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BRAZIL CALIFORNIA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE NEWSLETTER
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Letter from the President
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Angela Rosenbach
BCCC President
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Dear BCCC Members and Friends,
With spring comes a sense of renewal and we are certainly living in a time of change which means that there are great opportunities for growth. BCCC is uniquely positioned to deliver the best possibilities to assist companies with their business ventures in Brazil and California. We entered this year with strength and confidence to continue benefiting our members and to add value to the Chamber and our partners. There is no doubt that BCCC is far stronger than it was a decade ago. Our Board of Directors remains dedicated and passionate about their role with BCCC. In time, stay tuned for the Official Announcement of the next Board of Directors, coming up in the next few weeks.
Our mission is to keep expanding the Chamber, providing new opportunities to our members and building a stronger relationship with them. We are investing significant resources to bring the best insights of the market, such as our March Networking Breakfast with the Ambassador of The United States to Brazil, the Honorable Liliana Ayalde. The success of the event demonstrated how relevant the role of BCCC is to our members. We understand that these types of events are an important component to provide a greater understanding of the trends in Brazil and California and our goal is to keep bringing the best trade resources to our members.
BCCC is constantly working on ways to better serve our members. Recently we launched our new website, which is also a result of all these developments. For all these reasons, we would like to invite you to be part of this new phase of BCCC where we are dedicated to creating value for our members.
Come connect, lead and grow with us.
Angela Rosenbach
President
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BCCC Breakfast Presentation on Investment and Trade Relations with the Honorable Liliana Ayalde, Ambassador of the United States to Brazil - March 6th 2015, Beverly Hills, CA
BCCC had the pleasure to host its first Breakfast Presentation of the year with guest speaker the Honorable Liliana Ayalde, Ambassador of the United States to Brazil. The event was supported by the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU), represented by Jeffrey Donald, Senior Vice President; the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, represented by Carlos Valderrama, Senior Vice President, Global Initiatives. The event was made possible by the support of BCCC's Patron member New York Life, represented by Alyssa Rizzo, Senior Associate, Hispanic Market.
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The Honorable Liliana Ayalde, Ambassador of the United States to Brazil
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The event, which was exclusively for BCCC members and special guests, took place on March 6th at Luxe Rodeo Drive Hotel in Beverly Hills. During her presentation, Ayalde outlined an analysis on the focal areas of trade investments to bilateral businesses for the next years. The purpose of Ambassador Ayalde's U.S. West Coast trip was to foster economic growth by discussing trade opportunities and encouraging innovative partnerships between U.S. and Brazilian companies and organizations that are focused on expanding investment and trade and creating new opportunities in both nations.
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The Honorable Liliana Ayalde and BCCC President Ms Angela Rosenbach
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Among the attendees were Your Excellency Bruno Bath, General Consul of Brazil in Los Angeles; Jim MacLellan, Director of Trade Development, Port of LA; Deepak Chopra, CEO, OSI Systems; Mark Olson, Vice President, Gerdau USA; Michael Roth, Director of International Retail Licensing & Development, Skechers USA; Brian Brisson, Senior Commercial Officer, US Embassy in Brasilia; Norman Arikawa, Assistant Director of Trade Development for the Port of Los Angeles; Felipe Cusnir, International Trade with the City of Los Angeles, Mayor's office.
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Flavio Shafirovitch, Pontual Money Transfer, Michael Roth, Skechers USA, Fernando Faizano, Pontual Money Transfer, Randy Hartshorn, Business Consultant
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We sincerely thank the Los Angeles Area Chamber of Commerce, the Business Council for International Understanding, New York Life, Claudia Powell, BCCC Marketing and all BCCC staff for their invaluable support and effort to make this great event happen.
