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
Thanks Sun Newspaper