By GRACE C. DIEZ
Some men command attention but very few can do it without becoming intimidating. Hardworking Rustan’s scion Donnie Tantoco exudes power yet is, surprisingly, reachable.
The whole set was abuzz during the photo shoot of People Asia’s “Men Who Matter†for this year when Bienvenido “Donnie†Tantoco III, president of Rustan’s Supercenters Inc., walked in, graciously reciprocating the staff’s greetings with equal warmth evident in his signature smiling eyes.
After watching his people skills become very obvious during that first encounter, you suddenly understand how he has been very successful in running Rustan’s grocery operations consisting of Shopwise and Rustan’s Supermarket. A graduate of International Relations/Economics at Connecticut College, Donnie also earned an MBA at the J.L. Kellogg Graduate School of Management. But just when one would expect him to enter the family business right away, he found himself job hunting in the US at a time when the economy there was bad.
“My father (Rico Tantoco) told me not to work immediately for the family business. He even asked me not to limit myself to retail; he encouraged me to explore other fields like finance, mining, real estate, etc. He wanted me to know what its like to be a real professional manager and also go through the experience of struggling to find a job. After several months of interviews with dozens of companies, and many rejections, I finally secured a job with two companies: General Mills and Pepsi Cola. I kept a file of all the ‘ding’ letters (rejection letters) I received. Even if I now work for the family business, the ‘ding’ letters remind me of how lucky I am to have a job and how I must continuously add value and contribute to the well-being of our team and company in order to retain the right to keep my job.â€
The Road to Retail
Asked if retail has always been in the cards for him, he pauses as if scanning for memories. “I think that there was a huge chance that I would end up in retail because of the kind of exposure I’ve had since I was a child.
“My siblings and I grew up in a family where even our conversations on a Sunday would be about retailing, shop talk, products, customers, etc. And the discussions were so passionate. That kind of passion rubs off on you. I grew up in a family where the adults work very, very hard and they also brought their work home. They left me with two very strong impressions. One, I became very attracted to the work they were doing because they were so passionate, enthusiastic and so devoted to their craft. Two, I was very impressed with their work ethic and discipline. We learned very early on that to work hard is par for course. If you are not a hard worker, if you are not productive, then you are a freeloader. There was this unspoken belief that freeloaders were second-class citizens.â€
One of the things Donnie finds rewarding is getting positive feedback from customers. “As a professional manager, I am responsible for continuously improving the financial performance of our company. But what I find most gratifying about my job is the people side of the business. I am fortunate to be part of the team that is obsessed with continuously finding new ways to serve our customers––especially the working mothers. Aside from OFWs, we believe that working mothers are the real heroes of our country. There are still so many ways that retailers like us can help the working mother fulfill her two very important responsibilities, which are to become successful in her career while also taking great care of her family. We are constantly trying new things and the best and only proof that matters is when our customers tell us directly if what we are doing is helping or not helping.â€
Progress for Donnie is the gradual fulfillment of the company’s vision. “We have a very ambitious vision, or ultimate and higher purpose for the company. In a nutshell, it is quality for all. In a country that is polarized between haves and have-nots, our goal is to make a better quality of life accessible and affordable to all Filipinos regardless of their income, religion, education level, etc. We want to bring the quality and superior customer service the Rustan’s Group is known for to all our customers including the working class. We want to offer as many of our employees as possible the opportunity to grow as far and fast as they can on their own strength and with our support. Our mission is to earn the lifetime loyalty of our best customers and best employees. It’s a huge and very ambitious vision. Every time I see clear and concrete evidence of us living up or being true to our vision it excites me. Most recently, we promoted two people to vice president. They started with us as clerks not too long ago. We also offer permanent employment to 3,000 Filipinos. Our turnover rate last year was five percent. Apart from our financial performance, which has been quite good for four consecutive years, these are the kind of developments that are signposts for me that we are moving in the right direction.â€
Prom Love
Whenever the subject turns to his wife, Crickette Yu Tantoco, Donnie’s face lights up. “I’m the biggest fan of my wife. I adore her and I have the highest respect for her,†he smiles. One can only sigh at how in love with his wife he is. The two met during an Assumption junior-senior prom. Crickette’s parents would not allow their daughter to go to the prom with a boyfriend, so Donnie’s aunt (and Crickette’s friend) Maritess Tantoco decided to volunteer her nephew Donnie as Crickette’s date just so she wouldn’t miss the prom. It’s safe to say that Crickette and Donnie hit it off right away. Just as Donnie is visibly happy talking about his wife, he equally adores his children, twins Nicole and Camille and son Christian. “I’m so amazed with my children. I think my children are awesome. They are talented but what I appreciate most about them is their authenticity and their goodness. I don’t remember being that authentic when I was their age. There’s so much goodness in their hearts but they also have the toughness of their mom.â€
If there’s something that he would like his kids to read in this article it is this: “I have no doubt that they will be very, very successful and I hope that as their father, I was able to give them all the love, support and everything that they needed from me. I hope I was able to contribute to their success. I want to have made the most impact in their values and education.â€
Surely, a man who matters would know how to balance his work, spiritual and personal life excellently. Donnie Tantoco wisely sets the pace and the example.