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BCCC Members Attorney Juliana Ferraz and Nerium's Independent
Brand Consultant Simone Talarico Ross
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More about US Ambassador to Brazil in Los Angeles:
"A Rare Visit: US Ambassador to Brazil in California", by Stephen Scheibe, All Abroad Consulting https://allabroadconsulting.wordpress.com/2015/03/09/a-rare-visit-us-ambassador-to-brazil-in-california/
"Embaixadora dos Estados Unidos para o Brasil, Liliana Ayalde, visita Los Angeles e participa de apresentação sobre investimento e relações comerciais", by Exame (Portuguese) http://exame.abril.com.br/rede-de-blogs/brasil-no-mundo/2015/02/24/brazil-california-chamber-of-commerce-oportunidades/
"Embaixadora Americana Liliana Ayalde faz palestra para empresários em LA, by Janete Weinstein, BDCiTV (Portuguese) http://www.bdci.tv/liliana-ayalde-palestra/
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Brazil California Chamber of Commerce participated in the VerdeXchange Conference 2015
The Brazil California Chamber of Commerce and the Consulate-General of Brazil participated in the VerdeXchange's 8th Annual Green Marketmaker's Conference on January 25-27.
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Silvia Engler, Trade Division of the Consulate General of Brazil in LA and Rita Menezes, BCCC Public Relations
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The event brought together clean and green tech entrepreneurs, companies and governmental institutions to discuss the future of green technology and sustainability in the business world.
"BCCC plans to create a sustainability committee in 2015 to promote clean tech business and sustainable opportunities between Brazil and California. It's a developing field that needs to be on the radar of every company pursuing to possess technologies and policies that benefit the environment while generating value for investors", says Angela Rosenbach, President of Brazil California Chamber of Commerce.
The event took place at the LA Hotel, in downtown Los Angeles, and had approximately 600 attendees and more than 160 panels about energy technology, water, transportation, utility efficiency, finance and green-build.
For additional information go to http://www.verdexchange.org
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Brazil California Chamber of Commerce present at the Korean-Latino Partnership
The Consulate-General of Brazil and the Brazil California Chamber of Commerce attended the Korean-Latino Partnership - KLP on December 12, 2014.
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Raquel Leal, Trade Division, Consulate General of Brazil in LA and Rita Menezes, BCCC Public Relations
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KLP is an annual event designed to support global partnership between and with Korean and Latino business communities in Los Angeles area. The City of Los Angeles serves as a dynamic entry hub for Asian and Latin countries that are growing due to the KORUS FTA being enforced and NAFTA and CAFTA which have opened vast new trade opportunities throughout Latin countries and Korea.
Through a networking reception, business matchmaking, and an informative strategy seminar, KLP offered a unique opportunity to mingle with decision makers and discuss new partnerships. The event was a unique opportunity for business development, discussing new partnerships, and growing the next business leaders.
Korean-Latino Partnership 2014 was hosted by Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency, City of Los Angeles Mayor's Office and Korean Consulate General of Los Angeles, and took place at JW Marriott Hotel, Downtown Los Angeles.
For additional information go to http://www.kotrala.com
About KOTRA
KOTRA (Korea Trade-Investment Promotion Agency) is a non-profit, government agency of Republic of Korea committed to promoting international trade and investment. KOTRA Los Angeles KBC (Korean Business Center), as part of KOTRA's worldwide network of over 119 offices in 81 countries, offers a wide variety of initiatives to support U.S. clients.
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| BCCC is proud to announce its newest PLATINUM member the International Steel Company Gerdau
Gerdau is the leading company in the production of long steel in the Americas and one of the major suppliers of specialty long steel in the world. They have 45,000 employees at industrial locations in 14 countries in the Americas, Europe and Asia. In North America, Gerdau is a leader in mini-mill steel production and is the second largest recycler in the nation. Through a vertically integrated network of mini-mills, scrap recycling facilities and downstream operations, the company serves customers throughout the U.S. and Canada, offering a diverse and balanced product mix of merchant steel, rebar, structural shapes, fabricated steel and wire rod.
The Rancho Cucamonga mill began production in 1956, and Gerdau acquired the mill in 2010. More than 265 people are employed at the mill, and most employees are members of the United Steelworkers of America. The Rancho Cucamonga mill recycles ferrous scrap metal into rebar that is used in the construction of buildings, freeways, bridges, parking garages and other concrete structures throughout the Western United States. The mill is capable of recycling more than 550,000 tons of ferrous scrap a year and is likely the largest recycler, by weight, in the state of California.
Gerdau has a total of six locations in California, five of which are reinforcing steel facilities, located in Napa, Fairfield, Santa Fe Springs, San Bernardino and San Diego. Gerdau fabricates and installs reinforcing steel for a mixture of project types, including dams, bridges, large engineering projects and major commercial concrete projects throughout the West Coast.
