José María Aguirre Gonzalo
| José María Aguirre Gonzalo | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
12 August 1897 San Sebastián, Spain |
| Died | 7 April 1988 (aged 90) Madrid, Spain |
| Nationality | Spanish |
| Occupation | Civil engineer, businessman |
José María Aguirre Gonzalo (12 August 1897 – 7 April 1988) was a Basque civil engineer, businessman and banker. He played a leading role in the development of the Spanish economy during the reign of Caudillo Francisco Franco that followed the Spanish Civil War (1936–39).
José María Aguirre Gonzalo was born in San Sebastián on 12 August 1897. He studied Civil Engineering at the Escuela Técnica Superior (Higher Technical School) in Madrid. He graduated in 1921. He would later teach accounting and business organization at this school. He then took some courses in Law. He began work with the Otamendi brothers on the Madrid Metro, which by 1919 had opened almost 4 kilometres (2.5 mi) between the Sol and Cuatro Caminos stations.
In 1927 Aguirre and his friend Alejandro San Román founded the Agromán construction company. Aguirre was chairman, managing director and then honorary chairman of this company. In its early years Agromán obtained major contracts in public works and buildings, and was involved in some important projects in the 1930s including the University City of Madrid (Ciudad Universitaria de Madrid) and the Castellana rail link. In 1934 Manuel Sánchez Arcas (1897–1970) and Eduardo Torroja (1899–1961) founded the Instituto Técnico de la Construcción y Edificación (ITCE, Technical Institute of Construction and Building). Other founding members were Aguirre Gonzalo, the architect Modesto López Otero (1885–1962) and the engineer Alfonso Peña Boeuf (1888–1966). The ITCE was a non-profit organization dedicated to developing and applying technical innovations in engineering civil structures.
During the Second Spanish Republic Aguirre had difficulties with the authorities and was imprisoned.
After the Spanish Civil War (1936–39) Agromán, with Dragados, became the leading construction company in Spain. Aguirre played a central role in the economic development of the country, and founded or promoted major companies in a range of business sectors. He was an adviser to the Renfe railway company and the Compañía Sevillana de Electricidad, and president of the Ribagorzana hydroelectric company, Acerinox steel company and Siemens España engineering company. He was also a director and shareholder of the newspapers El Diario Vasco and Informaciones. He became president or member of the board of over fifty companies, and was one of the most visible and influential businessmen of the time. In common with other business leaders of the time, he had an authoritarian style and little interest in human relations concepts.
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