[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 114 (Wednesday, July 10, 2024)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E710]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           HONORING THE LEADERSHIP AND LEGACY OF LUIS PEDROSO

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. LORI TRAHAN

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Wednesday, July 10, 2024

  Mrs. TRAHAN. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to honor the tremendous 
contributions and legacy of Luis Pedroso, a successful businessman, 
community leader and philanthropist who has dedicated his life to the 
prosperity of the Greater Lowell region. He recently retired and will 
be celebrating his 65th birthday this year.
  Luis was born in Sao Jorge, Azores, Portugal in 1959. His family 
briefly lived in Angola, Africa before returning to the Azores and 
immigrating to California in 1969. After the passing of his father, his 
family returned to Portugal before emigrating back to the U.S. and 
settling in Lowell. After graduating from Lowell High School in 1980, 
Luis would embark on a professional career where he would go on to 
found Qualitronics, Inc., co-found Accutronics, Inc., high-end 
electronics manufacturing companies, that have employed many people in 
our region. Before retiring, Luis sold both of his companies--a 
testament to his tremendous career in business.
  In addition to his impressive professional career, Luis never forgot 
where he came from. He is extremely involved in the Portuguese 
community, so much so that he established the Helio and Amelia Pedroso/
Fundacao Luso-Americana Endowed Chair in Portuguese Studies at UMASS 
Dartmouth as well as the Saab-Pedroso Center for Portuguese Studies at 
UMASS Lowell. He also played an instrumental role in spearheading the 
effort to bring 24-hour Portuguese programming to local television to 
serve Lowell and other communities. He is a founding member of the 
Greater Lowell Community Foundation (GLCF), where he recruited many 
individuals, including myself, to serve on its board and support 
nonprofits in Lowell and beyond. For 27 years, the GLCF has transformed 
the lives of countless individuals, families and nonprofit 
organizations in our community by fostering community growth and 
development through funding, leadership, and collaboration. Luis is 
also the creator of the Portuguese American Scholarship through the 
Greater Lowell Foundation which assists graduates of Lowell High 
School. Through Luis's leadership and efforts, he has made the City of 
Lowell a better place to live, work and raise a family.
  Luis's kindness and wisdom make him a trusted figure for individuals 
to lean on when experiencing hardship. Most notably, Luis played an 
integral role in assisting a young woman who was studying at Middlesex 
Community College to receive her nursing degree. After a car accident 
left her vehicle totaled, she reached out to Luis, who without 
hesitation was able to assist her in finding a new vehicle so she could 
continue her studies and fulfill her practicum.
  Throughout his life, Luis has been the recipient of numerous 
recognitions from distinguished organizations for his work in our 
community. He has been recognized as the Massachusetts Alliance of 
Portuguese Speakers Person of the Year, as well as being named a 
recipient of the prestigious George L. Duncan Award of Excellence. He 
was selected to receive the Order of Prince Henry the Navigator Award 
and the International Institute American Dream Award and was inducted 
into the Lowell High School Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. In the 
face of so many well-deserved accolades, Luis has remained humble, 
accessible, and down to earth--a surprise to no one who has had the 
pleasure of knowing him.
  Luis is known for his love for his family and friends, his kindness 
to those around him, his entrepreneurial spirit, and his immense pride 
in the City of Lowell's Portuguese Community. Luis's legacy will 
continue to leave a lasting and positive impact for many generations to 
come.

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