Learn more at http://www.gerdau.com/longsteel/
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Lilla, Huck, Otranto, Camargo Law Office is the newest Corporate Member of BCCC
LILLA, HUCK, OTRANTO, CAMARGO is a full service law firm founded in 1993 by lawyers whose sound academic background and professional experience constitute the cornerstone of high-quality services. Many of the lawyers are professors, hold master's and doctoral degrees from leading Brazilian and foreign institutions.
They are driven by a sense of loyalty and commitment to their clients, by their pleasure in working intensely, and by their intellectual involvement with the practice of law, values which are a means of developing customized work for their clients, as well as of forging long-term relationships of trust.
They understand and practice law from a collegiality mind set. Their unique internal structure, where all lawyers are promptly called to undertake a deep and enduring commitment to the firm and its clients, favors the organization of interdisciplinary teams that work collaboratively to provide outstanding services.
For the company, size is not a starting point or an identity. Their size allows them to balance the ability to carry out complex work with a deep and personal understanding of them clients and their needs.
Learn more at www.lhm.com.br
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| STC Interpreting & Translation STC Interpreting & Translation specializes in the translation of documents and websites, as well as Notarization and Apostille. Founded in 2003, the company works with thousands of qualified and experienced native-speaking translators who live remotely in their own countries. The operations of the business are taken care by the U.S. headquarters, and is therefore able to carry out translations in a very wide variety of languages with very low costs.
This is why STC Interpreting offers such a competitive rate. We are a member of ATA and NAJIT. Flat rate Certified Translation 24 hours delivery No hidden fees 100% Guaranteed acceptance by U.S. Immigration 100% Satisfaction Guaranteed.
Learn more at www.STCinterpreting.com |
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Cesnik Quintino e Salinas Advogados Cesnik Quintino e Salinas Advogados is a law firm with a focus on Intellectual Property Law, Business Enterprises Law, Corporate Law, Tax Incentives and Non-Profit Law.
The main clients include media and communication groups; culture, entertainment and sports investors; audio visual, musical and editorial production companies; distributors of content to multiplatform; advertising agencies; telecommunication companies; and nonprofit organizations in general.
Founded in 1996, this pioneering law firm specialized in the field of entertainment industry in Brazil, provided thorough legal advice and business consulting for the audiovisual industry through an integrated team of lawyers specialized in audiovisual production, distribution, broadcasting, regulatory matters, fiscal incentives and other public and private financing structures.
For the last five consecutive years, Cesnik, Quintino e Salinas Advogados has been nominated by the leading law firm guide Chambers and Partners as the best Law Firm in Latin America in the Entertainment Sector.
Learn more at www.cqs.adv.br |
| Vogler Law Offices Vogler Law Offices is a boutique law practice dedicated to providing high quality legal representation in the United States and Brazil. Our attorneys are licensed to practice law in California, U.S. Federal Court, and throughout Brazil. We practice across a broad spectrum legal issues in the United States and Brazil, including International Business and Contract law, Brazil Tax Law, Civil Rights, Entertainment, Immigration, and Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Compliance. We are fluent in English, Portuguese, and Italian.
Michael Vogler is one of the few FCPA attorneys in the United States with decades of actual on-set film production experience, for which he is a published legal writer. He has litigated civil rights cases in Federal District Court and Appellate Court. He is an active member of the California State Bar, the United States Court of Appeals, Ninth Circuit, the U.S. District Court, Central District of California, and Northern District of California. He is a graduate of UCLA (BA), the American Film Institute (MFA) and Concord Law School (JD). He is licensed in California. Ana Clara Alves Vogler is an expert in Brazil Business and Tax Law, Litigation, Contracts, and Constitutional Law. She is a published legal expert. She speaks fluent Portuguese, English, and Italian. She is an active member of the Brazil OAB. Learn more at www.voglerlawoffices.com |
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Sandra Yee, CPA Sandra Yee pursued her CPA license with the State of California in 2007 and her Master's Degree in Taxation from Golden Gate University in 2009. She was born in China, grew up in Brazil (where she obtained a Bachelor's Degree in Accounting and an MBA in International Business), and has been a California resident since 2005.
