A relationship
of more than 40 years

1:01 with María Maldonado, who has been part of the ENGRAW team for over 40 years. For how long have you worked at ENGRAW?

For 42 years, almost 43. I started when I was 20.

How did you find out there was a vacant position at ENGRAW?

I had taken a bilingual secretarial course at Crandon. It was through the institute that I learned about the vacant position of English-speaking secretary. Having previously studied English at the Uruguayan American School, I applied for the job.

Who interviewed you?

Frank Raquet Hosey. The founder of ENGRAW, father of the current director, Frank Raquet Mailhos. I remember we talked a little bit and then I took a Shorthand test. Frank dictated some letters to me, which I wrote in Shorthand, a symbolic writing method that increases speed writing, and then typed them. I could write Shorthand in English and Spanish.

What kind of tasks did you perform?

I wrote letters, from personal letters to his relatives, as there was no telex, fax or email back then, to professional letters for clients. If you wanted to make a phone call to Europe, you had to call Antel (the state-owned telecommunications company of Uruguay) and they would sometimes tell you you had a 15-hour delay, for example. The call was then scheduled for the following day. I also used to file the documents. Later, we had a telex, which was a machine that you would write on and a perforated piece of paper would come out. When it finished, I would roll the piece of paper and stick a tape with the client's name on it. I would write all the messages. And then I would put the paper back in the machine, press some buttons and send the message overseas. The recipient received the written message. At that time, most of the messages were sent to the United States, which was where most of the clients were.

During the last few years, did your responsibilities change in any way?

I was Frank's secretary for a few years. Then, at some point, the man in charge of managing the exports retired and I took his job. I don't remember the exact year it happened, but I received training from him for a while and after he left, I stayed and started managing the exports.

Regarding that specific job, did you notice any significant changes due to technological advances, especially as far as communications go?

Yes. The major breakthrough we witnessed was the electric typewriter. I remember that at first, we had a very old typewriter that made a lot of noise. We spent years using the electric machine until the fax first appeared, which was a remarkable advance, and then came the computer. Before, everything used to be done by hand.

Dealing with people was also different. Today, everything is done over the phone. This was unthinkable 40 years ago. Calling overseas used to take a day. Also, nowadays you are in constant communication through email. We adapted to the changes that took place as the years went by.

What did you like most about your job?

When I first came in, it was exactly what I wanted to do, which was to work as a Secretary. Then, I really liked the Export Management position, as I learned many things. I guess the daily contact I maintained through Skype was also something I enjoyed. It's hard to think about one specific aspect, because I liked the whole thing.

How would you describe Frank Raquet Hosey, the company founder?

I got along really well with him. I wouldn't know how to describe him. The way we treated each other was something else. It was great for me to work with Frank. He probably saw me as a granddaughter. Those years with him were marvelous, we never had an issue. The truth is, he was a very good person.

How would you describe ENGRAW as a company?

I think ENGRAW has evolved significantly since the moment I first started until now. Although the company is still dedicated to wool exportation, just as it was 40 years ago, it has evolved a lot. From the moment he first got to the company until nowadays, Frank Raquet Mailhos, Frank Raquet Hoseys son, has always been introducing changes. He never stood still. The exportation of Superwash is a clear example. The company has also expanded. It is now 70 years old, if you know what I mean.

Please, would you leave a message in Shorthand for us, the millennials, who didn't get the chance to know this symbolic method?

Choose nature, choose wool.