September 10, 2016
(left to right) Michael Work, Marilyn Blanco-Reyes, Amb. Adalnio Senna Ganem,
Paula Senna Ganem & Aloisio LopesMiami, Florida - The Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida (BACCF) celebrated its 35th anniversary during the 2016 Independence Gala Dinner on Saturday, September 10th at the Four Seasons Hotel. The black-tie dinner dance serves not only as the Chamber’s yearly landmark event, but also as the largest gathering of high profile companies and business executives engaged in fostering bilateral relations between Brazil and the United States.
BACCF directors, members and guests had the pleasure of welcoming Ambassador Adalnio Senna Ganem, who has been appointed Consul General of Brazil in Miami. For the last four years, he served as Brazilian Ambassador to Panama and previously as the Consul General in Atlanta. This was his first official address to the local community.
A highlight of the evening was a special performance by acclaimed Brazilian pianist Antonio Adolfo. As a musician, arranger and record producer he has worked with some of the most famous names in Brazilian music.
To celebrate the occasion and recognize long-time chamber contributors, Marilyn Blanco-Reyes, BACCF’s President, welcomed the guests by saying that “firstly, tonight we celebrate Brazil’s Independence and 194 years of ‘ordem e progresso,’ the national motto that has guided the nation’s rise to become one of the world’s largest economic powers and a beacon of democracy in Latin America,” adding that “secondly, this evening, we celebrate the 35th Anniversary of the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida, founded in 1981 by a group of pioneering and visionary individuals, many of whom are still with the Chamber and are present here this evening.”
The growing establishment of Brazilian commerce in South Florida gained momentum in the late 1970s and brought the need for a business exchange forum among Brazilian and U.S. firms. Through the initiative of Thomas J. Skola, the BACCF was formed in 1981 with Mr. Skola’s law office serving as the Chamber’s first office and corporate address. Like any new organization, the Chamber’s early days were marked at times by explosive growth and seasonal retrenchments in tandem with the fluctuations in Brazil-Florida business during the 1980s. By the 1990s, however, commerce between Brazil and Florida was flourishing and the Chamber gained a high degree of maturity, credibility and recognition.
Today, the BACCF is proud to be the largest bi-national chamber of the Americas in South Florida, promoting an average of 50 events per year. Throughout these 35 years the BACCF has grown its membership base and, expanded its portfolio of events and services to accommodate the ever-growing Brazilian-American business community.
An example of the valuable programs brought to the bilateral business community is the upcoming BACCF seminar on “How to do Business in the U.S.,” to take place from September 26-28 in Coral Gables. In its 12th edition, the seminar is a unique opportunity to become more knowledgeable about entering the market or learning how to expand a company’s reach to the United States. Held in Portuguese, the program targets Brazilian businesses and professionals interested in moving to, or recently arrived in, the U.S. Visit www.brazilchamber.org to learn more.
About the BACCF
Founded in 1981 in Miami, the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce of Florida (BACCF) is an independent, non-profit business organization. Led by a volunteer Board of Directors, the BACCF is primarily supported by membership dues and income from fund-raising events. The Chamber’s main objective is to forge closer ties between the business communities of Brazil and Florida by assisting companies and business people seeking ways to penetrate or invest successfully in the Brazilian and U.S. markets. The BACCF is the largest bi-national chamber of commerce of the Americas in South Florida with more than 300 member companies.
