The President of the Government of the Azores, Vasco Cordeiro, will be distinguished with the “International Award” at the 2014 Leadership Awards Gala, sponsored by the Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States (PALCUS), taking place on October 11, in Oxon Hill, Maryland.
Vasco Cordeiro, 41, the leader of the Socialist Party (PS) in the Azores, was sworn Regional President of the Government of the Azores on October 14, 2012. The former Regional Secretary for the Economy, Cordeiro was elected for the Regional Legislative Assembly in 1996, becoming the leader of the regional Socialist Party parliamentary delegation. In 2003, Cordeiro was appointed Regional Secretary for the Agriculture and Fisheries and Regional Secretary for the Presidency in 2004. He served as Regional Secretary for the Economy in 2008.
In its 18th edition, the PALCUS Leadership Awards Gala will also honor a group of distinguished Portuguese Americans for their contributions to the community. Honorees are Alberto Carvalho Superintendent of Miami Dade Schools (Education Award); John Mello, President and Chief Executive of Amrys, CA (Business Award ); Bill Freitas of Colonels Limited LLC/Papa John Franchises, Washington DC (Entrepreneur Award); Liliana C. de Sousa, President of the Organizing Committee of the Boston Portuguese Festival and Member of the Organization of Provincetown, MA (Community Award/Individual); Portuguese American Veterans of Peabody, MA (Community Award/Organization); and Frank Baptista, President and Director of Radio Voz do Emigrante/ WHTB 1400 AM, Fall River, MA (Special Recognition Award). The 2014 National Scholarships will be also awarded at the event to three outstanding Portuguese American Students.
Guests of honor include Nuno Brito, Ambassador of Portugal to the United States; Vasco Rato, President of Fundação Luso Americana para o Desenvolvimento (FLAD) of Lisbon, Portugal; Maria João Ávila, Community Deputy Representative at the Portuguese General Assembly; and Rushern Baker, County Executive of Prince George County, Maryland.
Established in 1991, the Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States (PALCUS) has the mission to address concerns of the Portuguese-American community. PALCUS is a 501(c)3 non-partisan, non-profit organization headquartered in Washington DC.
Find additional program information here.
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The Azores (population 250,000) became an Autonomous Region of Portugal in 1976. The government of the Autonomous Region of the Azores includes the Legislative Assembly, composed of 57 elected deputies, elected by universal suffrage for a four-year term; the Regional Government and Presidency, with parliamentary legitimacy, composed of a President, a Vice-President and seven Regional Secretaries responsible for the Regional Government executive operations. The Autonomous Region of the Azores is represented in the Council of Ministers of the Central Government by a representative appointed by the President of Portugal.
