Novonor honors the centenary of Emilton Rosa, member number 01 of the Group

Family members, friends, and representatives of important institutions gathered on June 9 in Salvador to celebrate the 100th birthday of Emilton Moreira Rosa, a historic figure for the Novonor Group. The ceremony was attended by Norberto Odebrecht Junior, Ivan Duarte, Marcelo Gentil, and Liana Fontenelle, who represented the Odebrecht Family and the Group, reinforcing the importance of the honoree in the company’s history.

A sociologist graduated from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBA), Emilton participated in and contributed to the founding of Norberto Odebrecht’s individual firm in 1944, which would later become the Novonor Group. He is recognized as employee number 001, the first person hired by the company. In addition to being a pioneer in structuring the business group, he also organized the Norberto Odebrecht Foundation and was appointed by Norberto Odebrecht himself as its first president, a position he held until 1981.

Old Friends – At a time when foundations were still rare in Brazil and few knew how to structure them, Emilton recalls the challenge with gratitude. “I traveled across Brazil visiting foundations to understand how they worked. The president of the Foundation should have been Dr. Norberto, but he, who was an old friend, decided to honor me with that role,” he said.

The relationship between Emilton and Norberto Odebrecht went far beyond professional coexistence, becoming a partnership of mutual trust that marked the Group’s journey. In a testimonial shown at the event, Emílio Odebrecht highlighted the depth of this bond: “Emilton was always a companion to my father, and consequently to the business group and the entire family. He was an assistant and representative of Norberto in many matters, especially outside the organization. To this day, he is an example of the strength of Our Culture, moral values, public spirit, and service,” he said. In addition to Emilton Rosa’s journey at Odebrecht, the video presented a timeline of his involvement with Irmã Dulce’s Social Works, Lions Club, Instituto Aliança, the Scouting Movement, and more.

One of the most symbolic moments of the celebration was the presentation of the “Raiz” (Root), the highest symbol of the Novonor Group, by Norberto Odebrecht Junior, as a tribute to Emilton Rosa’s legacy. Another highlight was Marcelo Gentil’s speech, emphasizing Emilton’s importance and his strong ties with Norberto Odebrecht.

Click here to watch the exclusive video offered by the Novonor Group and shown on the day of the celebration!