amsoc forum may 2011 issue

8/7/2019 AmSoc Forum May 2011 issue

1/16

Monthly Newsletter

May 2011

www.amsoc.com.brForum

The Economy Issue

Page 4: The key talking pointsand agreements during Obamasecent visit here in Brazil.

Brazilian economics 101

Page 6: A quick historical look atBrazils economic achievementsand current challenges.

Page 10: Read how multinationals

are unearthing new opportunitiesat the bottom of the economicpyramid in Brazil.

The BOP

The American Society of So Paulopromotes friendship by organizingsocial, cultural and athletic events for

ts diverse membership; encouragesntegration with the Brazilian society;and supports the American traditionsof education, philanthropy andvolunteerism.

Our Mission

The Economy Issue

Save the dateSave the dateUpcoming AmSoc events

May 5th - 2011 Aua Ga Mtg

May 14th - AMSOC Tam Ts Touamt

uy 2 - 4th o Juy cbato

Aug 27th - AmSoc Va Jovm Bft

Time or membership renewal!

(continued on page 5)

Obama visit

Its that time of year again and wevalue your continued support. The yearahead is lled with many social, athletic,cultural and philanthropic events thatsimply wouldnt be the same withoutyou.

Please consider the Helping HandsMembership which devotes 50% of your

annual membership fee of R$ 700.00to the orphanages that the AmericanSociety supports. We were excited tosee that last year many of you becameHelping Hands members! If you feel

Helping Hands membership is not foryou this year, then Patron, Supporter andJunior memberships offer great valueand the benets of American Societymembership.

All levels of membership allow you toreceive the monthly Forum Newsletter and

participate in AMSOC activities (Dinners,

Easter Party, 4th of July Celebration, etc.)Renewals are due by June 11!

The levels of membership and dues are:

Independence Day CelebrationThis year well be celebrating United

States Independence Day on SaturdayJuly 2nd. It will be especially unique as theevent will be co-hosted by the AmericanConsulate on their grounds. The event willtake place inthe sporting

area andreservationsare a MUSTfor this M e m b e r sO n l y event dueto securityreasons. So,check yourc a l e n d a r sand set the

date aside.Well havemore specicreservation instructions in next monthsnewsletter.

This is an event that has somethingfor everyone, great games for the kidsand adults, food and drinks for everyone.As in years past each family will bringa salad or fantastic dessert to accompany

the traditional hamburgers and hot dogs,and well continue this tradition at theConsulate.

Well have prizes for the kids gamesand who knows maybe even an adult game

or two. Whocan forget

the famous,old egg toss!Come andnd out whathas been

planned foryou and yourfamily!

Remember,this is aM e m b e r sOnly event,

so inviteyour friendsto JOIN

AMSOC and come to one of our mostloved and most traditional annual events.

See you all at our Independence DayCelebration. And do not forget to lookfor more details in the next edition of theForum.


2/16

The Presidents Corner

ByJoe Sherman, AmSoc president

Forum May2

Lynn Cordeiro, editor and layoutErnest White II, staff writer

Forum is printed by EGB.(http://www.egb.com.br)

Views expressed inForum donot necessarily reect those ofthe American Society board ofgovernors, members, or staff.

Forum reserves the right to editcontent for brevity and/or clarity.

The American Society of So PauloRua da Paz, 1431 04713-001 So Paulo, SP

Tel: (11) 5182-2074 Fax: (11) [email protected]

Forum is published monthly, withthe exception of January and July, by

Ab

outForum

It was abeautiful day onSaturday April 9for VolunteersDay at theUS Consulatefacility. We hada total of 80

children fromthe Projeto Sol and Helen Drexelorphanages who were taking part

in this unique day. It was a verysuccessful event as there were atotal of 55 volunteers between theAmerican Society and Consulate! Thechildren enjoyed swimming, soccer,football, basketball, tennis, and anAmerican style cookout with hot dogsand hamburgers. A special thanks toTom Kelly and his Consulate teamand Eileen Tasso and the CommunityAction Committee.

Our 4th of July celebration will also

be at Consulate facility which is veryspacious and I am sure you will allenjoy the planned activities. We havemany events planned this year and theBoard is open to suggestions on newideas. If you have an idea of whatyou would like to see AmSoc offerits membership please let me know,

[email protected] month we have two Board

members that are retiring from theBoard, Aline Ricardo and MarkAbrams. Aline has been involved

in our Social Committee and hasorganized many events, includingdoing the ower decorations. Markhas been on the Board many years asVice President, Secretary, and leaderof the Community Action Committee.A special thanks to you both.

Today our membership totals 388,which seems very low to me based onour traditional events we offer and thesize of So Paulo. In the good old days

our membership was about 700.I was working at Cargill at the timeand there was probably 10 ex-patriotfamilys, and today there is zero. Thetimes have changed, the ex-patriotcommunity is much smaller, but theremust be potential members out there.I ask that you spread the word on theAmerican Society, tell them what wedo: Little League events, 4th of July,Thanksgiving, Eggnog, happy hours,charity sponsorships, adult sports,

etc. One of our objectives for the nextyear is to dramatically increase ourmembership.

This month we have our AnnualGeneral Meeting on the 5th at theConsul Generals home. We willreview the accomplishments of the

past year and elect our ofcers andBoard members.

I hope to see many of you there.

Abraos, Joe

Charity RaeMany remember our fun event in

October last year when Tiffany & Co.hosted the American Society for Petalsfor a Cause. All the money collected(R$16,000) went directly to theCommunity Action Committee (CAC).Two pieces were not picked and thusdonated to the American Society. Thevalue of these two prizes (a watch anda silver necklace) is R$9000.

This is your chance to win one ofthese prizes by buying some rafetickets at R$30. All proceeds go to

our charitable projects. More prizesinclude a weekend at the Sotel BeachResort in Guauja, amongst others

The draw will take place at the AnnualGeneral Meeting on May 5th. Ticketscan be bought at the AmSoc ofce aswell as through many members of theBoard and the CAC committee..

Make a difference by supporting thechildrens organizations of CAC.


3/16

The American Societyof So Paulo

Forum 3011

Welcome to our new membersPlease welcome the following New Members who joined us in March 2011. We are very grateful for their support, and thatof all our members! See you at our next cocktail Party if not sooner!!! WELCOME TO THE AMERICAN SOCIETY OFSO PAULO! Your Membership Committee

Name:Frank & Carol Pierce

Origin, time here:We are both Americans and grew up in the Metro Detroit area. I arrived in So Paulo in September and Carol inNovember. We both have visited Brazil many times over the past 25 years so were amiliar with many customs andthe So Paulo area (as visitors).

