Francisco Alberto Liriano

Always Trying to Get Ahead

Francisco Liriano liked to set goals for himself. Every month, he would think about a way to move up in his work. He was always taking exams for licenses that might enable him to do things like sell insurance or real estate. "He was always looking for the next opportunity," said Yvette Toribio, a friend of Mr. Liriano's sister, Maribel Paulino. He worked his way up to the position of assistant to a vice president of Citibank in an office in the World Trade Center, Ms. Toribio said. A Dominican immigrant, he had earned a bachelor's degree in business administration and, two years ago, married Shirley Somwaru, originally from Guayana.

On Tuesday morning, Mr. Liriano, 33, was not in his fifth-floor office in the trade center. He had gone looking for the next opportunity. According to Ms. Toribio, he had gone to a meeting hoping to explore the possibility of landing an even better job. The meeting was on the 105th floor.