Guiomar Smeets
Guiomar was born in Leiden, The Netherlands and was raised in Curacao. At the age of 15, Guiomar, together with her twin sister Kira, went to Canada and enrolled in Bishop’s College School, where she completed her high school education. She excelled academically, particularly in law, and was named for an outstanding achievement award in law and economics. She then went on to attend the University of Western Ontario where she graduated with an honours bachelor’s degree in English literature in 1995.
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Shortly thereafter, Guiomar discovered that she also had a lively voice and a passion for singing. As a result, she and her sister formed "Gemini," a Latin pop music duo named for their shared horoscope. Gemini became an accomplished musical duo following the release of its first CD, live shows and promotional tour, and subsequently rose to Latin Billboard Magazine's Top Ten list for South America, received a Latin Grammy nomination, and as a result of these, was honored with the Paoli Award for Best New Artist in Puerto Rico in 1997.
Equal to her passion for performance, Guiomar was intrigued by the business behind the music industry and in 2001 she enrolled in the MBA program at the University of Miami where she was awarded an academic excellence achievement award for her graduate studies in 2003. But in spite of her advanced degree, Guiomar felt her MBA only filled in half of the picture.
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During an interview she gave in 2004 she said "I realized that every career is affected by both Business and Law. As a consequence, I sought to develop my legal knowledge. Having obtained two North American degrees (one Canadian, one American) and being Dutch, I wanted to go back to my roots, obtain a European degree and gain a European perspective to complement my North American education."...
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"It gave me the opportunity to broaden my horizons, gain powerful insights, and add new dimensions to my education as well as my personal life."
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She therefore enrolled in the Business and Trade LL.M. program at the Erasmus University in Rotterdam, The Netherlands and received her law diploma in 2004, graduating 3rd in her class.
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With an honours degree in English literature, the experience of a singing career, and a masters in business administration as well as a law degree, she felt fully prepared to conquer the business world.
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With high aspirations, she proceeded and joined a fund services division at a Bank in the Netherlands. Tragically, her life was suddenly and unexpectedly taken away on March 14, 2006.
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The loss of Guiomar has been devastating to family, friends and colleagues. She was loved and respected by everyone. Guiomar exuded warmth and compassion, generously sharing hugs and kisses. Her ever-present smile and her caring ways illuminated those around her. Guiomar was down to earth yet insightful beyond her years. Her colleagues often remarked that above all, she was the nicest and kindest person one could imagine. Her glowing presence and beautiful smile will be missed but her legacy of excellence lives on.
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"If you are blessed with the opportunity to study, you owe it to yourself to excel." - Guiomar Smeets
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March 2006