PALCUS TO HONOR THE BENSAUDE FAMILY AT HISTORIC 35TH ANNIVERSARY GALA IN THE AZORES
PALCUS Celebrates 35 Years Serving Portuguese-Americans
Mónica Bensaude Fernandes, Bensaude Hotels’ International Marketing Consultant to accept PALCUS Award on behalf of the Bensuade Family
Tickets now available to attend the 2026 PALCUS Gala in the Azores!
The Bensaude Family will be honored in recognition of their multi-generational contributions to the economic, social, and cultural development of the Azores
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, June 9, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Portuguese-American Leadership Council of the United States (PALCUS) announced that it will formally honor the Bensaude Family at its 28th Annual Leadership Awards Gala, marking the organization’s historic 35th anniversary. For the first time, the gala will take place internationally on October 17, 2026, at the Coliseu Micaelense in Ponta Delgada, São Miguel Island, Azores.
The Bensaude Family—whose legacy of entrepreneurship and leadership spans generations and includes the creation of the Bensaude Group, the largest private business entity in the Azores—will receive a special tribute recognizing the family's connection to the founding of PALCUS in 1991 through founder Miguel Bensaude.
A Historic Full-Circle Return to Roots
The 2026 Gala serves as a symbolic "full circle" moment for PALCUS. Since its inception in Washington, D.C., the organization has functioned as the definitive national voice advocating for over two million Americans of Portuguese descent. Bringing the 35th-anniversary celebration to the Azores directly honors the trans-Atlantic bridge built by its forward-thinking founders.
"Our 35-year journey is a testament to the foundation laid by our visionary founders, who recognized that our community needed a unified, influential voice," said Katherine Soares, Chair of the PALCUS Board of Directors. "The Bensaude Family did not just support that vision—they were instrumental in building the very architecture of this Council. Bringing this Gala home to the Azores allows us to celebrate where we came from and honor the global leaders who made our advocacy possible in the United States,” continued Soares.
“I felt deeply honored to have such a meaningful professional experience after my freshman year of college. It was incredibly rewarding to be part of PALCUS’s early days in Washington, D.C., working toward a mission dedicated to bringing together and elevating Portuguese-American voices and issues”, said Mónica Bensaude Fernandes, Bensaude Hotels’ International Marketing Consultant. “Our family’s connection to PALCUS runs deep, from my cousin Miguel Bensaude co-founding the organization, to my time as its first intern, building the initial database, to my mother sponsoring a PALCUS scholarship for several years in honor of our family friend, Aida Laranjeira de Abreu. To see the Bensaude Family honored this year at the Gala in the Azores is a beautiful full-circle moment,” Bensaude Fernandes continued.
Honoring a Legacy of Trans-Atlantic Leadership
For over two centuries, the Bensaude name has been synonymous with visionary leadership and innovation. As founders of the Bensaude Group (Grupo Bensaude), the family fundamentally shaped the modern Azores by pioneering regional aviation (SATA), maritime shipping lanes, and sustainable tourism through the world-renowned Parque Terra Nostra.
About PALCUS
PALCUS is a non-partisan, non-profit 501(c)(3) organization incorporated under the laws of the District of Columbia. It was founded in 1991 by a group of successful, forward-thinking Portuguese-Americans to provide a singular national voice to advocate for the interests of Portuguese-Americans in the United States. At the center of their vision was the establishment and maintenance of channels of communication between the government of the Republic of Portugal, via the Embassy of Portugal in Washington, D.C., and the U.S. congressional delegation representing Portuguese-American communities.
About the Bensaude Group
Founded in 1820 on São Miguel Island in the Azores, Portugal, the Bensaude Group began as a family-owned shipping and trading business connecting the Azores with the United Kingdom. It is the largest private business conglomerate in the Azores and a leading corporation in Portugal. Rooted in maritime trading and a deep connection to Azorean heritage, the Bensaude Group has evolved into a diversified economic powerhouse operating across five primary sectors: distribution, energy, maritime and logistics, tourism, and services. Driven by a legacy of sustainability, pioneering innovation, and customer excellence, the Bensaude Group continues to create lasting value for the communities it serves while looking toward a forward-thinking future.
About the Bensaude Family
The Bensaude family traces its origins to Abraão Bensaude, who, in the early nineteenth century, left Morocco and settled in the Azores, laying the foundations for a lasting business legacy. Over the generations, different members of the family carried this legacy forward, expanding commercial activities and strengthening an international network built on trade and maritime transportation. A story of generational succession, defined by adaptability, entrepreneurial spirit, and a deep connection to the Azores.
Gracielle Camilo
PALCUS
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200 Years of the Bensaude Group
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