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Data Center Design Corporation’s founder and chair, Herman Gamboa, is involved in so much more than just the corporate sphere.

IMAGES BEN BOHANE

erman Gamboa has an impressive résumé. The electrical engineer is the founder and chairman of Data Center Design Corporation (DCDC), the co-founder of Systems Technology Institute College (STI College)—one of the biggest computer schools in the , and the co-founder of Systems Standards, Inc. H—a remarketer for IBM products for over two decades. Furthermore, he is the president, director, and chair of 10 additional companies servicing the computer and telecom industries, a member of the board of Canyon Woods Resort Club, and a former professor at the College of Engineering—. One might think that he has little time for anything else; however, as Herman attests, this isn’t the case. He is unbelievably well travelled and also plays an active role in philanthropic pursuits, namely with Rotary International.

“I have been involved with Rotary for over 42 years,” he says. “I was a past governor in 1989–90 and again, this is a very longstanding relationship. It is longer than my commitment with my first company, DCDC, which I founded in 1983. My assignments and activities in Rotary have been incredibly rewarding and it’s something I am very proud of.”

Herman has taken on numerous positions within the organisation, everything from Editor in Chief of the Philippine Rotary Magazine in 1991 to Rotary Name Herman Gamboa Company Data Center International Training Leader at the Anaheim International Assembly in 1999 Design Corporation and 2000. The latter was attended by more than 500 of Rotary’s incoming Position Founder and Chairman governors from around the world. Also, Herman is a member of the Board of HQ , Philippines Trustees of Rotary Street Children Foundation and Rotary Home Foundation, Employees 50

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“My assignments and activities in Rotary have been incredibly rewarding and it’s something I am very proud of.” - Herman Gamboa

125 branches nationwide, with approximately 60,000 students enrolled.

In 1996, the founders sold 35 per cent of the school, and in 2004, with the death of two of the founders, the remaining two sold the balance to retain only 10 per cent. The new majority shareholders decided to list the company on the stock exchange, and under the name of STI both of which work with Gawad distributing Emerson network products Holdings Inc. it went on to purchase Kalinga and ANCOP to provide homes for three decades. During these years, several other institutions, including the for poor people. Emerson has done very well and we have pioneering Philippine Women’s University. gone from the simple selling of its units, While all this is going on, Herman still UPS, and air-conditioning systems, to the Then in 2002, Herman organised manages to dedicate adequate attention construction of telecommunication Amblish Technologies, an exclusive to DCDC, his business venture which facilities utilising Emerson products.” distributor of Aerocom pneumatic tube specialises in building data centres. systems from Germany. To date, all DCDC works to provide the equipment Today, DCDC sits in an enviable position major hospitals are equipped with this and technological machinery needed to as the only company of its type to install technology to expedite transport of power a company’s infrastructure and facilities with solutions such as MK2 and and blood samples to different enhance its capabilities. The business avatars, or abstract ideas that take the locations around the facility. In addition was created with LIEBERT (now form of solid, tangible entities. Herman to that, just a year ago in 2015, Anglinis Emerson) and TATE Access Floor as its explains that DCDC is run with a strong Thermo Corporation was created to product lines, and for the first 22 years religious and ethical core, complemented distribute Thermostar, a dry steam of its life it was the only distributor of by a highly experienced and dedicated cleaner from Germany that kills germs these brands. When Emerson Network team. “The culture in the company is with 160 degrees Celsius of heat. In Power (ENP) first opened an office in that of the family. All employees consider barely a year, most hotels are now using Manila, DCDC was able to further DCDC as their family, so much so that a it to clean their beds, pots, pans, and collaborate with it to put a positive mark lot of our employees become officers and other equipment. on the industry. Through this alliance, it eventually retire from the company.” successfully completed a number of Herman says he is proud of his large-scale data centre installations; for While DCDC was ticking along steadily, contribution to the Filipino economy example, in the Allied Bank building, Herman launched STI College with three through his diverse and varied pursuits, Metro Bank, and Philamlife Tower. friends from the computer industry. He both of the business and philanthropic didn’t waste any time in getting things persuasion. Although his schedule is “We have been with Emerson since our rolling either, with the university concept understandably busy, he concludes he inception 32 years ago,” Herman shares. being developed just a few months after wouldn’t change a thing. “This was an exclusive arrangement DCDC’s inception. STI College has since

when it first opened its office in the grown into the largest institution of its “Thirty years ago Herman’s vision and the Emerson- Philippines, then it started appointing kind in the Philippines, providing a DCDC partnership pioneered the development of the Philippines data centre market. Our shared values have other distributors. Nowadays there are solution to the high turnover of withstood the test of time, and have resulted in several other distributors for Emerson; however, technically inclined people who migrate landmark projects. We’re looking forward to many more years of continued growth and success.” - Anand we are the only ones who have been abroad. At its height, STI College had Sanghi, President, Emerson Network Power Asia

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