Why So Paulo:Having grown up proessionally in the automotive industry, Brazil has been a travel destination since the mid-80s. I

worked with companies based in Brazil or many years and had the opportunity to study the language at the University o Detroit. Ater spending the past threeyears living and working in Shanghai, China, the opportunity to ulll our dream o some time living in Brazil came to ruition last September.

Best things so ar:The big city lie has met all expectations. I mean, where else can you eat at places like Figueira, Jardineira and Terraco Italia and walk the paths in Ibirapuera Park

all in one weekend? We love the streets in Jardins, the shops in Moema and the green grass in the park. We also love nding new restaurants in Embu or thosequiet Saturday aternoon lunches.

Early rustrations:Buying anything! While in Shanghai we said we would never again shop at Carreour, and here we are in So Paulo shopping at Carreour. Finding simple essentialslike large Kleenex boxes and toasters or under $150 seems impossible. While Shanghai is probably the most expat-riendly destination in the world, adjusting tothe lack o American-style services has been a dicult adjustment. In Shanghai, housing is designed specically to western tastes (large) and is plentiul, and it squite obvious who speaks and who doesnt speak the language. In So Paulo, nobody wants to rent their apartments and ew locals like to practice their English.

Have saudade or anything back home:Our cars. Our avorite restaurants. Our children and granddaughter. Our parents and amily. Saturdays at Costco. Sundays at Barnes & Noble. Proximity to LasVegas and Cabo San Lucas. On the other hand, were only an hour rom the nearest beach and 90 minutes rom many riends in the interior o SP.

Progress with Portuguese: Already knowing the language has been a blessing or me (Frank); however, having been in and out o Brazil during the past ourmonths has made it dicult or Carol to get started with lessons - but its certainly on the long list o to-dos.

Favorite place to hang out: Embu on Saturday. Camburi beach when its sunny. Our balcony at the apartment in Jardins ater work.

New member profle

NAME MEMBERSHIP TYPE CITIZENSHIIP COMPANY

Manuela A. CATTANEO & Alejo F. SASSO Family Patron Argentinian JP Morgan

Lisa PANAS Single Patron American InoCast

Paul Smith Single Brazilian Smith Limo Service

Frank & Carol PIERCE Family American Lear Corporation

Dominique & Luiz FARIA Family Patron American


4/16Forum May4

By Ernest White II, sta writer

Obama in Brazil Economically Sound

Expectations ran high as UnitedStates president Barack Obama cameto Brazil with his family on March19th for a quick, two-day tour of theinner sanctums of Braslia and theinner reaches of Rio de Janeiro. Givinga short, feel-good speech to an ampedcrowd inside the Marvelous Citysglittering Teatro Municipal, Mr. Obamaturned on some of that radiance hes

known for when on the stump.And ase x p e c t e d ,Mr. Obamasa d v e n t u r e sin Brazilovershadowedhis stays in theother stops on hisLatin AmericanTour, Chile andEl Salvador,

as he met withhis Brazilianc o u n t e r p a r t ,Dilma Rousseff,to discussenergy, trade,and transport.

N e w s p a p e r sand punditsquestioned ifMr. Obamawould be able to wow Brazils serious-minded president enough to bring

South Americas largest everythingback into the fold, both economicallyand politically?

Brazil, the rst country on theBRIC listthat talked-about group ofemerging economies which are showingtremendous growth and potential onthe global stage, comprised of Brazil,Russia, India, and Chinahad a strong7.5% growth rate last year, with thereal consistently rising against thedollar for the past two years. It was

therefore only natural that all eyes wereon Mr. Obama as he crossed the atexpanse of the Praa dos Trs Poderesto the Palcio do Itamaraty, Brazilsdiplomatic headquarters, and a meeting

with Ms. Rousseff.The meeting between the two

presidentsboth of whom laudedfor breaking race and gender barriersin their countriesgenerated a lotof buzz. Not only because of theBrazilian economic boom, but also

because this was an opportunity forthe American head of state to warmrelations with Braslia, after Ms.

Rousseffs predecessor, Luiz Incio

Lula da Silva, irritated Washingtonby cozying up to anti-American leaders

in Venezuela and Iran.Economic considerations aside,

Brazil, as a temporary member ofthe United Nations Security Council,abstained from supporting a U.S.-

backed incursion into Libya at the beginning of March. Subsequently,Mr. Obama withheld outright supportfor Brazils bid for a permanent seaton the council, instead reafrming hisadmiration for the rise of Brazil as aglobal power.

The two leaders also chaffedregarding the lifting of Americantariffs on Brazilian ethanol, thesugarcane-based fuel considered aviable alternative to petroleum-based

gasoline, and the difculty of Americanrms to do business in the worldsseventh-largest economy.

But the overall picture seemed rosy, asMs. Rousseff and Mr. Obama appearedto get on well. A good thing, considering

both parties interest in maintaininggood economic relations. Last yearalone the United States exported $35.4

billion in goods to Brazil according

to Bloomberg, with civilian aircraft,organic chemicals,and computerequipment leadingamong the topexport categories.

In additionto exportingcommercial and

private jets, theU.S. hopes to landa multi-billion

dollar contract tohelp modernizethe Brazilian airforce with F-18ghters, sellingthe would-be dealas a technologytransfer package inorder to entice Ms.Rousseff, who hasstill not made a nal

decision as to the supplier. Increasedlanding frequencies for airlines ying

between the two countries and anagreement to develop aviation biofuelsrounded out the business in that sector,with Brazilian airline Azul signingon to test the fuel in locally-producedEmbraer jets.

The skies arent the only element Mr.Obama and Ms. Rousseff discussed;Brazil holds the rights to an estimated30-80 billion barrels of oil just off itsSouth Atlantic coast. In 2009, Chinasurpassed the United States as Brazils

top trading partner, a position the U.S.has held since the 1930s, and 200,000barrels of oil a day are scheduled forrenery by the Chinese in exchangefor a 10-year loan to Petrobras. With


5/16


011 Forum 5

Chinas past incidences of currencymanipulation and establishmentof trade imbalances a key concernfor both countries, Mr. Obama andMs. Rousseff remain contemplativeregarding their relationship with theinvestment powerhouse.

Meanwhile, the U.S. aims to doubleits exports to Brazil by 2015, signaled

by the creation of a joint commissionto expand trade and to lift non-tariffcontrols between the countries,essentially laying the groundwork fora future free-trade agreement.

Historically a closed market,Brazil still has some rules deemed asunfriendly to American trade interests,

including occasional double taxationfor companies doing business in thecountry and a limit on the amount ofland foreigners can buy.

