John Keith

2026 Innovation Award

Keith began his career in banking in 1984 at Crediticia S.A. From 1989 to 1991, he served as corporate vice president of Banco Banex S.A. In 1992, he co-founded Banco Promerica in Costa Rica alongside Promerica’s founding partners. Over the past three decades, he has played an active role in the expansion of the Promerica Banking Group throughout Central America, the Dominican Republic, and Ecuador.  

Building on his experience in financial services, Keith has also been closely involved in the region’s retail sector. Since 1997, he has participated in several joint ventures with U.S. retailers in Central America and the Caribbean, including PriceSmart, Inc. and Payless ShoeSource. Over the past decade, he has further contributed to the growth of AR Holdings, a retail franchise operator with a presence in nine countries and a diverse portfolio of international brands, including Banana Republic, Adolfo Domínguez, and The Capital Grille.  

Keith’s experience also extends to the hospitality and real estate sectors. In 2001, he became involved in the development of Courtyard by Marriott hotels across Latin America through Caribe Hospitality S.A., which has since grown into a leading Marriott development partner in the region. For the past 15 years, he has led Portafolio Inmobiliario S.A., Costa Rica’s largest real estate developer, guiding the company’s expansion of major retail, office, and residential projects throughout Central America. 

Keith has also played a central role in expanding access to U.S.-accredited higher education in Costa Rica. In 2016, he and Lawrence Schovanec, Ph.D., signed the agreement that established Texas Tech University–Costa Rica (TTU-CR), Texas Tech University’s first degree-granting campus outside the United States. Through TTU-CR, students in Costa Rica and the wider region can pursue a U.S. undergraduate degree while benefiting from an international, bilingual learning environment and the academic standards of Texas Tech University. Keith’s involvement reflects his long-standing commitment to creating educational opportunities and strengthening connections between Costa Rica and the United States.  

Keith holds a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Michigan. He lives in San José, Costa Rica, with his wife, Rose Marie, and has four children.