[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 145 (1999), Part 11]
[House]
[Pages 16332-16333]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                        JOETEN ENTERPRISES, INC.

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. ROBERT A. UNDERWOOD

                                of guam

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, July 15, 1999

  Mr. UNDERWOOD. Mr. Speaker, fifty years ago, a dentist's office in 
the island of Saipan in the Northern Marianas was converted into a

[[Page 16333]]

small grocery store. Jose Tenorio and his wife, Soledad Duenas Takai 
``Daidai'' Tenorio, financed the opening of Tenorio's Grocery Store 
also known as ``Daidai'' Store. Through the proceeds of a house sale 
made in 1949, this ``mom and pop'' operation became the groundwork of 
an extensive group of family-run companies, currently the biggest 
business enterprise in the Northern Mariana Islands. For the past fifty 
years, Joeten Enterprises has been at the forefront in providing goods 
and services to the people of the Northern Marianas. This was all made 
possible by Jose Camacho ``Joeten'' Tenorio.
  Born on July 6, 1923, Joeten grew up during the Japanese 
administration of the Northern Marianas. Completing the standard five-
year education under Japanese rule, he mastered the Japanese language. 
After the war, he learned English from soldiers and was granted a high 
school equivalency diploma after receiving instruction from an American 
principal in Saipan's junior high school. From being a sugar cane field 
worker, he went on to become an elementary school teacher.
  In 1947, Joeten used personal savings of $200 as capital for a beer 
and soft drinks retail enterprise. Two years later, in 1949, the 
Tenorios sold their house to open the grocery store which offered basic 
necessities to the island of Saipan's growing population. Realizing 
that, in an island economy, a huge chunk from the profit is taken each 
time goods are shipped into the island, Joeten found to maximize his 
profit potential by getting together with several local businessmen, in 
1956, to form the Saipan Shipping Company. To support the newly created 
shipping business, the Saipan Stevedore Company was established soon 
afterwards. As the scope of the island's business community broadened, 
the Saipan Chamber of Commerce was founded in 1959. Joeten was at the 
forefront.
  In 1962, the office of the Trust Territory of the Pacific Islands 
moved its headquarters from Guam to Saipan, leading to an influx of 
jobs and money. The favorable business climate enabled Tenorio's 
Grocery Store to expand and diversify. Stores selling food, dry goods, 
hardware items, appliances and furniture were incorporated, in 1963, to 
constitute the Joeten Center. Three years later, Joeten was awarded the 
Trust Territory government's copra contract through the United 
Micronesia Development Association. By the close of the 1960's, Joeten 
was doing $3 million worth of business.
  A major turning point occurred In 1970. Joe Screen joined the team as 
vice-president and comptroller. Under Joe Screen's leadership, the 
Joeten stores were transformed into the J.C. Tenorio Enterprises. Their 
business went beyond wholesale, retail and shipping. By the time Joe 
Screen passed away in 1984, Joeten Enterprises expanded to include 
automobile dealerships, a real estate firm, shopping malls, hardware 
stores and construction supplies distributors. By this time the company 
was handling $17 million worth of business per year.
  For his accomplishments and contributions to the business community, 
Joeten was chosen as Saipan Chamber of Commerce's Businessperson of the 
year in 1989. However, business was not his only interest. Genuinely 
concerned with the Northern Marianas' political future, he ran an 
unsuccessful campaign, in 1977, to be the commonwealth's first 
governor. In 1990, he was appointed chairman of the governor's council 
of economic advisors.
  Joeten passed away in 1993, leaving behind a legacy and a business 
empire that has been at the forefront of the growth and progress of the 
Northern Marianas. His sons, Clarence and Norman, together with 
daughters, Annie, Francisca, Patricia and Priscilla, have taken over 
since his passing. In its fiftieth year, Joeten Enterprises enjoys 
unprecedented growth. Sales reports show an increase from $74.7 million 
in 1992 to $123 million in 1998. Employment figures rose from 789 
employees in 1992 to roughly 1,000 employees in 1998.
  On behalf of the people of Guam, I congratulate Joeten Enterprises, 
Inc. as they celebrate their golden anniversary. I hope that the next 
fifty years brings continued success.

                          ____________________