According to the ofcial wordingof the agreement, the countriescentral objectives are to create aneconomic environment thats openand predictable for internationaltrade and investment, to provide

effective protection and enforcementof intellectual property rights, andto take into account the desirabilityof reducing non-tariff trade barriersand distortive subsidies to facilitateincreased trade .

Two of the main subsidies Brazilhopes to be rid of is the 54-cent taxon Brazilian ethanol, which competesdirectly with a corn-based Americanethanol product as an alternativefuel source for motor vehicles, andsubsidies on cotton, which the WorldTrade Organization has ruled illegal.Mr. Obama made no promises in eitherregard.

With joblessness in the U.S. hovering

at around 9%, Mr. Obama sees anincrease in exports to Brazil as keyto an overall economic recovery, andspecically, as a path to job growth:For us, this a jobs strategy, he said,referring to the potentially 200 millionnew customers for American goods,during a speech at the CEO BusinessSummit in Braslia, an event attended

by 300 top Brazilian and U.S. company

executives.Even so, the U.S. had a trade decit

of $46.3 billion in December 2010,exporting $167.8 billion in total goodsand services to Brazil, but importing$214.1 billion, according to guresfrom the U.S. International TradeAdministration.

In the end, many critics say noreal heavy-hitting agreements weresigned and all the major differencesglossed over by photogenic smilesand handshakes and agreements-to-disagree.

Still, with Brazil looking forrecognition as a global forceincluding the right to a Security Council

seatand for balance between its twolargest trading partners, China and theUnited States, Mr. Obama succeededin establishing the trust essential tonegotiations, as an unnamed seniorofcial told Reuters: The most critical

part is that Dilma can now pick upthe phone any time and call Obama

because they have established a goodpersonal relationship.

HELPING HANDSSingle or Family Membership (any donation

above R$ 700.00)Have your name with a special

recognition in the Annual Guide,Directory and Forum Newsletter

Receive recognition from the

charities directly affected by yoursupport

Attend a VIP reception with theAmerican Ambassador or CounselGeneral of So Paulo

Receive preferential reservationsand seating at special events

Receive the Patron Lapel PinReceive the annual Information

Guide and Directory, and a memberslist on CD ROM for fast access

PATRONSingle or Family Membership (R$250,00/350,00)

Attend a VIP reception with theAmerican Ambassador or Counsel

General of So PauloReceive preferential reservations

and seating at special eventsReceive the annual Information

Guide and Directory, and a memberslist on CD ROM for fast access

SUPPORTERSingle or Family Membership (R$

200,00/250,00)Receive the annual Information

Guide and Directory

JUNIORSingle and under 30yrs old (R$ 100)Receive the annual Information

Guide and Directory

Contact the AMSOC ofce to renewyour membership; you may also visit

the AMSOC website to renew on-line.Thank you in advance for joining andsharing your commitment with us.Your generous contributions makeeverything we do at AMSOC possible.

Membership renewal(continued rom ront page)


6/16Forum May6

Understanding the Brazilian EconomyByJames Wygand

Executives visiting Brazil for therst time are justiably impressed bythe xed assets they see on the ground.They become even more impressedwhen they witness Brazils tremendoushuman and natural resource base,its energy grid which relies on cleanhydroelectric power generation, and itsagricultural prowess, all managed by arelatively young work force.

What they quite often do not see is

that Brazil is a relativenewcomer to the roleof an open, competitiveeconomy.

From colonial times(starting in 1500) to 1992Brazil was a relativelyc l o s e d e c o n o m ygoverned under amercantilist modelthat protected localcompanies from foreign

competition. This isone of the reasons forthe still relatively poorcompetitiveness of theBrazilian economy;the small share ofglobal GDP (2.9%);the skewed incomedistribution (2nd or 3rdworst in the world); andgeneral underperformance opposite animpressive resource base (71st in percapita income).

For most of its history, Brazil was plagued by chronic ination andboom and bust commodity cycles (e.g.coffee, rubber, iron ore, sugar). It wasnot until 1994 that ination was dealta mortal blow with the introductionof the Real Plan that created a newcurrency, privatized a number of state-owned companies, and improved thereal income of the lower tiers of theincome pyramid.

The economy is burdened by

a carryover from the years of protectionism and the inefcienciesinherent in the mercantilist model. This

burden is referred to as the BrazilCost which is composed of a heavy

tax burden (37% of GDP), shortfallsof economic infrastructure in theform of highways, communications,

ports, etc., relatively low savings andinvestment ratios, insufcient educationinfrastructure and a ponderous

bureaucracy. Among other reasons thisresults in reducing the competitivenessof the Brazilian economy in the global

business environment.Learning to deal with the disconnect

between potential and real is the keyto understanding and successfullyworking in the Brazilian economy.

The foreign business executive hasto deal daily with an enormous range ofcontradictions and conicts that arisefrom Brazils history.

The old countryIn many ways Brazil is a very old

country in the Americas. A full 95% ofits territory (with the exception of Acre)was mapped before 1750 twentysix years before the US declared itsindependence from England and was

still a collection of 13 colonies alongthe eastern seaboard of the US landmass.

Portugal ruled its colony with aniron st. Libraries were prohibited. The

countrys rst university was foundedonly in the rst decade of the 19thcentury in spite of the country having

been colonized since the 1530s.The term brasileiro only conveyed

the notion of citizenship in the 19thcentury. Before that it was applied onlyto any citizen of Portugal who hadearned his fortune in the colony.

The new country

In other ways, Brazilis a very new country.Its mercantilist modelwas ended abruptlyand to some degreetraumatically onlyin 1992. Its chronicination only cameto an end in 1994. Itscivilian democracydates only from 1985(with some intermittent

periods of democracyprior to 1964).Its management

cadre is young. Theaverage age of the

population is 29 years.A full 34% is underthe age of 15.

AccomplishmentsBrazils history is rife with

accomplishments that have beenrelegated to the back pages of the

local history books and which has been crowded out by the countrysreputation as the country of thefuture.

Brazil was the second country in theworld to have a telephone system (afterthe USA). It was the only colony to

become the seat of government of itsown mother country. It had one of therst postal systems in the Americas. Itwas the only country in the mid-70sto develop a viable alternative fuel

program based on alcohol derived fromsugar cane.

Today Brazil is a newcomer to aglobalized economy and its role as a


7/16


010 Forum 7011

player is still being dened. It is stilldeveloping its own management andgovernance models.

As a consequence, investors whohave recognized the relevance ofBrazils past to its present have beenmore successful than those who ignoreor are unfamiliar with or disparaging ofBrazils past.

