FPCBP Mission Statement Message from the President Applications For
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Message from the President The 2007 Board of Directors have November and in December a festive get quickly geared up to what promises to be together. Full details will soon be posted. another good year with a slew of events in the making. This year’s board is comprised With change being a constant in our of a number of members from very diverse world, it is with mixed emotions that we say professional backgrounds. Join me in wel- good bye to Michael Sebastião, Executive coming a number of new faces this year; Co-ordinator for the FPCBP. Michael has Lu Amaral, Josie Caldas, Jude Fernandes, decided to return to school this fall. On Fernando Martins, Cristina Marques and behalf of the board – present and past – Sergio Ruivo. I’m also very grateful for the and all the members, I would like to take directors whom have opted to stay with this opportunity to wish Michael the very us; Francine Antonio, Avelino Fonseca, best and to thank him for a job well done, Eunice Machado, Teresa Melo and Paul he will be greatly missed. Silva. This group has already displayed a success of all FPCBP events. Participation commitment to continuing the great work As one door closes another opens, and is the key ingredient. carved out by the past 25 years of com- we welcome Jennifer Abadesso to the post munity involvement. of Executive Co-ordinator, Jennifer comes I would like to thank the 2006 Board of very highly recommended and has already Directors for the fi ne job carried through In the following pages we share the proven herself to be an asset to our orga- their term, this enabled this year’s board successes of the already transpired events, nization. to effortlessly and effectively takeover the including: the Member-Get-A-Member torch. event on May 28, 2007 and the Portuguese As we press on, we need the full sup- History and Heritage Essay Contest port of our membership and our very gen- Lena Barreto, Awards Ceremony on June 21, 2007. At erous sponsors to ensure the continued President the time of this publication, the Annual Golf Tournament was in full swing, and we have faith that it will once again be a crowd pleaser. A full recap will be includ- Applications for the FPCBP’s 2007 Scholarship ed in our next newsletter. Awards are now being accepted Be sure to visit our website for a number The FPCBP is once again recognizing the out- of upcoming events scheduled for the re- standing academic achievement of our youth. mainder of 2007 such as: Call to Election Scholarhips ranging from $1,500 to $2,500, cour- Seminar in September, Construction and tesy of our many sponsors, will be awarded at the a Professionals Seminar in October, the 26th Annual Scholarship Dinner on November 8, Annual Scholarship Awards Dinner in 2007. For more information, and to download an application form, visit our website at www.fpcbp. FPCBP com or call the offi ce at 416-537-8874. Mission Statement To promote business activity, foster professionalism, develop network- ing opportunities, enhance political visibility, encourage academic excel- lence and, as the representative voice, advocate the prominence of our mem- TM bers within and outside the Portuguese Canadian Business and Professional community. www.scotiabank.com FPCBP Newsletter - June 2007 1 Meet the FPCBP Board of Directors Lena Barreto, President industries in senior financial roles, before member at Casa Dos Açores. A Branch Manager with RBC Royal moving into the commodity sales tax con- Bank, Lena has been working in the fi- sulting field. Through his practice, Sergio Josie Caldas nancial sector for more than 22 years is dedicated to serving the needs of the Josie is a law student at Queens where she started as a Customer Service Portuguese business community. University. She has been extensively Representative. In her leisure time, Lena involved with the Portuguese commu- dedicates herself to various civic initiatives, Lu Amaral nity working at local community cen- including Habitat for Humanity, fundrais- Lu has held senior roles in the areas tres since she was 16 years old. She has ing for the Hospital for Sick Children, of personal, commercial, private bank- a Bachelor of Business Administration Cancer Research, Junior Achievement and ing and investments. She is responsible from the Schulich School of Business at a few different Portuguese organizations. for business growth and ensuring that all York University, where she specialized In 2000, Lena received a Mississauga bcpbank Canada customers experience in Marketing. Josie also spent six months Local Heroes Award and in 2004 she re- superior customer service. In addition, she studying at L’Institut Européen d’Etudes ceived a Volunteer Award from the City of will support the local community through Commerciales Supérieures de Strasbourg Mississauga. local sponsorship programs and events. in Strasbourg, France. An