Susan Pena Joven: Forever Young

She lives up to her name, "Joven," which is Spanish for "young."

- JOANNE RAE M. RAMIREZ

PR guru Susan Pefla Joven recently turned 75, and she flaunts her years like she would a diamond. "I,m grateful, period. Whether it be for the people I love, experiences that made me who I am, or Jp Oe ACRIR IEe R AE even challenges I faced: Pm M RAMIREZ grateful to them all," says Susan, founder, chairman and muse of Visions & Expressions, one ofthe leading PR agencies in the country.

Looking back, Susan, a mother of two and grandmother of three, says she started in the business "the hard way and from the bottom."

"After I graduated from UST, my professor J ullie Yap Daza recommended me to Rustan's matriarch Gliceria "Glecy" Tantoco (GRT). Rustan's was my real-life training ground. Being mentored by GRT is like getting a Ph D in luxury retail advertising, publicity and promo. She was very tough and demanding. Good was never enough. She expected excellence," recalls Susan.

Tutored by a mentor like Glecy, who is revered still in the Philippine retail industry even decades after she passed away, Susan bloomed.

"It was daunting, but I put in the energy, dedication, and, most importantly, time. It takes time to be your best self. It takes time to develop skills, taste and expertise," she shares.

Susan observes that people are more impatient these days.

"I,m a product of the process, and I think resilience, consistency and endurance make all the difference," says Susan of the hours she clocked to perfect "the process." She was no "lazy Susan."

After GRT passed on the baton to her daughter Zenaida "Nedy" Tantoco (ZRT), Susan continued to shine under ZRTis sun.