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Postscript A Good Night’s Sleep

In an article for the Manila Times shortly after Wash’s passing, Dr. Kang noted that
“AIM is committed to Asian business, and we want to foster in Mr. SyCip’s young
scholars the passion for the region and the country AIM students are known for—to
make sure these students gain a good grasp of how the economy, culture, society, and
government intersect with their business, their personal passion.

“Some call this Asian literacy, and it is an essential skill for any person who wishes to
remain relevant in what is shaping up to be the region’s new golden era. We expect
nothing less of any student who bears our founder’s name through the Washington
SyCip Memorial Fund.

“Mr. SyCip was also an active supporter of initiatives that sought to reverse brain drain
and bring to the Philippines the world’s top minds honed overseas. We are likewise
committed to continually bringing world-class faculty to AIM, who can bridge
academic rigor with practitioner-based teaching, and student-centered learning.”

A year after Wash passed away, Dr. Kang met with George SyCip in Boston. George
told her that his last talk with his dad aboard that flight across the Pacific was about
AIM and how it seemed to be heading in the right direction. For AIM, they were last
words to live by.

A touch of magic

Cirilo “Vic” Noel joined SGV in 1983 as a young CPA-lawyer and became a partner
in 1992. By the time he retired in June 2017, he was SGV’s Chairman and Managing
Partner. Vic’s was an unusual route to the top—he was the first Tax partner to get
there – and the first time he came face to face with Wash SyCip was when he became
Head of Tax Services. “Before that, we just saw him as a god,” says Vic.

The personal relationship with the founder was crucial, because Vic took charge of SGV
in 2010, during one of the Firm’s most trying periods. “It was a time when there were
serious concerns about SGV imploding because of an exodus of partners,” Vic recalls.

To forestall further departures, Vic proposed a plan for getting back SGV on track—
reconnect with clients and alumni, and once reconnected, stay connected and make
sure to preserve the brand.

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