In 1998, she became the first female professor of Economics at the University of Malaga, and at the age of 62, she became a distinctive entrepreneur. Consuelo Gámez, an ACIT member of the Teresian Association, defines herself as a “feisty” woman, which has led her to be a pioneer in different aspects of her life. She says that the TA has helped her a lot in this journey and way of understanding life, and “continues to do so.”
Consuelo Gámez is now 80 years old, but she has not stopped being active. She continues to run her company, Dehesa de los Monteros, which she set up after becoming a widow. The Teresian Association has been present in her life since she became a member in the late 1970s, in addition to her faith, which has given her a different outlook on life.
When did you become a member of the Teresian Association?
Around 1978, I was invited to join the TA's ACIT Christian marriage groups. I went to the first meeting and really enjoyed the experience.
I began to learn more about it, read some of Father Poveda's writings, and liked it more and more. I saw that my way of looking at life fit in with these three pillars: freedom, formation, and study.
Little by little, I realized that this form of spirituality and way of living my Christianity really appealed to me. I joined the marriage groups, and a few years later, my husband and I made our commitment, definitively integrating me into the TA. I thank God for this, because it has helped me a lot in my life and continues to do so.
What has the TA given you?
It has given me a way of approaching life, a lot of formation and study. I am aware of the fact that my experience can be a testimony, trying to follow in the footsteps of Jesus, with freedom, responsibility, authenticity, and knowing that my life must be coherent with the Gospel.
How has this bond been reflected in your life?
I believe that the TA has influenced the way I act, not directly, but its charism has inspired me, of course: in always seeking excellence, quality, in helping people in every way I can and, above all, I am convinced that education is what transforms the world. We have to be Christians in everything and help others.
Did this outlook on life help you reinvent yourself after the loss of your husband?
My husband's death was cathartic because I left university for him, I retired for love, and shortly afterwards he passed away. Some time ago, after my father died, I bought a farm in the mountains of Ronda, in the Genal Valley, a place I fell in love with. It was a very depressed area with a very high unemployment rate.
I thought I could do something to fill my life, reinventmyself, and above all, help others, which was one of my goals. I came up with the idea of raising Iberian pigs in the mountains of Ronda, surrounded by oak and cork oak forests, and I have managed to produce a quality product.
Are you still in charge of the company?
I am now 80 years old, but I still set the strategic direction for the company. My three children help me, the boys part-time and my daughter is the one who is most dedicated.
How would you define yourself as an entrepreneur?
I have a concept of what a company is that is perhaps somewhat different from that of other entrepreneurs. I consider myself first and foremost a Christian entrepreneur. There are certain principles of the social doctrine of the Church that I want to implement in the company.
When I went out into the field, when I saw the reality and got my hands dirty in the mud of what a company is, of what relations with workers in depressed and rural areas are like, I realized things and changed my concepts a lot.
What exactly does this vision consist of?
If I seek maximum profit, I will probably pay my workers the minimum wage, never above the agreed rate. However, if, for example, I set a profit margin of 40% at a lower level, this may allow me to contribute to the well-being of other members of my company, even though I receive less financial compensation and without the company ceasing to be profitable.
My idea of a company is a group of people who work to generate profits and produce goods and services, obtaining a reasonable profit while contributing to the well-being of all its members.
What else would you like to achieve in business terms?
To achieve a designation of origin, although this would require the development of a meat industry that the Ronda mountains do not yet have. Steps are being taken and we are working on it. As I am a very determined woman, I will continue to fight. My children are also supporting me. I don't know if I will see it happen, but I am convinced that in the medium to long term it will be achieved.
Teresa Rey.
TA Info.
TA Translation Team.
Published in News