active member of Toronto’s Portuguese Avelino Fonseca, Vice-President Canadian community, Lu is a member Jude Fernandes Avelino started his own business, and former President of Vasco da Gama Jude is employed by the Government of Carlane Masonry, in 1983. Together with Cultural Centre of Brampton and a mem- Ontario to provide support and services to another partner, he also owns Trican ber of Carabram, The Zonta International Masonry – a company that handles the ma- Club of Brampton-Caledon, and a board continued on page 3 sonry for several well-known builders and employs more than 400 workers. Avelino also builds houses, with a notable project New to the FPCBP team – Jennifer Abadesso! in Toronto completed and new projects on the horizon. Jennifer Abadesso has recently joined the Federation of Portuguese Canadian Francine Antonio, Secretary Business Professionals (FPCBP) as the Francine Antonio is a Communications Executive Co-ordinator. For those unfa- Advisor with the City of Toronto. A Director miliar with her past endeavours, Jennifer since 2005, she was the Editor-in-Chief of has been active in the Portuguese com- the FPCBP’s 25th Anniversary Magazine, munity through her singing, volunteer- which debuted in Dec. 2006. She is cur- ing and humanitarian projects, most no- rently involved with Operanation IV – an tably her involvement with the Canadian annual fundraiser for the Canadian Opera Cancer Society’s Relay for Life. One Company, and continues to play a role hundred per cent of the proceeds of her in the promotion of the Alte Hotel, her latest musical undertaking, entitled “This family’s hotel in the Algarve. Francine re- Time,” were donated to the Toronto West ceived a BA (Hons.) in Philosophy from Unit’s Cancer division. York University and an MSc in Philosophy, At this juncture in her life, Jennifer Policy and International Relations from the Most recently, Jennifer has completed is thrilled to be joining the FPCBP, an London School of Economics and Political her degree in Professional Writing from organization brimming with ingenuity Science. York University and aspires to be a jour- and talent. Besides the rewarding learn- nalist. For the past several years, she has ing experience that is bound to ensue, Sergio Ruivo, Treasurer worked alongside her parents at their Jennifer hopes to form an amicable rap- Sergio has more than 20 years experi- bookkeeping firm R.M.A. Bookkeeping port with the assembled membership. ence in public accounting/management Services Ltd. consulting. He spent several years within Thank you to the 2007 FPCBP Sponsors TM Representative Office Banco Santandertot ta SA 2 FPCBP Newsletter - June 2007 community. Fernando specializes in immi- gration, employment and criminal law. He is also an active member of the Portuguese Canadian Lawyers Association. Teresa Melo Teresa Melo has worked at Scotiabank since 1987 and has held progressively se- nior positions within the branch network. Most recently, Teresa has been appointed Branch Manager at the Dundas and Brock location. This assignment is especially dear to Teresa as it allows her to recon- Courtesy of Jamie Iria Courtesy of Jamie nect with her roots and work within the FPCBP 2007 Board of Directors and staff, from lt to rt: Jennifer Abadesso, Teresa Melo, Jude Fernandes, Portuguese community, contributing to its Eunice Machado, Paul Silva, Lena Barreto, Josie Caldas, Cristina Marques, Michael Sebastião, Francine success and progress. Antonio and Avelino Fonseca. Absent: Lu Amaral, Fernando Martins and Sergio Ruivo Paul Silva continued from page 2 and specializes in franchise and class ac- Paul graduated from the University of tion litigation. Ottawa with an Honours Bachelor of Arts various political projects. He has a back- degree in Canadian History and a Bachelor ground of life-long learning, with degrees Cristina Marques of Social Science in Political Science in in physiology, biochemistry, marketing Cristina is the co-owner of Dreamcoast 1998. In the summer of 1998, he worked at management, computer networks, proj- Homes. She has been an entrepreneur in Expo ‘98 in Lisboa as a Hospitality Officer ect management and a master’s degree in the Portuguese Community since 1975. at the Canadian Pavilion. He then went on business specializing in corporate culture. Cristina is also active in various initiatives, to study at the University of Windsor Law some of which include, being a member School where he graduated with an L.L.B. Eunice Machado of the Assessment Review Board, Chair in 2001. More recently, Paul accepted a Eunice earned an Honours Bachelor of the Advisory Board of General Arts & position to work as a lawyer for a lead- of Arts degree with distinction from the Sciences Department at Humber College ing title insurance company in downtown University of Western Ontario in 1999 and and President of the Federal Liberal Riding Toronto after having practiced real estate a Juris Doctor degree from the University – Davenport.