Prior to becoming a CPA in the U.S., Sandra worked as an international business analyst in the Oil & Gas industry in Brazil and acquired experience in Brazilian Customs Compliance and Import Taxes. As an active CPA in California with an office in Pasadena, Sandra assists her clients with their U.S. tax compliance and business accounting. She has extensive experience in a wide range of industries, including real estate, professional services and manufacturing companies. Her expertise in real estate taxation includes U.S. real estate owned by foreign nationals, IRC section 1031 exchange, IRC section 754 election step-up and other complex tax issues related to real estate partnership. Sandra also holds a real estate license to assist her clients in real estate consultation and planning.
Other areas of Sandra's expertise are as follows: IRC Section 263(a) Uniform Capitalization, foreign tax credit, IRC section 481 adjustments required by accounting method change, entity selection for new business, high net worth and dual citizens. She provides effective and personalized services for Chinese, Portuguese and English speaking clients.
Learn more at www.braziliancpas.com |
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Welcome our new volunteer staff Mayara Aloy-Cunha & Thais Bernardo
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Mayara Aloy-Cunha is a Marketing Student at UCLA Extension and has been working in Public Relations since 2010. She has experience working in various industries such as life insurance, entertainment, automotive, fashion and education in Brazil. During her academic studies she worked as a student volunteer and developed an International Public Relations Campaign in partnership with University College Falmouth, UK for the NGO Children's Hospice. A member of the American Marketing Association, Ms Aloy-Cunha joined BCCC to assist the Chamber with their marketing activities, including brand strategy, public relations, and membership affairs.
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|  Thais Bernardo graduated in Tourism and Events at Anhembi Morumbi University and received a postgraduate degree in Administration at FGV - Fundacao Getulio Vargas. She worked at large companies in Brazil such as VIVO, WAL MART Brazil and MYGLOSS franchise network. Currently, Ms. Bernardo is dedicated to entrepreneurship and personal development projects. With all this experience, creativity and technical knowledge she will work on developing the events area of BCCC. |
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| Sheila Shanker CPA and BCCC Board member publishes her second book about nonprofits
Sheila Shanker, a California CPA and BCCC Board Member, has just released her second book, "Nonprofit Finance: A Practical Guide." This useful guide explains important fiscal issues typical of nonprofit organizations, such as financial statements, revenues, and taxes. Tips based on the author's real-life experiences make this book helpful to both financial professionals and board members with no major accounting background.
The typical structure of an organization is discussed along with accounting basics and audits in an easy to understand style. Controllers will appreciate the detailed examples, while board members will benefit from the financial reporting examples, analysis, and recommendations. 
For those interested in checks and balances, an entire chapter of the book is dedicated to internal controls specific to nonprofits, discussing the importance of segregation of duties, risks, and control options. Warnings about known scams, and how to avoid them are included in this chapter as well.
As many organizations receive government funding, the chapter covering the new OMNI federal circular is particularly relevant, including grant compliance issues, costs, and overhead. Grant budgets, audits and other relevant considerations in this area are explained in detail.
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| Pontual Money Transfer provides fast and reliable solutions for individuals and business for all their money transfer needs 
Pontual Money Transfer is an American company specialized in money transfers to Brazil and from Brazil to the USA, also offering services to Latin America. The operation is fully compliant with the laws of Brazil and USA. Pontual offers the best rates and Customer Service in Portuguese, English and Spanish. 
Pontual provides fast and reliable services for your personal needs (www.enviouchegou.com) and tailor-made integrated payment solutions for businesses (www.pontualmt.com). |
| BCCC launches new website and brand refresh
BCCC is pleased to announce the launch of its new website (www.brazilcalifornia.com) designed by PVDZN (www.pvdzn.com), a web design and internet marketing firm based in Los Angeles, CA and a BCCC Business member.
The new BCCC website offers a clean, modern design and interface, easy-to-navigate functionalities, and a content-rich site experience. Additional sections and interactive features are planned for the phase II development to ensure the new website continues to provide a fresh, versatile site experience.
According to BCCC President Angela Rosenbach, the new website is more closely aligned with the Chamber's strategic vision for growth and expansion over the next years. "Our goal in launching this new website is to improve our web presence and provide online resources for companies and individuals to learn more about our services and how we can help them in their businesses."