Just as a foreign investor in theUSA would lose out by ignoringthe importance of US political andeconomic development historyand its application to the present,ignorant investors continuously facechallenges, some of which turn out to

be insurmountable and they leave.

In my 40-plus years of working inand with multinational companiesin Brazil I have found that morethan any other factor, the inability to

contextualize or reconcile Brazils past with its present has been thecause of numerous business failuresand frustrations. Companies that havelogged impressive success (and thereare many) have found ways to reconcilethe contradictions and roll with the

punches.The global nancial crisis

disproportionately affected the matureeconomies and raised the prole ofthe emerging countries such as theBRIC countries (Brazil, Russia, India,and China). This led many to lookat the present and the future withlittle consideration of the differences

between the emerging and the mature

economies in terms of their respectivelearning curves. The emerging countrydynamic is not a simple carbon copy ofthat of the mature economies. As for

BRIC, we do well to remember that theonly truly westernized economy of thefour is Brazil.

In summary, we can conclude thatBrazil is not an easy country in whichto do business, but it is a good one.

Jim Wygand has an MA from theUniversity of Wisconsin. He rst cameto Brazil in 1965 with the US PeaceCorps, lived in the favela of Jacarezinhoin Rio, worked with USAID, in thebanking, industry, and services sectorsin the US and in Brazil. He has madenumerous presentations and written

several monographs and articleson Brazil. He currently publishes a

regular newsletter on business risks inBrazil, Latin America, and the globaleconomy.


8/16Forum May8

The other halBy Maureen Kennedy, AmSoc board member

What made you move to Brazil?Sound familiar? If youre like me, its aquestion you probably get all the time.From curious Brazilians here in thecity. From other estrangeiros living inSo Paulo. Even from folks you meetwhen you go back home to visit.For many of us, the answer to thatquestion is simple: Work. The Brazilianeconomy is taking off and weve been

lucky enough to catch the wave with agreat job opportunity or a promotion.Something that we just couldnt passup.

For others, myself included, theanswer is not so straightforward. Yes,its work that brought us here. Butnot our work exactly. We came to SoPaulo for the careers of our spouses orsignicant others. We are the other half.A half that in many cases left a career or put one on hold to be here.

I came to So Paulo, in large part,for my husbands work. Our decision tomove was not an easy one. I knew thatin the end it was the best choice for ourfamily. And yet it meant leaving a jobthat I had worked hard for and leaving

New York in the prime of my career. Asa writer in an advertising agency, it wasunclear to me what I might be able tond in So Paulo.

If I wanted to work again, I gured,Id have to start from scratch. Makeconnections, research companies, see

if there even was work in So Paulo fora writer not uent in Portuguese. Whileon the one hand it seemed exciting toembark on this great new adventure (Ieven secretly welcomed the thought ofnot working for a while), I couldnt help

but wonder what the move would meanin the long term for me. Would I losemy independence if I didnt work for afew years? Would my career suffer?

When I rst arrived in So Paulo, Iactually relished the time at home. Gone

were the constant deadlines, the stressfrom work, the never-ending demandsfrom clients. In their place were longlunches with new friends, walks inIbirapuera Park and leisurely trips to

the market. I felt liberated. Free.But then, after a couple of months,

the novelty wore thin. I found there wereonly so many walks in the park I couldtake, only so many lunches I could go to

before the ennui set in. I began missingmy old job the excitement of winninga new account, the gratication of doingsomething creative, the stimulation

of being around other adults all day. Ienvied my husband sometimes evenresented him as he left the house forwork in the morning. And soon the olddoubts started to resurface: Would I beable to pick up my career where I leftoff? Did I even want to? What wouldthe future bring?

The questions were not easy onesto answer. And the more I thoughtabout them, the more anxious I got. Iwondered if leaving New York was a

mistake if I had given up too much ofmy professional life by coming to SoPaulo. Round and round I went, makingmyself more and more unhappy.

Then something funny happened.

I began to realize that the questions Iwas asking were all based in fear. Fearthat things wouldnt work out. Fear ofthe future, fear of the unknown. If Iwas really honest with myself, I wasnttied so much to the job I had as I was tothe security that it brought me. For therst time in my adult life, I had to relyon someone else. And that led to a fearof being vulnerable.

With that understanding, I beganto change the way I looked at things.Instead of thinking about what I left

behind, I started to focus on what Iwas gaining. Not only did I get to livein Brazil, learn a new language andexperience a new culture, I also had theopportunity to pursue dreams I neverhad the time for in New York. I foundnew venues for writing and startedteaching yoga more a side career thatI had been too busy to cultivate while

living in the States.Being the other half here in SoPaulo hasnt always been easy. Butit has taught me valuable lessons.

Namely, that when we open our armsto embrace change and believe in ourfuture, anything is possible. I still dontknow what the future holds (I wouldnthave known it either if I had stayedin New York), but when I look at myhusband and young son, I know thatwhatever decisions Ive made were theright ones.


9/16


011 Forum 9

The Business

How the exchange rate andinfation are changing Brazil

2004 was a greatyear. Arriving inSo Paulo, my USdollars, while limited,went a long way. Theexchange rate hovered

around 3 Reais to the dollar. I wasdining at excellent Japanese restaurantsin the best neighborhoods for US$10.

Agua de coco cost the equivalent of ameasly 50 cents at Parque Ibirapuera.My apartment rent was way lower thana similar building in a large US city.

Oh, how things have changed.Today one pays US$70 for Japanesefood. Rent is spiraling out of control.Even buying a Big Mac and fries atMcDonalds requires double the amountcompared to the US. New apartment

buildings are being developed and priced at Manhattan levels, and still

sell out before the nal phases ofconstruction are completed.The government reports ination

was just 6% during 2010. Just whatwere they measuring? The price of

pencils? So Paulo residents certainlynoticed much bigger price jumps inalmost everything they consumed.From a simple aa to parking at theirfavorite restaurant, prices have soared,even when measured in Reais.

The exchange rate has signicantlyaltered the economic landscape in

Brazil in several areas, includingtourism. American Airlines ights toMiami are packed with Brazilians readyto spend not only at Disneyworld, butalso at their favorite shopping malls.Argentinean ski destinations, such asBariloche, are preparing for an ever-increasing Brazilian invasion in thecoming winter months.

In the world of sports, Braziliansoccer clubs have seen their purchasing

power increase, partially stemming

the tide of sending their best playersoverseas. They have attracted topsoccer players such as Ronaldinho,Luis Fabiano, Elano, and Fred to returnto their homeland. Even young players,

such as then 18 year-old sensationNeymar ended up staying with Santosinstead of moving to a top Europeanclub.

