On a trip to Mexico in 1997, I learned of a Dip family in Guadalajara, Mexico . This family is of great wealth, and is a major manufacturer / distributor of pharmaceutical products in Mexico (Laboratorios Alpha).
These Dipp's are not from the family branches of my three Dip grand uncles who migrated to Mexico, however, I am told that they were related to our family. My cousin Maruca Zajur-Dip used to go visit them. They called her "cousin". I am trying to uncover the relation of our family branch with that branch in Guadalajara. They must be related to our great grand father Hanna Dib Lattouf, sine they are not his direct descendents.
These Dip's are so influential in Mexico that, I am told, helped my cousin Juan Salomon Dip (Richmond, VA) obtain his emigration papers to enter the United States. I have not yet been able to connect this branch of the family to our branch (Hanna Dib Lattouf). These Dips have sloped gardens on which they built Lebanese-style horizontal level rows to keep land from sliding (in Lebanon they called these "Jal"s). I will try connecting with them to find higher threads of Hanna Dib Lattouf's ancestry .
I recently obtained the name of Jorge Dipp-Murad (father's family name is Dipp, mother's is a Murad) who was the owner of Laboratorios Alpha, and since he was 92 years old, he had sold this company, but may not have completely retired. He has two married daughters. I am trying to communicate with him before he passes on and with him passes an opportunity to expand the scope of our family tree.
I am also in contact (via internet) with a Naheem Dipp from Guadalajara, and am trying to see how related he is.
Jorge Dipp-Murad, I am told, never attended a university, instead, in his younger years, he noticed that Mexico lacked good drinking water. He started a small business purifying and selling drinking water. From this small water purification laboratory, Jorge Dipp-Murad became the founder of Laboratorios Alpha, one of largest pharmaceutical manufacturers in Mexico.
In addition to his many business successes, including major real estate development, he was an environmental activist and was very instrumental in the preservation of the famous Lake Chapala.
Guadalupe Del Carmen Dipp-Reyes is also know as Lupercia Dipp. She is a famous architect, and an avid sailor and a sea romantic. She spends most of her free time (if any) on her Star and Moon sailing boat which is usually docked at Porta Vaillarta near Mexico City.
Lupercia has made her fame with, among other things, innovative affordable housing in Mexico as well as in Montreal, Canada. Below is an short article of her accomplishment in Montreal.
For the first time in Canada, the private sector, academia and the levels of
government unite their efforts in the development of an affordable and
exportable housing concept: La Casa a la Carta: The "à la carte" Home.
The result of a partnership between Promexpo International, a division
of Groupe Promexpo Inc., and the McGill School of Architecture
Affordable Homes Program, this made-to-measure project benefits from the
support of prestigious partners such as the Société d'habitation du
Québec (SHQ) and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
(CMHC).
A joint initiative of Dr. Avi Friedman, director of
McGill University's Affordable Homes Program and Michèle Tessier-Pepin,
vice-president and general manager of Promexpo International, this
extremely flexible housing concept which offers a number of "à la carte"
options (base "public housing" model offered at less than $15,000 U.S.)
will be presented exclusively as part of the Contact-Export
Quebec-Canada Pavilion organized by Promexpo International at the
ConstruExpo Show in Guadalajara, Mexico, next November 21 to
23.
"The Casa a la Carta project we are announcing today
represents the result of a home grown architectural idea that Dr.
Friedman and his team were able to develop for the greater housing good
of people around the world," says Gretta Chambers, Chancellor of McGill
University. "I am bursting with pride at the idea that these affordable,
progressive, and now exportable homes, which are a tremendous showcase
for Quebec savoir faire abroad, have come out of McGill."
The
model home will be specially built for the exhibition by ARCHIMÈDE 2000
INC. of Montreal, who will subsequently set up the home on a permanent
exhibition site in Guadalajara. In addition to the participation of
ARCHIMÈDE 2000, La Casa a la Carta which has also
benefited from the expert counsel of Mexican architect Guadalupe Dipp
Reyes involves 20 or
so Quebec manufacturers of products, technology and materials which will
be used for the construction of the home.
