Crestwood High School students and faculty at the district’s second annual Distinguished Alumni Awards ceremony held Oct. 6 at the high school had the opportunity to hear from the school’s first graduate to be admitted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and a graduate who achieved tremendous success in the financial world.
This year’s recipients were Major General David C. Hill, Class of 1986, and Jorge A. Junquera, Class of 1967.
The Distinguished Alumni Award was established in 2020 to honor select graduates of Crestwood High School, Fairview High School or White Haven High School who have achieved success in their field of endeavor and/or have had a positive influence on the students and community of the Crestwood School District.
Plaques presented to the award recipients will be displayed in the high school lobby.
Hill, who currently commands the United States Army War College in Carlisle, was introduced by Crestwood faculty member Darren Testa who was a freshman member of the school’s wrestling team when Hill was a senior. Testa noted of the 330 million people in the United States, there are only 299 two-star generals.
“That’s less than one in a million,” Testa related. “You have the opportunity today to meet an alumnus who is one in a million.”
Expressing his excitement at being the award recipient, Hill listed the many meetings he has scheduled across the country and the world over the coming months. “But this is the most important of all the meetings I have in the weeks ahead,” he told the assembled students. “I have deep, heartfelt appreciation for this incredible honor,” he offered.
He suggested to the assembled students that there certainly will be future distinguished alumni in auditorium.
Hill outlined for the students lessons he has learned along the way in his 32-year Army career.
Strengthen your foundation, he told the students. He explained they can begin that work in school.
Secondly, he urged them to find their calling.
Third, he pointed out that adversity brings opportunity.
And finally, to be humble, be kind and be optimistic. These three, he said, are the most important leadership characteristics.
Junquera was introduced by longtime family friend Elena (DeRojas) Eichorn. Like Junquera’s family, hers also emigrated from Cuba. She pointed out the Junquera family was the first to reach out to them when her family moved to Mountain Top.
Junquera, who achieved a successful 44-year career in the banking industry with Popular Inc., said he was overjoyed to look out to see a room full of teenagers with their lives ahead of them. “My experience at Crestwood were part of what made me what I am today,” he said.
He talked about being a member of the school’s basketball team that won the district title in 1967 and speaking before a community assembly in the school gymnasium.
“It never occurred to me that 55 years later I would be back here,” he offered.
The 74-year-old Junquera emphasized that knowledge and success do not come easy.
“You have to work at it,” he offered. “Be inquisitive. Even question the ones in authority.”
The banker urged the students to take chances.
“Fear of failure is what holds us back,” he explained. “You’ve got to jump over that fear of failure.”
Prior to his assignment at the Army War College, Hill served as the Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) and as the Deputy Commanding General, U.S. Army Central.
He commanded the Transatlantic Division of the USACE, in Winchester, Virginia, providing engineering and construction services in the Middle East and Central and South Asia. He also commanded the Southwestern Division of the USACE, in Dallas, Texas, providing public engineering services and stewardship of water resources across all or part of seven states.
He holds a Master of Science in Engineering Management from the University of Missouri-Rolla and a Master of Science in National Security Strategy from the National War College. He received his commission in 1990 from the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry.
His operational assignments include Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm, Operation Joint Endeavor and Operation Iraqi Freedom.
Hill’s awards and decorations include three Distinguished Service Medals, three Legion of Merit Medals, three Bronze Star Medals, five Meritorious Service Medals, the Joint Service Commendation Medal, four Army Commendation Medals, six Army Achievement Medals, the Master Parachutist Badge, the Air Assault Badge and Army Staff Identification Badge.
While at Crestwood, Hill was an all-around student who especially excelled in math and science. This led to an undergraduate degree in chemistry from the United States Military Academy at West Point.
As a student at Crestwood, Hill wrestled, played soccer, ran track and was the drum major in the band. He was also president of the Math Club and a member of the National Honor Society. In his spare time during his high school years, Hill was an award-winning jazz band saxophonist and worked part-time at a local restaurant.
Hill currently resides in Carlisle with his wife, Chris (Heuer) Hill, also a graduate of the Crestwood High School Class of 1986. They have three children, Matthew and his wife, Hannah; Meghan and her husband, Evan; and youngest son, Nicholas.
Junquera’s father was an integral part of the clandestine movement in Cuba to overthrow the military dictatorship of Cuban President Fulgencio Batista in the 1950s. During this time, his father supported Castro’s led revolution to create a new democratic government. When it became clear that Castro would also govern by communist dictatorship, the elder Junquera spoke out which put his own life and the lives of his family in danger.
At age 12, Junquera and two of his siblings, ages 13 and 8, were put on a plane bound for Jamaica not knowing if anyone would be waiting to collect them or if they would ever see their parents again.
Junquera was reunited with his parents a year later and eventually came to Mountain Top where his father, as production manager, would oversee Dana Perfumes in the Crestwood Industrial Park.
At Crestwood, Junquera excelled as a student, athlete and leader earning a scholarship to King’s College where he studied finance and Spanish. In addition to his degree from King’s, Junquera also holds several elite certifications from Wharton and the School of Business at the University of Michigan.
Upon graduation from King’s, Junquera was recruited by Popular Inc. (and their banking subsidiaries), with headquarters in Puerto Rico, to enter their executive training program. His ascent to the highest levels of executive management came quickly.
After a 44-year career at Popular, Junquera retired in 2015. Some of his management-level positions at Popular include Vice Chairmen of the Board of Directors, Chief Financial Officer, President of Banco Popular North America, head of Retail Banking Group, Corporate Treasurer
Junquera resides in Puerto Rico with his wife Marilú Amadeo. They have a son, Jorge Antonio and a daughter, Cristina. They also have three grandchildren. Currently he serves as Managing Partner, Kohly LLC, Board of Directors of Evertec, Inc., Sacred Heart University in Puerto Rico, and Equalize Community Development Fund.
