Chase at the end of 1987.
He then worked for Republic National Bank of New York (now HSBC). When Giberga retired, he pursued his lifelong love of acting, most notably with the St. Bart's Players. He played squash, tennis and bridge, and loved to travel, especially with his family and friends.
Among Giberga's survivors are his wife of 58 years, Katherine Jane Sughrue Giberga, two daughters, a son Giberga (Derik Alfaro), and Elena GibergaTompkins (Robert), his son, Peter Giberga (Samantha), and five grandchildren.
Memorial contributions can be directed to the American Parkinson's Disease Association (APDA).
Remembrances
Please send remembrances to
news@chasealum.org
From John Hehir: My wife and I are truly saddened to hear of Ulises' passing. We worked together in St. Thomas in the late 1960s. He is the last of the St. Thomas management at that period of time. He is predeceased by Jack Gates (General Manager), Ed McCutcheon (Branch Manager) and Arthur Downing (Operations Manger). He was a real pleasure to work for and with. I considered him one of my prized mentors. I always enjoyed seeing him at Chase Alumni Association reunions.
From Harry Tether: Ulises was a good friend and an excellent private banker. He would invite me to Punta del Este every winter to meet some of his clients. It was tough duty... tennis at 8 am (before it got too hot) and finishing with a client dinner before midnight.
We kept in touch over the years, attending the US Open and plays in which he scted. Uncommon for New Yorkers, Jane was a Red Sox fan, and we celebrated four World Series victories starting with the miracle comeback in the AL Championship in 2004 against the Yankees and the Red Sox' first Series win in 80 years.
His big smile and wonderful memories will live on.
From Habib Faris: Ulises brought back some of the wonderful memories when I spent time in New York waiting for my paperwork for an assignment in Bahrain in 1982.
Instead of just waiting, Ulises gave me a project to work on: visit Chase’s offices in Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami to do a research on Arab business dealings to find a possible connection with our private banking marketing efforts in the Gulf Region. He was most complimentary and I still have that detailed report!
My condolences to his family. RIP dear colleague…
Instead of just waiting, Ulises gave me a project to work on: visit Chase’s offices in Houston, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami to do a research on Arab business dealings to find a possible connection with our private banking marketing efforts in the Gulf Region. He was most complimentary and I still have that detailed report!
My condolences to his family. RIP dear colleague…
From Anne Benbow: Working with Ulises was the great delight of my first assignment in Human Resources. He was a thoughtful manager and a good listener, and his laugh was often the highlight of my day. We shared many a lunch at Hatsuhana, and I was pleased to see him in a play at St. Barts long after we had both moved on. He was an accomplished gentleman with a very distinguished career – I count myself lucky to have known him.