This two-bedroom,
50-square-metre (500-square-foot) unit has been conceived to be
expandable both vertically and horizontally. The architect has designed
a narrow-front townhouse which incorporates land and infrastructure
savings. From an options menu, the builder can select kitchen, bathroom
and exterior finishes based on market conditions. Dr. Friedman, who also
designed the Grow Home and the Next Home, helped Quebec manufacturers to
modify their products to adapt them to Mexican demand and to the price
of the homes.
An exportable housing concept!
"Current socio-demographic and economic trends have
brought about fundamental changes in the residential construction
industry in Quebec and demand new and daring solutions," says Dr. Avi
Friedman, designer of the affordable, exportable housing project.
Friedman adds that the major decline in the industry has made it
necessary to seek out foreign markets for our housing and construction
products.
The La Casa a la Carta on display in Guadalajara will
therefore clear the way toward new business markets for Quebec and
Canadian manufacturers who want to export their construction products
not only to Mexico, but other Latin American countries as well. "We are
proud to be associated with the McGill School of Architecture Affordable
Homes Program for the first mission-exhibition of Promexpo
International, a new division of Groupe Promexpo Inc., dedicated to
opening new business markets for Quebec companies in the construction,
housing, energy, urbanism, architecture, design and engineering
sectors," explains Michèle Tessier-Pepin about Promexpo
International.
For its part, the Société d'habitation du Québec
has associated itself with the La Casa a la Carta project to assist in
the production of adaptable and affordable homes favoring the export of
Quebec housing products. "The La Casa a la Carta project fits perfectly
within the Quebec government's new export and industry support
objectives, particularly where small and medium-sized businesses are
concerned," says Rémy Trudel, ministre des Affaires municipales,
responsable de l'Habitation.
"It's a new concept which admirably
integrates several important dimensions. For one, its research and
development sector has demonstrated an awareness about adapting products
destined for a foreign market. It also raises the profile of Quebec
housing products. In addition, it's a good example of collaboration
where contributors from academia, the private sector and government
unite to promote the quality of Quebec housing products and the savoir
faire to allow our companies to reach other markets," adds
Trudel.
Guy Bossé, Manager, Information Transfer, Export and
International Center, for the CMHC Québec Region, indicated that this
joint initiative between the public and private sectors is a concrete
example of the manner in which Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
intends to fulfill its new mandate in the area of export
assistance.
Mr. Bossé specified that "the partnership established
by CMHC, McGill University, Promexpo International and provincial
organizations paves the way for a very dynamic approach to the
development of foreign markets for local businesses. I was especially
pleased to see that the efforts invested in this project allowed for the
development of a concept as innovative as the 'Casa a la Carta': a form
of housing that, for the first time, was designed by Canadians in
response to the needs of Mexicans. I encourage businesses to continue in
this way. Their successes abroad will benefit all
Canadians."
Mexico, gateway to export!
"For several
years, Mexico has offered us such a market, because the demand for
affordable housing has increased in a tangible way," says Friedman.
That's why La Casa a la Carta also counts on the special collaboration
of Guadalupe Dipp Reyes, an internationally renowned architect and major
Mexican real-estate project promoter. Says Reyes: "Our country needs
hundreds of thousands of homes to house a population which will grow
from 91 to 99 million by the year 2000. I am pleased to be able to
collaborate with this beautiful La Casa a la Carta project, which offers
comfortable, safe, affordable housing options harmonious with the
Mexican culture and lifestyle."
Please note that La Casa a la
Carta will be part of the Contact-Export Quebec-Canada Pavilion at the
ConstruExpo Show, presented in Mexico, November 21 to 23, 1997. This
expansive, quality show with a construction theme has been held for the
last nine years in Guadalajara, the second-largest city in Mexico
(population 7 million). The event is organized by Diexpo S.A., under the
direction of the Jalisco delegation of the National Construction
Industry Guild