Sao Paulo, Brazil

Armando de Arruda Pereira was Vice-President of the Ceramica Sao Caetano, tile brack and refractories manufacturers of Sao Paulo, Brazil, for many years until his retirement in 1947, and is now serving as technical adviser to that company. He is also President of the Companhia Nacional de Refrigeracao-CINARA, and Refratarios e Equipamentos Industriais-REILA Ltds.

Mr. Pereira was born in Sao Paulo, received his primary education in Sao Paulo and Genoa, Italy, and attended Seafield Park Engineering College, the University of Birmingham, England, and New York University.

He has been a member of the Rotary Club of Sao Paulo since 1930 and is a Past President of that Club. He has been active in Rotary International as President (in 1940-41), Vice-President, Trustee of the Rotary Foundation, District Governor and as a committee member.

Mr. Pereira has served as Mayor of Sao Paulo and as President of the Manufacturers Federation of Sao Paulo. He is President of the National (Brazilian) Council of Social Service for Workers in Industry and of the Employers Syndicate for the Ceramic Industry of Building Materials. He was a member of the Technical Council of Economics and Finances of the Ministry of Finances of Brazil, and was a delegate from Brazil to the Inter-American Conference at Mexico City.

He has been decorated by the Governments of Chile, Colombia, Cuba, Italy, Nicaragua and Peru, and has written books and essays on engineering, history and Rotary. He is a Fellow of the American Ceramic Society and a member of the American Society of Ceramic Engineers.

From Rotary International,

35 East Wacker Drive,

Chicago 1, Ill., U.S.A..

March 1954.

Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Deceased March 18th, 1955

Armando was President of Rotary International in 1940-l94l, and made a name for himself in Rotary and did a fine job for Brazil and, in fact, for all South America. His death on March 18th, 1955 was untimely and unexpected. He was a comparatively young man and his kind were sorely needed in his rich, young country.

In March 1956 on a world tour I attended the Sao Paulo Club and it was on the first anniversary of his passing. His widow and his sons and daughters, with their wives and husbands, were all honoured guests that day at a very solemn, but very striking ceremony held in a roon adjoining the club meeting place. The family were all in mourning attire and so were many Rotarians.

Armando's widow was given a bouquet and a beautiful memorial ceremony was carried out with dignity. We run into what looks like strange customs in the so-called foreign areas, but after due reflection one is often forced to conclude that what at first appears strange to us, often appears to be very fine after proper thought.

No stranger could attend that ceremony and luncheon that day without realizing that Armando Pereira was respected in his own city during his busy life and was remembered with love and respect after his death.

J.A.C.

May 4th, 1958.