Real-estate price increases could be the most outrageous, especially tothose who did not purchase a homewhen the dollar was worth somethingin 2003-2004 (please restrain me fromkicking myself!). A simple $100,000investment made in a fast-growingneighborhood like Brooklin or Vila

Olimpia seven years ago would beworth close to $700,000 in dollar termstoday. A recent survey by Jones LangLaSalle shows that new high-end ofcespace now costs more in Rio de Janeiroand So Paulo than in the city of NewYork. Demand is simply outstrippingsupply and prices are rising almostmonthly. Residential real-estate isalso booming, perhaps due to a 650%increase in available nancing (FTGS)since 2005.

Salaries, at least for those at the top,are keeping up with price increases andbenet from the exchange rate swing.Brazilian executive pay is the highestin the world, according to a recentarticle in the Economist. A directorlevel position in So Paulo pays over$200,000, while a CEO positionaverages over $600,000. Will the daycome soon when Brazilian companiesare importing cheap Americanlabor?

The United States has also beneted

from the boom in Brazils economy.Today, US companies export almosttriple as much as they did in 2002.American companies such as P&G,GM, and Google are not only exportingto Brazil, but are also investing heavilyin the country. And why not? Brazilis currently the worlds 7th largesteconomy and could overtake Britainand France in the next year or two. Thecountry plays host to the 2014 WorldCup and 2016 Summer Olympics.

Excitement and anticipation are in theair.While most of the news seems good,

I have to wonder just how far it can go.So Paulo residents already pay more

than double the amount, compared toother industrialized nations, for goodslike cars, electronics, brand-nameclothes, and airline tickets. Will salaries

be able to keep up? Will consumers beable to keep making payments on theirhomes and expanding credit card bills?Will we soon be spending $10 for a BigMac? Or is the Brazilian currency duefor a correction? It should be interestingto see!

*all values are in US dollars unless otherwise stated

The Business is a new monthly columnwritten by Shay Coker, a sports-loving economist making a living as acommercial real-estate consultant at

Jones Lang LaSalle in So Paulo. Hestudied business at Thunderbird Schoolof Global Management and has residedin Brazil for nine years.The Forum does not take responsibility

for opinions or advice expressed in this

column.

By Shay Coker,

AmSoc board member


10/16Forum May10

Opportunities at the bottom o the pyramidByJennier Iverson, AmSoc board member

What is the BOP?We live in a country of approximately

188 million people, 95 million of whichare the new middle class and 73 millionliving in the lowest income brackets (Dand E). These lower income bracketsare often referred to as the Base of thePyramid, or BOP.

On a global basis, the BOP isgenerally considered to be the 4 billion

people who live on approximately

US$2 per day. The termBOP entered into the publicsphere mostly thanks to thelate University of Michigan

professor C.K.Prahalads 2004 publication The Fortune atthe Bottom of the Pyramidand Cornell University

professor Stuart Harts 2007publication Capitalism at theCrossroads.

The BOP theoryThe BOP theory is thatcorporations can prosper whileat the same time contributingto poverty alleviation. Broadlyspeaking, Professor Prahaladtakes a consumer approachwhereby companies can

prot by selling to the poor,while Professor Hart goes a

bit further and seeks ways toinclude the BOP populationin the economy as more than just

consumers, but rather, as participantsin corporations value chains assuppliers, retailers, distributors andemployees. Both professors, like mostworking in this eld, are concernedwith how BOP business strategies, alsoknown as inclusive business strategies,can contribute to societys long termsustainability and how they can play arole in poverty alleviation.

This area is still rather new andit goes beyond standard corporate

social responsibility programs, socialmarketing and corporate-sponsoredcommunity projects. Today BOPstrategies are usually built into theoverall long-term corporate strategy.

BOP playersOver the past 5-7 years, many

corporations around the world havestarted to experiment with innovativeways to include the BOP in their long-term business strategies. Companieslike GlaxoSmithKline, Unilever,Philips, SC Johnson, Microsoft,

Novartis, Procter & Gamble and CocaCola are pioneers in the BOP sphere invarious countries around the world.

PricewaterhouseCoopers in London,

for example, has created a departmentto offer consulting on BOP strategiesfor their corporate clients. Marketresearch companies, such as StanfordUniversitys Mobile Metrix, haveentered the fray, as companies needreliable and highly specialized data inorder to create and implement theirBOP strategies. These strategies arevery much for-prot activities.

And where there is money to be made,the bankers and venture capitalists

cant be too far away. Mexico basedIgnia and Brazils own Vox Capital areexcellent examples of how to combineventure capital and the BOP to generate

both nancial and social returns. JP

Morgan on the other hand has created,within its investment bank divisionin New York, a Social Finance groupwhich supports companies operating inthe BOP space.

BOP in practiceMany different inclusive business

models exist and there is plenty ofroom for creativity and exibility in theinvention of new models. There is also

plenty of room for criticismand improvement.In addition, it is often

difcult to measurequantitatively how the modelcontributes to the companysnancial and social bottomlines. We have a long wayto go, but the start is veryencouraging.

Walmart Brazil, in orderto reach out to the BOP

consumer, created a new storemodel called Walmart TodoDia, located only in low-income communities.

The store offers a rangeof products with accessible

prices and also offers a rangeof services, either free or at low

prices, within the store such asa lan house, a classroom fortechnical courses, nancialservices, issuing ofcial

documents, an employment agency and

various health services such as accessto a pediatrician, gynecologist, andgeneral medical clinic. The store also

prioritizes hiring from the communitywhere it is located.

Within the rst year, foot trafcin the pilot store increased by 10%and community members had accessto services that the government and

private sector previously had difcultyin delivering to them.

Brazils own Natura is another

excellent example, as its model involvessourcing raw materials for its cosmeticand personal care products from local

producers offering them a 15%-30%margin and ensuring the extraction


11/16


011 Forum 11

of these materials without negativelyimpacting the environment. In 2003,in the state of Par, Natura startedworking with three communities oflocal producersof priprioca, agrass whose rootsyield a uniquefragrance, for usein their Ekos lineof products. Dueto the enormoussuccess of the

product line, Natura built asmall factoryin the region in

2006, increasingproduction whileat the same time increasing employmentand income generation for the local

population.There are many compelling inclusive

business models outside of Brazil, forexample one operated by Nestl inPeru. The company wanted to increaseits market share among the BOP

population in the country, yet marketingand distribution to this public was achallenge. Therefore the companycreated a model in 2008 whereby ladies

from the low-income communities actas Nestle distributors and nutritionaladvisors in their own communities.The ladies receive courses on nutritionas well as sales techniques and areseen as a reference in the communityfor nutritional information as well asa point of sale, of course, for Nestle

products.The ladies generate income for their

families, are more knowledgeableabout nutrition and health, and Nestle

increases itsnancial andsocial bottomlines.

