Rene R. Romero; Customs Broker, Civic Leader

Rene R. Romero, 83, a Southern California customs broker and community leader. Born in Mexico’s Baja California, he moved to the United States as a toddler. Romero obtained his broker’s license in 1952 and after working for other companies, later established his own customs brokerage. He soon had offices in both Calexico and San Diego. In the early 1960s he was elected to the Calexico City Council. He was also vice president of the Calexico Chamber of Commerce and grandmaster of the Masons there. Romero was a founding partner and president of another new enterprise called Pharma-Med, which manufactures pharmaceutical products. On Wednesday in San Diego.