The Founder

Mineiro de Martinho Campos, José Carvalho was born on January 11, 1931, in a family with few resources. As a boy, he moved to Belo Horizonte, where, shortly thereafter, he was awarded a scholarship to study at the Colégio Jesuíta Santo Inácio, in Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro.

When he was 14 years-old, the discipline and learning at the Colégio Jesuíta led José Carvalho to the Colégio Mineiro in Belo Horizonte and then to the Escola de Ouro Preto where, six years later, he graduated in mining, metallurgy and civil engineering. From elementary school up until university, he has always studied in public schools or in private schools through a scholarship. The free education was key to become successful in life. Such conditions have awakened in the entrepreneur the awareness that wealth has a strong social duty.

He began his business activities during the construction of Brasília and, in 1961, he created FERBASA to operate in the mining and metallurgy industries. After creating FERBASA, he fulfilled his dream of building a foundation where young people and children in need could have access to quality education and better living conditions, and, in 1975, he founded the Fundação José Carvalho. To ensure the survival and financial health of the project, the entrepreneur donated, in 1975, 94% of the common shares held by FERBASA, making the Foundation the controlling shareholder of the Company.