Sources o moreBOP inormation

To learn moreabout the BOP inBrazil, check outthe blog www.

brasildeverdade.com and the

Brazil versionof Next Billionwww.brasil.nextbillion.net.

Another opportunity to learn moreand exchange views is to participatein the Inter-American DevelopmentBanks 1st Congress on the BOP inLatin America, to be held in So Pauloon the 27th 28th of June 2011 (www.majoritymarkets.org) .

Class Income range R$ Number o people (end 2009) % o total population

A Above 6.329

B 4.854 - 6.329 20 million (w/A class) 11% (w/A class)

C 1.126 4.854 95 million 50%

D 705 1.126 44 million 24%

E 0 - 705 29 million 15%

Fellowship Community ChurchThe Welcome Place since 1921

Phone (11) 3253-7609 www.fellowship.com.br

Sundays09:00 am - Walking in Faith Classes (English and Portuguese)

10:30 am Worship Service (English only)

06:00 pm Culto em portugus

Conveniently located on Rua Carlos Sampaio, 107 Bela Vista

Just a block and a half from the Brigadeiro Metro staon on the Avenida Paulista


12/16Forum May12

Memorial Day Services at Fellowship Community

Church on May 29thWho are the AmSoc Vets?

The American Veterans of theAmerican Society of So Paulo wasformed in 1982 under the leadershipof Alonzo Shattuck for those who haveserved with the pledge to give all for theUSA. Recently, the AmSoc Vets haveopened up to include rst responders,such as police and reghtersas well as others.

Al Shattock served duringWWII and we have membersfrom Korea to the currentconicts, with ranks fromcorporal to general. As anexample, BG Rich Waddellhas had several deployments to

both Iraq and Afghanistan whileresiding in Brazil.

The American Veterans of theAmerican Society of So Paulo(AmSoc Vets) were recently honored by

the Fora Expedicionaria Brasileira(FEB) when they presented two of itslong time members, Jose Arana and

Nick Philippov, with ExpeditionaryMedals. FEB was formed to honor theveterans who served with the Allies ofWorld War II in Europe.

The AmSoc Vets are invited toparticipate in the local patriotic events,including the Brazilian IndependenceDay parade on Sept. 7th.

If you are interested or knowsomeone who may be interested,

contact the American Society ofce orone of its members.

Memorial DayMemorial Day was rst called

Decoration Day. It was a day setaside for us to honor those who died

preserving the Union in the Civil War.

It was called Decoration Day for the actof decorating the graves of dead soldierswith owers. On May 5, 1868 GeneralJohn Logan, National Commanderof the Grand Army of the Republic,ofcially proclaimed Decoration Day,in his General Order No. 11. It was rstobserved on May 30, 1868.

It is unknown when Decoration Dayrst became Memorial Day. The Holiday

was rst celebrated by the people ofWaterloo, New York on May 5, 1866and then again on May 5, 1867. It could

be that Decoration Day and MemorialDay were celebrated concurrently indifferent parts of the North for manyyears until World War I. On June 19th,1926 by joint resolution, U.S. Congress

authorized and directed theSecretary of War to accept

a tablet commemorating thedesignation of May 30th asMemorial Day. At that timeMemorial Day was made a

National Holiday and changedfrom honoring those who diedghting just the Civil War tohonoring all Americans whodied ghting in all our wars. InMay 1966, President LyndonJohnson ofcially declared

Waterloo, N.Y. as the birthplace of

Memorial Day.The AmSoc Vets are co-hosting

the second annual Memorial Servicetogether with Fellowship CommunityChurch, to be held on 29th May. TheCG Thomas Kelly will participate, aswell as the Marines Presentation ofthe Colors. Fellowship CommunityChurch is located in Bela Vista,two blocks from the Metro StationBrigadeiro at Rua Carlos Sampaio,107.

American Society Veterans posing with some

of the Marines from the US Consulate


13/16


011 Forum 13

AmSoc Beneft to eature Toquinho,

top MPB StarOn Saturday, August 27th you will

have the opportunity to participate inTHE SOCIAL EVENT of 2011 andSimply Be Happy. Yes, thats thisyears theme for this traditional annualSo Paulo benet, a collaborativeeffort between AmSoc and VidaJovem that began in 2004. The theme,Pra Simplesmente Ser Feliz, wastaken from the last stanza of one of

Toquinhos most known songs, AoQue Vai Chegar (To WhateverComes).

Happy begins with a tasty cocktailand silent auction of over 300 must-have items. The lively socializing,networking and bargain hunting willgive way to the sumptuous dinnerin the stunning Golden Hall, whereMPB (Popular Brazilian Music)star Toquinho & Band will performfollowing dessert. Silvia Poppovik,

renowned TV personality andjournalist, will be the evenings MC.

ToquinhoToquinho, is one of the great MPB

(Popular Brazilian Music) stars of alltime. He formed a partnership withthe famous poet and music composer,Vincius de Moraes, and togetherthey made history with numeroussuccesses: Aquarela, Tarde emItapo and Regra Trs, among manyothers. In addition to composing

with Vincius, he worked with manyother music greats of the period suchas Chico Buarque, Jorge Ben Jor,Paulinho da Viola, Elifas Andreato andBelchior.

Toquinho is known for hisdedication to children, both for themusic he composed and as an advocatefor childrens rights. In 1986, workingwith Elifas Andreato, Toquinhodeveloped his most important workrelated to children, the CD Cano de

Todas as Crianas, that was inspiredon the Universal Declaration of Rightsfor Children - 10 principles approved

by the United Nations Assembly.Toquinho was recognized by the UN

for this contribution.

7 Years o Event Successes Now in its 8th year, this annual

benet that attracts over 700 people,has always celebrated Brazilian culturewith performances by Ivan Lins, MPB4,Carlinhos de Jesus & Ana Botafogo,Elba Ramalho, Ney Matogrosso,

Maestro Joo Carlos Martins & TheBachiana Orchestra and EmanuelleAraujo & Banda Moinho. In 2010,Vida Jovem organized a BrazilianContemporary Auction of 92 donatedworks from leading artists.Associao Vida Jovem

As always, net proceeds from the

event primarily fund the educational programs of Vida Jovem as well ascontribute to other charities supported

by the American Society. For over 24years Vida Jovem has battled poverty

and worked with children-in-needand their families in So Paulo. It isthe Brazilian afliate of St. Louis-

based Boys Hope Girls Hope that alsooperates in Guatemala, Mexico andPeru as well as 15 US cities.

