Ralph Biasi

Ralph Biasi
Ralph Biasi
Mayor of Americana, São Paulo, Brazil
	In office; 1973–1977
Preceded by	Abdo Najar
Succeeded by	Waldemar Tebaldi
Member of the Chamber of Deputies
	In office; 1979–1991
Minister of Science & Technology (Brazil)
	In office; 1988–1989
President	José Sarney
Preceded by	Luiz Henrique da Silveira
Succeeded by	Roberto Cardoso Alves
Personal details
Born	11 October 1947; Americana, São Paulo, Brasil
Died	5 August 2017 (aged 69); São Paulo
Nationality	Brazilian
Occupation	Civil engineer, politician
Known for	Youngest mayor of Americana

Ralph Biasi (11 October 1947 – 5 August 2017) was a Brazilian civil engineer who was elected the youngest mayor of the city of Americana, São Paulo, in the 1970s. He was responsible for various infrastructure improvements. He was a three-term federal deputy between 1979 and 1991, and was the federal Minister of Science and Technology from 1988 to 1989.

Early years

Ralph Biasi was born on 11 October 1947 in Americana,^[a] São Paulo, the son of Maury Biasi and Violeta Araújo.^[2] Biasi's family is Italian in origin.^[1] He studied civil engineering at the Faculty of Engineering in São Carlos of the University of São Paulo. From 1970 to 1972, he was Director of Rawa Engineering in São Carlos. He also worked for Unicasa Construtora, Eical and the prefecture of Osasco.^[3]

Mayor of Americana

Ralph Biasi was mayor of Americana, São Paulo, from 1973 to 1977 as a member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement (MDB: Movimento Democrático Brasileiro).^[3] He was the youngest chief executive of the city.^[4] Biasi implemented most of the major works in the city plan including the second viaduct, the urban road terminal and improvements to the Feira Industrial de Americana (FIDAM) as a large venue for business events and exhibitions.^[5] In 1975 he invited the Portuguese sculptor Figueiredo Sobral to create a sculpture for the Americana city entrance.^[6]

In an August 2011 interview, Biasi asserted that Americana now had more employees than needed. He said he inherited a city administration with 421 employees and left it with 420 employees. There were 110 water and sewage employees and he left with 120 employees, but that was because he extended the sewage network.^[7] In 2012 Americana councilman Oswaldo Nogueira (DEM) proposed renaming the Viaduto Centenário after Biasi. The viaduct was built by Biasi, who had also built the Civic Center.^[4]

Legislator

From 1980 Biasi was a member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB: Partido do Movimento Democrático Brasileiro). He was a member of the Brazilian legislature in 1979–83, 1983–87 and 1987–91.^[3] Biasi was unusual in being elected a federal deputy at a time when only politicians from São Paulo were normally elected. After this other state representatives from Americana were elected.^[4]^[b]

In 1980 and 1985 Biasi was president of the Chamber of Deputies committee of economic, industrial and trade development.^[9] From 1981 to 1983 Biasi was deputy leader of the PMDB in the House of Representatives.^[3] In 1981 Biasi introduced a bill in the House that would ban any foreign company from being established in Brazil that operated in a field where Brazilian companies already competed. He gave the reason as helping to end "the colonialism practiced by multinationals."^[10]

Biasi was Secretary of Science and Technology for São Paulo State from 1 June 1987 to 15 August 1988, and Brazilian Minister for Science and Technology from 16 August 1988 to 17 January 1989.^[3] He was appointed to the latter position by President José Sarney in place of Luiz Henrique da Silveira.^[11]^[12] Biasi left the ministry in January 1989, replaced by Roberto Cardosa Alves.^[13]

He died on 5 August 2017 at the age of 69.^[14]

Publications

Ralph Biasi (1986). Simposio sobre os deficits publicos e a renegociação da divida. Camara dos Deputados, Coordenação de Publicações. p. 193.
Ralph Biasi (1989). Lei organica dos municipios: subsidios. Camara dos Deputados, Coordenação de Publicações. p. 14.

Notes

^ The city of Americana was founded by US Confederates who would not accept their defeat in the American Civil War and moved to Brazil. As mayor of Americana in 1975 Biasi, who is of Italian origin, noted that, "Some people here maintain that Americana really didn't get going until after the Italian immigrants arrived, but the fact that our city was named for the Americans should be evidence that we haven't forgotten the Confederates' contribution to our past.^[1]
^ In Brazil each state is a single constituency with the number of seats in Congress based on population. The state of São Paulo elected 70 deputies in 2015, all of whom had to run state-wide campaigns.^[8]