Federico Knaudt

Federico Jose Orro Knaudt (aka Mendez) is my oldest (continuous) friend. We've known each other since the second grade, and have been close friends since the seventh grade.

I was taken completely by surprise when Fede e-mailed to invite me to be his witness at his wedding to Veronica, with less than a month's warning. I had been starting to give up hope of his ever finding someone who could last longer than dinner and a movie (usually followed by breakfast). Unfortunately their marriage did not work out.

Before that, Fede had finished his MBA in Madrid and worked in Bolivia as Intendente de Valores (the Bolivian equivalent of the Securities and Exchange Commission SEC). With Evo Morales's rise to power, he quit that to head another fund.

Every time I see him it's just like old times (though with less hair on our heads and more sense in them). This last visit at our CCS 20th Anniversary High School Reunion was a blast. We spent some time together in Cochabamba, then drove together to La Paz, where he keeps an apartment a couple of blocks from the US Embassy.

Even though Fede regularly manages to accomplish his dreams, he always continues to make big plans for the future. It's good to see some things never change...

Well, this is so cool it merits its own section: Federico informed on January 24 '07 that he has been named the CEO of the Bolivian Stock Exchange (Gerente General de la Bolsa Boliviana de Valores). Congratulations Dude! Now, is insider trading a crime in Bolivia? 'Cause if not, I have a few bucks and wouldn't mind a hot tip or two...

Fede met a new a nice new gal a few years ago and they were married a year later. Now, he and Vivian, their son Daniel, and her three kids (Diego, Joaquin, and Victoria) have emigrated to Canada. Silvia and I went to visit them in August '10 (see the pics in our Vacation Trips page).