Located in the Ipiranga neighborhood just two blocks from the HistoricalIpiranga Museum and the So PauloAquarium, VJ impacts the lives of over

350 children, youth, their families andothers residents from nearby slumsand favelas. The VJ Educational andCultural Center offers extra-curricularclasses including English, Computersand Math and Portuguese tutoring.Its certied professional coursesoffered daily include Education forthe Workforce in partnership withSENAC; and, Computer Maintenancein conjunction with Cisco Systems.

Vida Jovem nurtures the children

who are placed in its family-likehomes and provides healthy food,medical and psychological supportand the opportunity for a goodeducation. Many of the childrenstudy in private schools and uponhigh school graduation they areencouraged to continue their studiesin college on scholarships provided

by Vida Jovem. The children also participate in numerous eld tripsand enjoy cultural programs such asvisiting museums, cinema, theater

and dance productions.Happy yet? You certainly will be

when you and your friends purchasetickets to what will denitely be anunforgettable evening!

Tickets for this fun-lled, star-studded happening sell out quickly, so

buy them soon by calling the AmSocofce (5182-2074). Ticket prices areR$ 200, 250 and 300, depending on theseat location relative to the stage.

Dont miss out on this chance to help

the So Paulo community and make achilds dream of achieving a decentlife come true. If you do, you and thechildren you support will Simply BeHappy!


14/16

American Psychologist Services for Expats

Sukie Miller Ph.D. early director of Esalen,former Board Member Jung Institute San Fran-cisco, 35 years experience private practice ascoach, psycho-therapist with adults and couples in eclectic approach to personal/profes-sional growth, womans issues, adjustment toSo Paulo, goal setting, dream work, anxiety.Call Dr. Miller at 11- 9823-8730 [email protected].

American-Licensed Psychotherapist

In this busy and ever-changing world, people of-ten feel stressed and overwhelmed with no placeto turn. Psychotherapy/counseling can provide asafe place to receive professional guidance andsupport. Brief or longer-term therapy offereddepending on your needs, goals and expecta-tions. Services: individual, couples, child/ado-lescent. Certied to conduct Adoption Home

Study for American Citizens. Contact: PamelaWax, MSW/LCSW at 5051-5988 or 9656-2106.Located in Moema.

American-Licensed Clinical Psychologist

Heloisa Garman, Psy.D. U.S.-licensed Clinical

Psychologist (covered by U.S. health insur-ance). Bilingual, with extensive private practicein Chicago and former therapist at the FamilyInstitute at Northwestern Uni. Treats individu-als, couples, and families. Specialized in anxi-ety, depression, cultural issues, and adjustmentdisorders. Call Dr. Garman at (11)7179-9723 or3898-2330 or send an e-mail [email protected].

Selling Up

Go with a pro! We have been selling householdgoods for families, individuals, and companiesfor more than 20 years in So Paulo and Brasil-ia for embassies. We have hundreds of pre-selected clients wanting to buy from you, safeand sound! Send an e-mail to [email protected] or [email protected] or call (11)5908-1144 or (11) 7997-8808. Ask for Ms. Za-quie Meredith.

Argos Dog KennelTraveling? What about your dog? Argos Kennel

Hotel could be his second home in the coun-try. Food, water, and shelter with lots of loveand personal care. No lonely kennel for him, but our home and the freedom of a spaciousgarden. Fetch and carry service. English andFrench spoken. Call Jean or Christiane at (11)4661-1430 or (11) 7143-0837 or send an e-mailto [email protected]. Embu Guau, SP.

Math and Science Tutor

Former Graded and Chapel teacher, with 25-years experience, tutors Math, Physics, Chemis-try, and Science for all levels, including but not

limited to the IB, IGCSE, SAT-I & II, AP andBrazilian vestibular. Elementary and middleschool students are also welcome (all subjects).Call Fernando Knijnik at (11) 9134-6700.

Psychotherapist for Ex-Pats

Serving Adults, Children, and Families (alsocouples) struggling with all adjustment issues.Specializing in issues of divorce, separation,and reconciliation. Many years experience withdrug/ alcohol issues. USA licensed as MFT. Jun-gian Analyst experienced in Sandtray, Dream-work (groups also), and Cognitive/ Behavioral

therapy. Please call/ email Matthew: 7734 5793or [email protected] for a free initialconsultation.

American-Licensed Expat Psychologist

Richard Morhaime, Psy.D., offers skilled psy-chotherapy for children and adults. He also pro-vides complete diagnostic evaluations in Eng-lish for children with academic or behavioraldifculties, featuring individualized recommen-dations for school and home. For more infor-mation, contact Dr. Morhaime at 5538-0099 or9669-8057 or visit

www.expatpsychologist.com.

ClASSiiedS

Forum May14

Housing

Elegant furnished house in Tambor

Beautiful recently professionally decorated fur-nished house for rent. 600 m with 2,000 m ofland. Heated swimming pool. Nice barbecuearea and outdoor porch. 4 suites, family room,living, dinning, large kitchen, maids room and 3car garage. The House is complete ready to livein for high level executive. To see photos, visitwww.suzimoniz.com.br Avenida Marlia,105.To visit the house, call (11) 8179-3131.

Taylor Real Estate

Luxury spacious houses, apartments and pent-houses. Sales and rentals. Ten years experiencewith expatriates. Furnished and unfurnished.Trilingual Real Estate agents. References fromconsulates and multinationals. Photos sent byemail. Relocation Service. Consult the site:www.taylorimoveis.com. Email - [email protected]. Phone: 5511 3079 8888 and5511 8774 5100 (Maria Elisa).

Looking for Apartments

Looking for furnished, fully equipped apart-ments in So Paulo. Offer management, pro-motion, purchasing, remodeling and decoration

services for your property. We will rent yourat to foreign tourists & executives visiting thecity looking for alternative accommodations.Highly experienced specialized internationalgroup. Contact: Paola B. de Estrada 9210-2201,[email protected] orwww.apartmentssp.com

Furnished apartment for rent

Vila Nova Conceio. So Paulos Best placeto live. Near Ibirapuera Park. Modern buildingwith sports facilities, heated swimming pool,three bedrooms (one suite), a living room with

terrace, complete kitchen, maids bedroom andbathroom, big service area, two parking spaces.Fully furnished with all appliances. Call Alex orEliane at (11) 3849-7085 or (11) 8635-7788, orsend an e-mail to [email protected].