Paulo Vinicius, Marketing Director and the creative mind at PVDZN, said that the new website features a completely redesigned experience. "It's a full-fledged bilingual website that gives users the ability to read every page both in English or Portuguese seamlessly, that is also optimized for mobile devices." 
The new BCCC website also provides direct links to Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn pages, where Chamber updates appear on a regular basis. "We are very proud of the new website and we hope it provides a useful, informative portal for our members and prospects to get to know BCCC and our services just a little better", said Ms. Rosenbach. We thank Paulo Vinicius and Rita Menezes, BCCC Public Relations for all the teamwork during this project!
Visit brazilcalifornia.com and enjoy the new BCCC website! |
Brazil Export - Guide for Foreign Trade and Investment
The Trade and Investment Promotion Office with the Consulate General of Brazil in Los Angeles is excited to announce the launch of "Brazil Export - Guide for Foreign Trade and Investment" (brazilexport.gov.br), an informative official website that consolidates trade and investment information related to Brazil. 
If you are interested in doing business with or in Brazil you should check it out and join the Brazil Export business network!
To register your company for free just complete the form at following link: http://www.brasilexport.gov.br/join-brazil-export-business-network. As soon as your registration is reviewed by the Consulate, your company will be posted on the Brazil Export website, increasing its visibility among the Brazilian business community.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Los Angeles SECOM* team at [email protected]
*SECOMs (Trade Promotion Sections) - located in 102 embassies and consulates around the world, SECOMs provide assistance to companies wishing to invest in Brazil or import Brazilian products and services. They are also in charge of gathering and providing information about local business and investment opportunities for Brazilian businesses abroad.
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Brazil's Economy Expanded Slightly in 2014
By JEFFREY T. LEWIS And ROGERIO JELMAYER for The Wall Street Journal
SÃO PAULO-Brazil's economy posted in 2014 its worst performance by far under President Dilma Rousseff's administration, a blow to her prestige as her government works to regain credibility with markets and pass an austerity program through Congress.
The country's gross domestic product grew just 0.1% in 2014 from 2013, and expanded 0.3% in the fourth quarter from the third, Brazil's statistics agency said Friday. GDP shrank 0.2% in the fourth quarter of 2014 from the same period a year earlier.
Read more at http://www.wsj.com/articles/brazils-economy-expanded-slightly-in-2014-1427459887
Motorola Has a Hit-in Brazil
Moto G Smartphone From Motorola Mobility Is Runaway Success There
By LORETTA CHAO for The Wall Street Journal
SÃO PAULO-Four years ago, André Martins was struggling to make it on the money he made selling hot dogs in the slum where he lives, a favela called Rocinha in Rio de Janeiro.
Then he got connected to the Internet and started marketing and taking orders online. Sales shot up 70%. Last month, his store Mega Lanches became the first favela business to have its logo emblazoned on the cap of a mixed-martial-arts fighter in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Mr. Martins' secret weapon: his $260 Moto G smartphone from Lenovo Group Ltd.'s Motorola Mobility.
Read more at http://www.wsj.com/articles/motorola-has-a-hitin-brazil-1427493853
In drought-stricken Sao Paulo, some rely on mineral water deliveries
By VINCENT BEVINS, Los Angeles Times
As Joao Paulo Bezerra pedals slowly up a slight incline between skyscrapers, he pauses briefly to greet a struggling colleague crossing his path.
"Morning, buddy," says Bezerra, forcing his tricycle and its cargo of eight large plastic water jugs a few feet closer to its destination.
"Everything's beautiful," says his counterpart, with equal measures of enthusiasm and irony, as they move on, sweating profusely in the summer sun.
Under normal circumstances, Bezerra might be racing up this street on a two-wheeler, nimbly carrying one or two jugs of water while weaving in and out of Sao Paulo's infamous traffic. Or he might be hopping onto the sidewalk, startling pedestrians as he races to help quench their substantial thirst. South America's largest city is running out of water, and part of the weight of this potentially disastrous crisis - currently about 42 gallons, or 352 pounds, to be exact - is being pushed forward by his leg muscles.
Read more at
http://www.latimes.com/world/brazil/la-fg-ff-brazil-water-bikes-20150302-story.html
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