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Sonoma’s new honorary mayor

Marcelo Defreitas, president of the Board of Directors for La Luz, is Sonoma’s Honorary Alcalde for 2018, the City’s annual honor for community service and leadership.

The tradition began in 1975 when the City Council established the Honorary Alcalde (the Spanish word for Mayor) as a means of recognizing individuals in the community who had made unselfish contributions to the welfare of Sonoma.

Last year’s honorees were Ted and Pat Eliot. (See complete list below).

In addition to his work for La Luz, Defreitas has been instrumental in raising funds for many local non-profits including the Sonoma Valley Museum of Art, Jack London State Park, Lyon Ranch, and Sonoma Valley Fund.

Defreitas grew up on a cattle ranch Brazil. He studies Public Relations in college, and began work doing public relations at the largest publishing company in South America.

In 1984, he moved to San Francisco to finish his degree and to learn English. He finished his studies at the University of San Francisco and got a bachelors in fine art from The Academy of Art.

In 1988, he joined Primo Angeli Inc., the noted packaging design company, as a junior designer. He stayed at Primo Angeli until 1999 having been promoted to art director. There, he worked for several prominent clients including Nestle, Intel, Safeway, Sutter Home, as well as European and Latin American clients. He also taught graphic design at the Academy of Art University.

Defreitas moved to Sonoma in 1999. He joined the La Luz board in 2011.

The City of Sonoma will host a reception in Defreitas’ honor in the near future. Details of the reception will be announced at a later date.

Honorary Alcalde

August Pinelli, 1976

Henri Maysonnaave, 1977

Jerry Casson, 1978

Bob Lynch, 1979

Dan Ruggles, 1980

Paul & Adele Harrison, 1981

Gail Fehrensen, 1982

Chet Sharek, 1983

Evelyn Berger, 1984

Alan & Sandy Piotter, 1985

Nell Lane, 1986

Jim Metzger, 1987

Helen Shainsky, 1988

Jerry Tuller, 1989

Ernest & Loyce Power, 1990

Jo Baker, 1991

Lee Booker, 1992

Jim Vanderbilt, 1993

Nancy Parmelee, 1994

George Watson, 1995

Bob & Carolyn Stone, 1996

C. “Pete” Peterson, 1997

Peggy McAleese, 1998

Helen Fernandez, 1999

Howie Ehret, 2000

Robert Cannard, Sr. 2001

Mitch Mulas, 2002

Ellie Baker, 2003

Sue Holman & Susan Weeks, 2004

June Sheppard, 2005

Al & Kathy Mazza, 2006

Phyllis Carter, 2007

Sy Lenz, 2008

Elizabeth Kemp, 2009

Niels Chew, 2010

Mary Evelyn Arnold, 2011

Whitney Evans, 2012

Les & Judy Vadasz, 2013

Suzanne Brangham, 2014

Marcie Waldron, 2015

Patrick Garcia , 2016

Ted & Pat Eliot, 2017

 

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