This is the first of several issues of the CEO Blog that will consist of a BIO for an employee of Luso-American Life. The intent is for our members to learn more about the people who work for them.

This issue of the Blog is for our Vice-President/Secretary Joseph Resendes.

My Name is Joseph Resendes. I was born in Santa Maria, Azores. I come from a family of eight plus my parents. My parents wanted to provide their children a better life then they had so off to America we went. Of course we were sponsored by my aunt Deolinda which had married a Portuguese young man born in California. In April 1966 my brothers, sisters, parents, and I took the airplane to California. As we walked up the steps of the airplane I looked back with joy (or tears, I don’t remember) and said good by to Santa Maria never to been seen again until 14 years later when I visited the island with my beautiful wife Lidia in which at that time we took the opportunity to visit her island of Pico.

I was 13 when I arrived in California so I went to School. I attended Sunnyvale High School. In 1972 I graduated from high school and took a job at Signetics Corporation which is now Philips Corporation. My first job at Signetices was a custodian and then moved up to shipping clerk.

In august of 1974 I received news from the selective service that my lucky number was 35. With a low number like that for sure I would be drafted into the Military. Because I was not ready to go to Vietnam and yet I wanted to serve the military so one day I went to the Mountain View Air Force enlisting office and joined the Air Force. In November 1974 off to Military I went and served until December of 1976. Upon returning from the Air Force I went back to Signetics in the same job as shipping clerk and was there for 21 years. During my employment at Signetics, which had become Philips Corporation, I attended De Anza College and received an Associates degree. I then went to Saint Mary’s College and received a Bachelors degree in Management. During those 21 years with Philips I was promoted to several managerial positions, the last one being Product Marketing Manager.

In January of 1978 I married my wonderful wife Lidia, and we are still married today. Together we have two handsome children, Steven; he graduated from Sacramento State in December 2008 and Gary who is currently attending the University of California Santa Cruz.

In February of 1992 I was hired by United National Life Insurance Society, now Luso-American Life Insurance Society, to become the Regional Manager for Northern California. I wasn’t even looking for a job but they knew me through my son Steven being involved in the Youth Council, so they approached me and I accepted the position. Why? I was ready for a change in life so fast forward to 2009. Today I am the Vice-President/Secretary of a very prestigious organization, Luso-American Life, which is recognized and has members all over the world.

If you want to know more information about me soon you can go to Barnes and Noble and purchase my book, title not yet known. Or you can always email me at resendes@luso-american.org or call me at the Luso-American office.

Joseph Resendes
Vice President/Secretary

Life is wonderful; live it to the fullest for one day your life will flash before your eyes and make sure it’s worth watching.