Personal Trainer

I will come to your home, ofce, or workout fa-cility and create an exercise/tness program tai-lored to your health concerns, tness goals, and

schedule. For adults and children, individualsor groups. Sessions in English, Spanish, or Por-tuguese. For more information please contactDaniela Franco at (11) 9739-6191 or [email protected].

A classied o up to 350 characters costsR$55 or AmSoc members and R$80 ornon-members. To place a classied pleasecall (11) 5182-2074 rom 8:30 a.m. until1 p.m., or send an e-mail to [email protected].

Placea

Classifed

Forum does not check all o the advertisersappearing in this newsletter. We urge youto use these services; however, thoroughlycheck prices and services prior to nalizingany service or purchase agreement.

A

Noteto

OurReaders

Services


15/16


Enjoyed this publication?

Become an American Society Member and get a

free Forum subscription!

For more than 60 years The American Society of So Paulo has worked to establish a strong

network for expats living and working in So Paulo. Join Today!!!

Visit our website at www.amsoc.com.br and fill in our on-line form

or call the AmSoc office at 5182-2074

011 Forum 15

CAlendAr

Learn more about this months AmSoc events (highlighted) at www.amsoc.com.br.Important Dates: 1st Labor Day(mayDay), 8 mothers DayMay 2011

02 Monday Scottish Country Dancing Club 1st Monday o every month at Drakes Pub, in the Brazilian British Centre at 8 pm. Please visit www.standrews.com.br or more details.

04 Wednesday INC Coee at Emporio SantaMaria

For more inormation, visit www.newcomers-sp.com.br

05 Thursday Annual General Meeting(AGM)

U.S. Consul General Tomas Kelly and his wie Elsa will host the American Society Annual GeneralMeeting (AGM) at 8 p.m.

06 &07

Friday &Saturday

The annual Clothing SaleWill take place in the Church Hall on Friday rom 8.00 to 17.00 and Saturday rom 8.00 to 12.00. Theclothes that you no longer want bring them to the Church. Clothes that are no longer in good shape maybe handed in separately to the Church Oce or distribution to those in need. Volunteers are needed.Further inormation at www.amsoc.com.br

11 Wednesday INC Red Rose For more inormation, visit www.newcomers-sp.com.br

13 FridayAll You Need is Love &Orquestra

At Credicard Hall, Av. das Naes Unidas, 17955 - rom 10 p.m. The show eatures special eects, vintageinstruments, costumes and projections reviving with scenic and delity sound with songs rom allphases o The Beatles. To get your ticket click on www.premier.ticketsorun.com.br

14 Saturday Team Tennis TournamentWill be open to any players o all levels. Entry deadline to [email protected] until May 6 at receivedat, submit your name, address, telephone, email, estimated tennis level, avg. # o times you play permonth and shirt size. For more inormation visit www.americansociety.com.br.

14 Saturday Ian Andersons Jethro Tull

Concert

At Credicard Hall, At Credicard Hall, Av. das Naes Unidas, 17955. Time to be conrmed on www.

credicard.com.br

15 Sunday Die Walkure OperaA stellar cast comes together or this second installment o the new Ring: Deborah Voigt stars asBrnnhilde, Bryn Terel is Wotan, Jonas Kaumann and Eva-Maria Westbroek star as the twins, andStephanie Blythe is Fricka. James Levine conducts. To see live in HD direct rom The Metropolitan Operain a cinema, click on http://mobz.com.br and buy your ticket.

19 -21

Thursday -Saturday

Bakels conduct Mozart andSchubert

Kees Bakels conduct Mozart and Schubert with the Symphony Orchestra o the So Paulo State. Start at9 p.m Prices R$24,00 R$135,00. Click www.osesp.art.br to get your ticket.

29 Sunday Memorial Day Service See page 12

29 Sunday Copplia Ballet The entire amily will delight as the magical world o Dr. Coppelius workshop reveals his mechanical

toys and imaginative inventions. To see live in HD direct rom The Metropolitan Opera in a cinema, clickon http://mobz.com.br and buy your ticket.


16/16

On Sunday April 10th, some pastand present AmSoc members gotogether with some Japanese-Brazilianaseball players to play a pick-up game

of good ole fashion sandlot hardball.They included AmSoc Sports DirectorJohn Kennedy, regular AmSoc sportssponsor and member Sadao Isuyama,former returning member Kevin Smithand Rick Dunno, and a new coming

member Paulo Antunes of ESPN.Sadao organized the get-togetherwhich took place on a private baseballdiamond in Osasco, next door to the

San Francsico Golf Clube.The American led-team prevailed

8-5 over 7 innings of good qualitybaseball, since there were only 1 or2 pass balls, few elding errors and1 or 2 walks! For example, battingthird, John Kennedy went 3 for 4with 3 RBIs and 2 runs scored. We

plan to get together more often likethis, so whomever is interested in

playing on a Sunday morning (backfor the family lunch at 1-2pm), get intouch with John Kennedy at [email protected] or 9951-9103.

AmSoc Sports reviewByJohn Kennedy, Director o AMSOC Athletics

Basketball Tournament - 2011

On April 16th at the Graded School inMorumbi, the American Society hostedts 1st Basketball Tournament in years.

Six teams entered with about 8 players peream. The games, which were comprised

of two 12 minutes halves, were of thedemanding 5 on 5 full court version,ncluding league referees calling the

fouls and controlling the substitutions. Itstarted at 10am with a round robin formatwith the 6 teams divided into 2 groups,with the three teams in each group playingeach other. The group winners went ono play the second place nishers of the

other group, while the third place teamswere eliminated.

Most of the games were closelycontested until the very end, with three

contests going into the 3-minute overtime period, including the nal. The 5-manAmerican Society team played very well,

being led by former FORUM EditorBob Moser, for they lost in overtimein the round robin stage to the eventualchampion. With only 5 players showingup, the AmSoc men couldnt substituteregularly to give their legs a rest as didmost of the other teams.

The champions were the Cougars,led by Chris Harshberger and MichaelMiller, two exceptional athletes whohave also led other Cougar teams winseveral softball championships and thisyears Abacaxi Bowl. With their deep

bench of a 10-man team, they ground outthe championship by winning both theirseminal (against PACA) and the nal(White Cats) in Overtime.

ROUND ROBIN

Group A

Cougars 41US Consulate 38Cougars OT 51AmSoc 45AmSoc 31

US Consulate 35

Group B

PACA 48GM 14PACA 31White Cats 39White Cats 37

GM 23

SEMIS

Cougars OT 42PACA 38White Cats 36US Consulate 22

FINAL

Cougars OT 51Whie Cats 48

Sunday Baseball

amsoc forum may 2011 issue

Documents