The Man Behind A Great Structure

The International Airport of Aruba was renewed and refurbished in 1994 and finalized in 2000.

As a consultant, Richard Lacle helped provide the main procurement contractor with skilled labor to install equipment, including boarding bridges, HVAC, electrical, etc. After work, when the procurement contractor, their management, and supervisors left, a one-year maintenance guarantee contract was attached to their agreement; that's where the formation and work started for Aruba Service Airport Partners (ASAP)—that year extended to five years. Excellence in service and installations became synonymous with Richard and his team’s service, and in 2005, this maintenance contract was given to ASAP directly. These included to name a few maintenances and upgrades (Xray after 9/11), new runway lighting, new air conditioning, conveyor systems for baggage handling (after CBP U.S. clearance started), and a unique maintenance scheduling program was introduced (Maximo). ASAP's contract was taken over by the airport in 2017. All of ASAP’s trained and certified employees, with a few exceptions, were hired directly or indirectly by the airport authority.

Meanwhile, ASAP still has maintenance contracts for Xray and security equipment of Curacao Airport, Bonaire Airport, Correctional Institute Aruba, The Court House Aruba, Customs Aruba, FedEx, and DHL in Aruba & Curacao and service Xray equipment and yearly radiation leak service for Cruise ships in ports visiting Aruba and Curacao.

ASAP has done different works and contracts at the Panama International Airport, repairing and refurbishing Xray Equipment, Montego Bay Airport Jamaica, Grand Cayman Airport, and boarding bridge repairs at Kingston Jamaica Airport. ASAP's success has been the intense training and certification of all personnel.

ASAP is part of RIMI SEVEN Holding, consolidating all our companies today. Besides the management, engineering, and maintenance, RIMI SEVEN Holding owns and operates shopping malls and retail location buildings, office building locations, apartment buildings, and rentals.

ASAP’s numerous achievements directly result from Richard’s dedication to the company. “I started working very young and haven't missed a day. I am 73, and I am still passionate about what I do,” he explains. “I learn and teach daily. Besides having good people at work, from administrators to engineers to helpers, I am happy to have my sons leading and involved, showing interest and spirit.”

According to the steadfast leader, a happy life at home, showing love to your family, and everyone will do the same at work; it's a beautiful way to get to work and return home after work. He learned this from his role model, his mother, who, in her days, built up a leading Beauty, Perfume, and Cosmetic emporium from 1965 – 1990. “I started my own business in Perfume, Cosmetics, and Duty-free in 1986 with 29 stores throughout the Caribbean. I sold the business in 1993 to an international company wanting to expand,” adds Richard. “My motto as an entrepreneur is always to study and be passionate about creating new steps for growth. As time goes by and experience is gathered, so is the weight of the calendar years; it is important to lead and train staff and the leadership to guarantee future success.”

The leadership advice that Richard wants to impart is that it is essential to have people with leadership in their hearts and minds who can understand the importance of trained and educated personnel, keen administrative proficiency, and problem-solving technical staff. “These are all steps in the success ladder. Success is a small word with huge content covering not only a day shift but the transition of every experience of hardship and success,” elucidates Richard. “All businesses' missions should be to be interested in market trends and bring service excellence, thus igniting progress. When engaging in a project, be fair in price, honest, and show what is best in the long run.”

There are numerous achievements of ASAP, but we can say changing the Taxiway- and landing lights of the Aruba International Airport from dual channel LED lights, completing the norms of a category one airport, also bringing substantial energy saving for the airport, as well as changing their air conditioning system for a newer energy system compressor system and expanding the water cooling towers are to be considered complete successful projects with safe, incredible results at the best price and long time savings for the client not only in energy but also in maintenance. Today, ASAP oversees, advises, and recommends airports and other institutions in their modernizations and energy savings plans and supervises where needed. “We are studying more energy projects to implement in various fields; even though changes to norms and government regulations still need to be fast-tracked, we all know modernization is ongoing,” elucidates Richard.ICX