One of the richest businessmen in the Philippines is known as Jorge L. Araneta. He serves as The Araneta Group’s CEO, Chairman, and President. At Cali, Colombia’s Metropolitan Cathedral of Saint Peter, he wed Stella Márquez-Araneta, a beauty queen who was of Spanish and Polish descent. The couple has five kids.
Who is Jorge L. Araneta’s Wife Stella Araneta?
Former beauty queen Mara Stella Márquez-Araneta. She was born and raised in New York City before moving to Colombia and winning a pageant there. She was named the inaugural Miss International in 1960 while serving as Miss Colombia. She was born in Tumaco, Colombia, on June 17, 1937.
She attended Manhattan’s Marymount School of New York for her high school education. She identified as a Gringa as a young student because she found it impossible to relate to Colombian culture, including the national dance Cumbia. She went to Marymount College to complete her education after high school. She pursued dual majors in French and psychology.
She received an honorary award in 1957 for her work as a beauty model for Pan American Airlines. Due to the lack of a national entry, she also competed as Miss Honduras in a local Los Angeles pageant. As a show of support for other affiliated Catholic schools for women, she was also sent by the nuns from her school to serve as one of the “court princesses” for the 1957 homecoming celebration at Loyola Marymount University.
Stella Araneta, who works for the Binibining Pilipinas organization, is the current director of the Miss International franchises in the Philippines and the former national director of the Miss Universe pageant. Additionally, she has 50 years of experience as the head of Binibining Pilipinas Charities Inc.
