WorldCity Business Magazine

Sky Warrior

by Mary Dempsey

As Stanford Financial Group expands its operations overseas, Ronald Wieselberg the company’s marketing manager for Latin America finds himself on the road more than ever. On top of that, he and his wife Isabel travel on vacation, as they did for the Thanksgiving break in Jos Ignacio, Uruguay, where this photo was taken. Wieselberg’snow logging about 150,000 air miles a year for business, compared to the 15,000 he adds to his car odometer annually. “I live 10 miles from my office,” he explains. Stanford Financial Group is a privately held company that engages in international private banking, brokerage and investment advisory services, trust administration, commercial banking and real estate investment.

How often do you travel on business?

At least two times a month.

What are your most frequent destinations?

Houston, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, Colombia, London, New York, Rio de Janeiro, Antigua.

Which is your favorite business among them?

New York. You can get everything accomplished there.

*Do you have a favorite business-travel hotel? *

I love the Old World grandeur of the Copacabana Palace in Rio. Also, although technically not a hotel, the Club El Nogal in Bogota is great.

And favorite restaurants?

In New York, I always go to Markt to have steamed mussels. In Rio, the Sunday brunch at the Copacabana Palace is unbeatable.

*What cell phone service do you use when traveling? *

I have Cingular and it works everywhere.

How do you pass the time while in flight?

I read a lot, so flying is a good opportunity to catch up on all the magazines and books I accumulate. I try to avoid working on a plane unless it is absolutely necessary; it is cramped and rude toward my fellow passengers.

What about the time in airports between flights or waiting to depart?

If I need to, then that is the time to work. Otherwise, I read and I watch the people around it is great fun to try to guess where they are from judging from their clothes, gestures, etc.

What’s the coolest service in airports these days?

Hot spots in airports are great in case I need to send an e-mail in a hurry. Contrary to two years ago, now they are everywhere. I also like the new “sniffers” they have at the security checkpoints, where a puff of air is blown at you and analyzed to see if it contains traces of explosives. This avoids having to take your shoes off, which is a drag …

Is there an airport you really dread?

If one travels light, most airports are fairly easy. Heathrow can be a challenge because of the long distance between gates and cramped waiting rooms, though.

What’s the strangest thing that’s ever happened to you on a business trip?

Flying back from Brazil, someone had a heart attack and the plane had to land in Panama. I was asleep and only learned about it when we landed in Miami and the stewardess woke me up. I can sleep almost anywhere…

Any pet peeves about travel?

I hate delayed flights. I also hate people that hog the overhead bins with huge suitcases.

What’s the hardest thing about business travel?

My personal life suffers. I miss my friends and family celebrations and get-togethers. And worse, my cats don’t “talk” to me the first day after I arrive from a trip almost as if they are saying “How dare you leave us?”

Any unusual experiences with Customs or Immigration?

While waiting for my green card to arrive (it took almost two years) I was issued a parole, and whenever I flew back to the U.S. through Miami, I would have to go to the glass-walled room with all the illegal immigrants. One day, while waiting for the immigration officer to check my papers, a friend of mine passed by. Seeing me there, she went pale, thinking that I was ready to be deported. It took me a while to calm her down and convince her through the glass door that everything was alright.

What’s the strangest thing you’ve ever seen on an airplane?

Maybe it is common nowadays, but I was a bit shocked seeing a couple coming out of a lavatory it is so cramped in there!

The most unusual thing you’ve ever purchased on a business trip?

Coming back from Zurich once, I changed planes in Paris, and of course went buying some cheese. With little time between flights, I just grabbed one of each of the cheeses available. The problem was that one had a very strong smell, which I only became aware of the first time I opened the overhead bin and saw the wrinkled noses of my fellow passengers. WC