Nicanor Reyes Sr.

Nicanor Icasiano y Reyes Sr. was the founder and first president of the Far Eastern University (FEU) in the City of Manila. Born to Carmen Baptista Reyes and Engr. Abelardo Icasiano, a maternal grandparent Francisco Bautista Reyes and Macaria Baptista-Reyes and also maternal great-grandparent Numeriano Somo Reyes and Apolonia Bautista-Reyes. Dr. Reyes envisioned a school that would promote the teaching of accounting to Filipinos, a profession formerly available only to foreigners. He wanted to prove that Filipinos were capable and trustworthy in handling the hundred of enterprises that would result with the coming of the independence of the country.

He earned an A.B. in 1915 from the University of the Philippines, a bachelor's degree in Commercial Science from New York University in 1917, and a Master of Arts degree in Business Administration from Columbia University the following year. He received his Ph.D. in Accountancy from Columbia - the first Filipino to do so, which was also the first degree of its kind to be awarded by Columbia. During the Pacific War, the Japanese killed Dr. Nicanor I. Reyes Sr. and some members of his family. His son, Nicanor Mendoza Reyes Jr., later became president of University. His grandson, Nicanor Cojuangco Reyes III also became Chairman of FEU Dr. Nicanor I. Reyes Medical Foundation, Great-Grandson Dr. Nicanor Joseph J. Reyes IV, Physician Resident of the FEU Medical Center, his uncle Civil Engr./Dr. Hermenegildo Reyes Reyes, founder of Central Colleges of the Philippines and past dean FEU Institute of Technology, and His cousin Elec. Engr./Atty. Hermenegildo B. Reyes, past second president and co-founder of the Far Eastern University, past president, co-founder and broad member of trustee of the University of the East, past national president of Boy Scouts of the Philippines.