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Your Connection to the Portuguese and Canadian Business Community

Past Presidents

Armindo Silva (1982, 1983, 1984)

Armindo is a founding member of the FPCBP serving both as president and trustee, and helped pioneer the scholarship program. Four years after he arrived in Canada in 1961, Armindo started his own business and became a registered insurance broker in Ontario. With a master‘s degree in business administration from the University of Toronto, he is a partner and executive director of The Regional Insurance Services Inc. Armindo was appointed to the board of the Skydome Corporation in 1985, where he served as director for nine years. In 1988, he ran as a federal nomination candidate for Mississauga East. Armindo is also a founding member of the Portugal Canada Chamber of Commerce and was on the board of the United Way.

John F. Santos (1985)

Before founding the FPCBP, John was president of the First Portuguese Canadian Club - a position he held for four years. Raised in Lisbon, he moved to Canada in 1960 where he earned his real estate brokers licence and is now president of Re/Max Homecentre Inc. A previous delegate for Portugal‘s Secretary of State and Immigration, John met Queen Elizabeth II through the Toronto Arts Council in 1973 and received an achievement award from the City of Toronto in 1983. He has held a number of government appointments, including the Assessment Review Board, Criminal Injuries Compensation Board, Police Complaints Board, Refugee Status Advisory Committee and Canadian Consultative Council of Multiculturism. For the past 10 years, John has been the vice chair of the Portuguese Canadian Credit Union. Living in Etobicoke, he is married with a son and daughter.

Fernando Dias Costa (1986, 1987)

Fernando is a founding member of the FPCBP. A member of the Law Society of Upper Canada since 1977, he has been active in Portuguese Canadian community organizations since the early �70s. Fernando has held numerous civic appointments at the City of Toronto, including the Planning Board, Historical Board, Board of Health, and more recently, the Committee of Adjustment. He has been appointed by both the provincial and federal governments to chair hearings dealing with police disciplinary matters as well as to the Review Tribunal dealing with appeals under the Canada Pension Plan and Old Age Security. Fernando is also former counsel to the Consulate General of Portugal.

Joåo Neves (1988)

February 3, 1942 - January 16, 1998

Frank Alvarez (1988, 1989)

Born in Arbo, Spain, Frank moved with his family to Lisbon in 1952. In 1967, he moved to Toronto and opened Império restaurant and catering. Later, he enrolled in television production at George Brown College. An award-winning broadcaster, Frank is president and CEO of CIRV Radio 88.9FM multicultural radio. He is also the founder and past president of the weekly Portuguese newspaper "O Milenio," and president of FP TV, a national digital 24-hour specialty Portuguese TV program. Frank is also past executive director of the Canada-Portugal Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.

Nellie Pedro (1990)

Since she was 14 years old, Nellie has dedicated thousands of hours to many community organizations - often taking a leadership role. She was a member of the United Way Board of Trustees and chair of the Portuguese Coalition for Better Education. A founding member of the Canada Portugal Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Nellie has also been a public school trustee and a provincial Liberal candidate. The first woman to serve as president of the FPCBP, she obtained a certificate in radio and television arts from Ryerson Polytechnic University. Currently, Nellie and her husband are partners of CPTV Productions and Gente da Nossa Inc. In 1993, Nellie was awarded the Canada 125th Anniversary Commemorative Medal for service to the community. She came to Canada from Portugal in 1970 and she and husband Cesar Pedro have one son.

Arnold Santos (1991, 1992, 1995)

Arnold was born in the Azores and came to Canada with his family in 1957. He has operated a busy tool and die business, Olympic Tool and Die Inc., for the past 30 years in Mississauga, where he lives with his family. Arnold is a long-time member of the FPCBP (16 years), a member of the Rotary Club for nine years, and is also a member of the Academia do Bacalhau.

Raimundo Favas (1993)

Born in Alpiarça, Portugal, Raimundo came to Canada in 1980 moving first to Montreal before arriving in Toronto three months later. He earned his insurance broker‘s licence and soon afterwards opened his own business, Favas Services Inc. in Mississauga where he lives with his wife and three children. Raimundo is a founding member of the Portuguese Cultural Centre of Mississauga‘s building fund committee where he was instrumental in helping to raise the money needed to purchase its building. The Ontario Government recognized his commitment to his community with a volunteer award.

Almiro Fonseca (1994)

A Canadian citizen born in Portugal, Almiro moved to Canada in 1974 at the age of 26. Married with a son and daughter and grandson, Almiro lives and works in Mississauga at his company, Euro Moulds Inc. He has worked in the plastic and die-casting industry since he was 14. Almiro is co-founder and director of the Portuguese Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Toronto.

José-Luis Reis de Arruda (1996, 1997)

Born in Såo Miguel, Azores, José-Luis was president of the Portuguese Cultural Centre of Mississauga in 1986, and in 2005 was elected to be president of the general assembly. With a master‘s degree in business administration, he co-founded The Regional Insurance Services Inc., and was also a member of the Broker Advisory Panel for Zurich Canada from 1996-1998. He is also a former trustee of the Toronto Western Hospital. José-Luis and his wife Juliana have one son, Philip.

