King’s daughter, workmates mourn loss of business founder, ‘papa’
A risk-taker in business. “Big daddy” to employees.
The boss who worked non-stop extending his base in Cebu to a fast-growing corporate network in the Visayas and Mindanao.
But the loss of Richard King was most keenly felt by his two children and widow Kathryn, who had no direct hand in building his empire.
“It dawned on us that from here on, we will be commemorating Father’s Day without our papa,” said his daughter 21-year-old Richelle Kate at the funeral yesterday.
“We question the fairness of it all.”
Speaking for the first time in public after the businessman’s June 12 murder in Davao City, the only daughter of the founder of the Crown Regency chain of hotels, expressed the family’s gratitude for testimonies of colleagues and employees who spoke of King’s driven, hyper-focused work style that created hundreds of jobs for people.
“I realize now why he worked as if each day was his last on earth. … When the end suddenly came, Papa had accomplished worth more than two lifetimes,” she said.
MONUMENT HOTEL
King, who started his business empire renting out warehouses in Cebu’s port area and establishing a chain of motels, eventually carved out a name in the tourism industry with luxury hotels and condominiums.
If there’s a monument to the 57-year-old “master of multi-tasking”, it’s his 40-story Crown Regency Hotel, the tallest building in Cebu City.
King introduced the “edge coaster ride” on the hotel’s 38th floor in 2008, a first in the industry.
An American company was commissioned to install the rail-based amusement ride,where guests get a thrill 127 meters above the street in outdoor carts that zip around the rim or tilt at 55 degrees. About $5 million was invested for the hotels Sky Experience Adventure Series, which includes a walk way around the tower.
“To me, one of the best factors for success is innovation… Try to be different from the rest,” said King in a video taped interview shown at the last evening of a vigil wake at St. Peter’s Chapel.
In the video, the aggressive founder, who graduated summa cum laude in Chemical Engineering from the University of San Carlos in 1979 and finished a master’s degree in business management from the Asian Institute of Management, was asked by an interviewer “Who is Richard King?”
“I’m just a simple businessman who works hard 24 hours a day,” King replied then laughed aloud.
The CEO of J. Kings and Sons Inc. was shot in the head at close range by an unidentified gunman who walked up from behind as King was having dinner with staff and guests in the building of Vital C Health Products, one of King’s companies, in Davao city.
Police in Davao and Cebu are pursuing a man, whose face was clearly described by witnesses, but they had no answers yet by the time King’s funeral got underway yesterday.
THREATS TO FAMILY
Senior Supt. Noli Romana, Cebu city police chief, said his men secured members of the King family after they received “threats to their lives” through text messages.
He would not elaborate.
At least 70 policemen secured the funeral convoy of King from the mortuary in Imus Street to the Cempark cemetery in Banilad.
A P1 million tipster’s reward is being offered by the King family along with a P300,000 bounty announced by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte for information leading to the capture of the businessman’s killers and mastermind.
Davao police earlier said they were not ruling out “business rivalry” or a “personal” grudge as possible motives.
King was also president of Fuente Triangle Realty Development Corp. which built the 33-story Ramos Tower, 32-floor Ultimate Prime and 28-story Fuente Tower 3 which dominate the Cebu City skyline. He also had resort projects in Boracay.
Hundreds of employees clad in white joined the funeral yesterday.
Before reaching the cemetery, the convoy stopped briefly outside the Crown Regency Hotel for a Chinese blessing ritual. A white sheet of cloth was thrown on the coffin. White pieces of paper with Chinese characters printed were scattered on the road.
Incense was lighted at the foot of the grave at Cempark. Bread was left there as an offering.
A red sheet covered the coffin and a bottle of rum was poured over it before the interment.
One by one, family members, then employees and friends, placed flowers atop the casket. White ribbons were left in the grave. Funeral goers were told to keep the red ribbons as keepsakes.
Cebu City Mayor Michael Rama and Police Chief Romana attended the service at St. Peter’s Chapel
NEVER RETIRE
In his eulogy, Vital C chief operating officer (COO) Manuel Torrejon recalled the drive of their tireless founder.
“When he was doing well in business, he said he would retire at the age 40. Then another five years passed. He said “give me another 10 years.”
The next time he celebrated his birthday I no longer asked. I knew he would never think of retiring.”
Other Vital C workers recalled King as their “big daddy” who always motivated them to do better.
“Sometimes, I wondered where he got his energy. He learned how to enjoy difficulties and overcoming them,” said King’s brother John.
“The challenge also goes to authorities, if possible to go beyond the difficulties of the task and let justice be done to the murder of our brother Richard,” John added.
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