20 - Sunday, December 3, 1989 - North Shore News ow would you visualize the general manager of a five-diamond rated hotel? An austere hand- shake? A lofty attitude? Diplomas on his office wall? Well, prepare for a surprise when you meet Four Seasons GM Ruy Paes-Braga. “} hate going into offices with lots of diplomas hanging on the walls,” says Paes-Braga, explaining why he keeps his at home. “‘It's like they kave to prove to people that they’re really something. People should be taken for what they are.” Paes-Braga, a native of Portugal and now a resident of West Van- couver, first developed this ability to look through a person's out- ward appearance in 1964 when he did two years of compulsory miti- tary service in Angola. “lt made me a much better person than | was before,” he says. “I was living with people who were mostly illiterate, but they were such great human be- ings. You iearn a lot from people like that, who are not educated but at the same time are rea! gen- uine human beings. | must say that I was a little bit of a spoiled person when | went there.”’ The hardships of tise battlefield were followed by years spent travelling and tasting the cultures of different countries. “| was one of the people at Woodstock,”’ he chuckles. “‘Nobody here can believe that I was, they feel that I'm too straight ... those days, 3 had hair down to here, and | reaily had a great time.” His natural friendliness, com- bined with his experiences, have made Paes-Braga an unabashed “people person’’ who loves his job — he'll have spent 10 years with the Four Seasons as of next week — and all the people he YOUR BEST CONNECTION FOR LOCAL & INTERNATIONAL CLIENTS!... BTUE RAMEEOZA Ike Nakayame FAST COMPREHENSIVE SERVICE ASSURED Bus: 922-6166 Res: 984-7574 vt MONTREAL TRUST REAL ESTATE @ TIME TO REMEMBER. GIVE THE GIFT OF LIFE. The Canadian Reu Cross Society AFFLUENCE@ —- 2 INFLUENCE phote Mike Wakefield Four Seasons GM Ruy Paes-Gvaga is the type of mas who would rather display his framed jokes and other tributes from his staff than his dipiomas. His philosophy is simple: peopte should be taken for what they are, not for their degrees or the size of their pocketbook. meets every day. Hotel guests have ranged from Prime Minister Brian Mulroney to Diana Ross, from Queen Elizabeth ll and the Duke of Edinburgh — who presented Paes-Braga with an autographed photo and gold cuf- flinks upon their departure follow- ing the Commonwealth Con- ference — to, most recently, the Rolling Stones. Impressive as this list sounds, Paes-Braga says ‘‘I get just as ex- cited to meet a couple who come from Bellingham for their honey- moon” — and, to see the smile on his face, one is inclined to believe im. 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NORBURN LIGHTING centre w/ 4600 EAST HASTINGS ST., BURNABY 299-0666 FREE CATALOGUES AVAILABLE Come browse in one of the most fascinating stores in B.C. Paes-Braga’s time is spent travel- ling. His dedication to the job means that he doesn’t spend as much time as he would Sike at his West Vancouver home with wife Deb- bie and sons Anthony, 5, and Brian, 19 months. Although he usually isn't able to get home for dinner, the kids sometimes join him at the hotel for supper and a swim, and, when he is home, he admits to playing with his boys’ dinky cars with as much en- thusiasm as they do. In fact, it was because of his family that Paes-Braga had himself transferred back to Vancouver recently, after spending a year as the Toronto Four Season’s general manager and the regional vice- president in charge of Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa. Although he was enjoying the new challenge, his family didn’t feel Toronto was “home.” “it was probably one of the hardest times of my life, this last year in Toronto, to see the family so unhappy,” recalls Paes-Braga. Making the decision to come back to Vancouver was “the first time | put my family in the first place before my job. It was a big change.” Now, back in town, he says, “Vancouver's a great place to live. I'm not planning to go any- where anymore. That's it,” he promises. “I’m finished.” if he’s telling the truth (consider- ing that travelling seems to be in Paes-Braga’s blood, one might be excused for doubting him), this is good news, indeed — not only for his family but for his satisfied guests at the Four Seasons Hotel. - Peggy Trendell-Whittaker