Ricardo de Castro Lopo (1998)

Born in Mozambique to a Portuguese father and English mother, Ricardo moved to South Africa when he was 15 years old. While in South Africa, he earned a B. Comm. (Hons.) in financial management at universities of Natal and South Africa, and his MIAC from the Institute of Administration and Commerce of South Africa. In 1993, he moved to Canada, where he completed the requirements of the Canadian Securities Institute, and the Financial Services Commission of Ontario. He is a professional Investment Advisor with Canaccord Capital Corporation in Toronto. He is also the founder and first president of the Academia do Bacalhau de Toronto, and the co-founder and vice president of the Portuguese Language Writers of Canada - Gremio Literario. Ricardo has extensive involvement in professional, charitable and sporting clubs and organizations.

David Costa (1998)

A successful senior lawyer in Toronto, David has been affiliated with many legal organizations, including the Criminal Lawyers Association, Canadian Bar Association, Toronto Real Estate Lawyers Association, Metropolitan Toronto Lawyers Association and the Advocates Society. David‘s law firm, Costa Law Firm, has assisted in providing free legal services to organizations such as the Mississauga Club and the Ryan Leal Memorial Fund. He has also been repeatedly voted "Best Lawyer" by the community - a distinction he is ever grateful for. David is also a previous FPCBP scholarship recipient.

Louis Louro Jr. (1999, 2002)

Louis is CEO of Louro Jewellers Inc. and Tenda Do Louro Jewellery Museum (TDLJ). For over a century, the Louro family‘s name has been synonymous with fine metal works and fine jewellery design. In the past 25 years, based in Yorkville-Toronto, Louro Jewellers has continued a tradition of excellence. Louis is a geologist and graduate jeweller, and is a frequent guest educational speaker on geology and jewellery to various schools and associations. Louis is a Canadian award-winning designer whose designs have adorned heads of state, members of the Presley family, and other Hollywood stars. Louis has received twice the "Canadian Jewellers Choice" awarded by his peers, and for the last two years, Louro Jewellers has been selected the "Best of the Best Jeweller" and "Jeweller of the Year" by the People Choice Award and Mark of Execellence. The foundation of the TDLJ Museum is Louis‘s most recent endeavour, an institutional marvel that not only educates, but showcases the history of jewellery and humanity.

A. Charles Sousa (2000)

Charles is currently the director for corporate business development in RBC‘s Commercial Markets sector, and was previously the senior manager of Government Affairs at RBC Financial Group‘s National Head Office. He continues to be involved in politics, once running as a federal nomination candidate. Charles is also an active director for various charitable based foundations, non-profit groups and chambers of commerce. He was also appointed as Conselheiro na Rede Confederaçåo Internacional dos Empresários Portugueses for Canada.

José L. Pinto (2001)

Born in Trás-os-Montes, Portugal, in the town of Parafita (Montalegre), José arrived in Belleville in 1974. Moving to Toronto in 1986, he has been a certified financial planner for nearly 20 years and is a founding partner of Brownstone Investment Planning Inc. - a firm that manages more than $400 million. José remains deeply connected (physically and affectionately) to his hometown and very committed to promoting its wealth of traditions, geographical attributes and culinary wonders among his friends in Canada. José was president of Club Transmontano for five years. In 2002, he also founded the Portuguese Canadian Golfers Association - an organization with more than 200 members. Married to Ana, José has three children.

Carlos Alberto Teixeira (2002)

Born in Luanda, Angola to Azorean parents, Carlos‘ family moved to Toronto in 1961 seeking greater opportunities. Carlos met wife Margaret while he was at York University pursuing a bachelor of arts, before switching to accounting - they now have four sons. Carlos Jr. currently runs Teixeira Accounting Firm, which was established in 1973 by the late David Sousa Teixeira. Carlos is a founding member of the Portuguese Canadian Golf Association and the Chief Financial Officer of the Davenport Federal Liberal Riding Association.

Ermidio Alves (2003)

A licensed real estate broker since 1977, Ermidio is president of Prudential ELFA Realty a real estate and property management company based in Brampton that has been in business for 30 years. A fellow of the Real Estate Institute of Canada, and active volunteer in Peel Region since 1975, Ermidio has been a director of the Imperial Portuguese Club, Portuguese Heritage Committee, and Portuguese Community Centre in Brampton. He was also a director of the Peel Memorial Hospital Foundation, an organization he served proudly for six years. In 2000, Ermidio was awarded the Vasco da Gama Entrepreneur of Excellence award.

Leo Pereira (2004)

Leo was born in Funchal, Madeira. After marrying Connie Pereira, he arrived in Canada in 1971 to raise their son and daughter. Leo quickly got his real estate licence and opened Trio Real Estate Company Ltd. Eventually he opened a new company, Social Real Estate Company Ltd., with Luso Insurance Brokers Ltd. Leo was president of the First Canadian Portuguese Canadian Club. He was also instrumental in winning the landing rights in Toronto for TAP Air Portugal.

Ana Bailåo (2005, 2006)

Ana was born in Portugal and immigrated to Toronto in 1991 at age 15. She is a past recipient of an FPCBP scholarship. Since finishing university, Ana has worked in the private sector and government for the past eight years, and has been extensively involved in the community. After running for Toronto city council in 2003, Ana took a job with bcpbank (recently acquired by BMO), where she is currently an assistant vice president of community business. In recognition of her many accomplishment and dedication to her community, she was awarded the National Order of Portugal - Comenda da Ordem do Infante D. Henrique. Ana is also currently a board member at the Working Women Community Centre and vice president of the European Union chamber of Commerce in Toronto.