A school without walls
Journalist Jorge Calmon, the former editor-in-chief of the newspaper A Tarde

The Odebrecht Group’s 60th anniversary, which has recently been celebrated, is a reason for justified and extensive commemorations in the form of tributes to the man who brought it into being and is still a part of it: the engineer Norberto Odebrecht.

Bahia’s business world has already expressed its acknowledgment through the initiative of the Bahia Business Association, which organized a well-attended reception, while its President Lise Weckerle gave an expressive speech about Norberto and his beneficent work as a business entrepreneur and partner in organizations devoted to social work. The Association’s directors had a plaque engraved to mark this jubilee.

Other equally significant events are celebrating the six decades of activity of this grandson of Germans born in Recife, who has made Bahia his permanent home since childhood.

Few other people in our community merit such recognition for the services they have rendered, as he does. The young technicians whose professional education was rounded out thanks to his personal example and expertise obtained through internships or employment with his companies, which have been like a school without walls, owe him a special debt of gratitude.

Nilo and Alfeu Simões Pedreira, Sílvio Geiger, Piero Marianetti, Renato Martins, Eduardo Valente, Roberto Campos, Renato Baiardi and many others graduated from that school, which applies the concept of education through and for work.

It would be opportune to note this fact, and that the top leadership of the Odebrecht Group has remained in Bahia when other business conglomerates are moving to the Southeast of the country, particularly to São Paulo, despite the attractions provided by [Bahia’s] policy of tax incentives. It is comforting, expressing esteem for this place that goes beyond operational convenience.

I have had the privilege of sitting on boards of trustees of which Norberto is also a member. They include those of the Sister Dulce Social Work Association and the José Silveira Foundation, which maintains the IBIT [Brazilian Institution for Tuberculosis Investigation] and Santo Amaro Hospital. He rarely misses those board meetings; usually he is only absent when he is traveling outside the state. He is keenly aware of the progress of the work being done, and tends to abstain from taking part in debates until everyone has had their say. He jots down their statements in a small notebook and is the last to speak, recapitulating what the others have said and finally giving his own opinion. And because it is objective and sound, it always prevails.

“The fact that the Odebrecht Group’s top leadership has remained in Bahia when other business conglomerates are moving to the Southeast expresses an esteem for this place that goes beyond operational convenience”

My relationship with Norberto is situated more in the sphere of community service than on a personal level. However, I got to know more about him through Josaphat Marinho, his friend and legal advisor.

Brazilian engineering owes a debt to Norberto for entering highly competitive markets outside Brazil, and the concept of being qualified to build major projects such as dams, viaducts and hydroelectric plants. As a result of these projects, many of our technicians – notably young people – have gone on to work in other countries, particularly in Latin America and Africa.

There is a great deal to say about Norberto, but one thing must be mentioned: his support for cultural expressions, carried out through Odebrecht S.A., which sponsors the publication of art books and maintains a museum dedicated to exhibiting objects alluding to the Group’s activities since its beginnings.

When acknowledging the Business Association’s tribute, Norberto allowed that the Group will continue to be active in the next sixty years, driven to make fresh achievements and working with redoubled spirit to meet its high aims.

The applause elicited by this expression of hope sounded like a promise of encouragement and support from the community represented here by people from different walks of life. In a significant case of adaptation to the environment in which one finds oneself, the Odebrecht Group displayed its permanent certificate of Bahian citizenship.

Journalist Jorge Calmon is the former editor-in-chief of the newspaper
A Tarde, where this article was originally published.