Claudio Aguilar jokes that Brazilians 鈥渄on鈥檛 have personal space.鈥�
The JM Finance and IT Human Resources Manager says Brazilians鈥� culture of 鈥渨hat鈥檚 mine is yours鈥� is only strengthened by their shared nationality and background.
鈥淭he bonding happens automatically,鈥� Claudio said of his fellow Brazilians, particularly those from Rio Grande do Sul, the state where he grew up. 鈥淏razilians are very affectionate people. They care a lot about each other and go the extra mile to help.鈥�
As JM celebrates National Hispanic Heritage Month, we sat down with Claudio to discuss what he loves about his heritage.
Claudio was born in La Paz, Bolivia and was raised in Brazil鈥檚 southernmost state, where 鈥渙s gauchos鈥� 鈥� proud of their history of raising cattle 鈥� live alongside descendants of Italian and German immigrants.
Part of a tight-knit family, he grew up spending long Saturdays crowded around the dining table after church.
Lunches turned to dinners while extended family members chatted and laughed over cups of hot Mate tea.听
鈥淲e鈥檙e close and we talk,鈥� he said. 鈥淓verything is family-focused.鈥�
Luckily for any visitor to Brazil, he said, that family focus is quickly expanded to include new faces.
鈥淏razilians love strangers,鈥� Claudio said. 鈥淭hey want to show you what Brazil is and they want you to feel welcome.鈥� He also noted that most locals will jump at the chance to speak English to American tourists to put them at ease.
A warm, Brazilian welcome often includes Wednesday and Saturday meals of feijoada, a traditional black bean and pork stew served with farofa, toasted cassava 鈥� or manioc 鈥� flour, or special cuts of BBQ cooked simply, with just rock salt for seasoning.
Those dishes are among the things Claudio misses about his homeland, since moving to the United States in 2002 to attend La Sierra University in Riverside, California, where he earned an MBA in marketing and finance.听
After starting his career as an electronic engineer at Lucent Technologies in S茫o Paulo-Brazil, then moving to the U.S. for his graduate degree, he switched over to human resources work at Canyons Ski Resort in Park City, Utah. He returned to California in 2010 to provide HR for an area hospital before joining JM in 2019 at the Willows plant.听
Claudio said the cornerstones of his heritage lined up naturally with JM鈥檚 core values of People, Passion, Perform and Protect.听
鈥淚 liked the 鈥榝our Ps,鈥欌�� he remarked.听
An avid outdoorsman, Claudio moved to Denver and WHQ in April of this year and has made short work of summiting 11 of Colorado鈥檚 58 14,000-foot mountains, also known as 鈥�14ers.鈥澨�
Claudio said he 鈥渓iterally had no intention鈥� of making his move to the U.S. permanent, but after living in California and now, Colorado, he has found he belongs in the Centennial State, among other hiking and mountaineering enthusiasts who share his love of the snow.
He keeps in close touch with friends and family, sometimes over a shared love of American football via a fantasy football league.听
鈥淢y mother still hasn鈥檛 accepted that I鈥檓 not coming home,鈥� he said.听
