The 4th edition of BFSHOW, the footwear trade show taking place from May 19 to 21 in São Paulo/SP, served as the stage for the official inauguration of the new Board of the Brazilian Footwear Industries Association (Abicalçados) for the 2025–2028 term. The ceremony was held on the evening of May 20, bringing together guests of the footwear entity at Distrito Anhembi. Businessman Ricardo Wirth, director of Calçados Wirth, based in Dois Irmãos/RS, took over as Chairman of the Board from Caetano Bianco Neto, who now continues as Honorary Board Member of Abicalçados.

During the ceremony, in an emotional speech, Bianco Neto emphasized the importance of the Association to Brazil’s footwear industry and the strengthened connection with all Brazilian footwear clusters during his term. “Today is a day of gratitude. Gratitude to the footwear industry, which gave me everything I have, gratitude to the Board I worked with, to our member companies, and to the Abicalçados team,” he said, naming every staff member of the Association. The former Chairman also highlighted the creation of BFSHOW as a long-standing demand from the national footwear industry. “Having a trade show led by the industry itself—with transparency and equal treatment for all exhibitors, regardless of size—was a long-time dream of Abicalçados, and it’s now a reality at this event,” he concluded. 

The new Chairman, Ricardo Wirth, spoke about the challenge of taking on a leadership role at Abicalçados. “I take on this position as a personal commitment to the Brazilian footwear industry, with the mission of continuing to work for sustainability, competitiveness, and innovation in our sector,” he stated. A native of Dois Irmãos, Wirth has been involved in the industry since a very young age, beginning in 1964 with office work at the company. Founded in 1948, Calçados Wirth employs 1,000 people and produces over 7,000 pairs of shoes per day—90% of which are exported to more than 50 countrie 

Tribute to Companies
The evening also included a tribute to Abicalçados member companies celebrating milestone anniversaries in the first half of 2025, in five-year intervals. Representatives of these companies took the stage to receive a trophy shaped like a shoe last. 

New Board
In addition to Ricardo Wirth, the following members also took office on Abicalçados’ Board: Almir Manoel Atanázio dos Santos (Sincasjb), Ana Carolina Grings (Piccadilly), Analdo Slovinski Moraes (Bebecê), Astor Reinaldo Ranft (Calçados Pegada), Carlos Alberto Mestriner (Klin), Cláudio Chies (Grendene), Daniel Marcelino Gewehr (Via Marte), Giuliano Spinelli Gera (PG4 Galleria), Henrique Antonio Jorge (Luz da Lua), João Fernando Hartz (AZZAS 2154), João Henrique Hoppe (Grupo Dass), Jorge Bischoff (Bischoff Group), José Osterno Filho (Di Valentini), José Paulo Boelter (Grupo Sugar Shoes), Junior César Silva (Crômic Femme), Luiz Raul Aleixo Barcelos (Luiza Barcelos), Marcelo Henrique Lehnen (Dakota), Marcelo Paludetto (Democrata), Marco Lourenço Müller (Grupo Ramarim), Maria Aparecida Mestriner Colli (Pampili), Paulo Vicente Bender (Carrano), Pedro Bartelle (Vulcabras), Renato Klein (Sicergs), Rodrigo Amaral Martins (Sindinova), Samir Nakad (Sameka), Sérgio Bocayuva (Usaflex), Sergio Gracia (Kidy), Danilo Cristófoli (Cristófoli), João Altair dos Santos (Conforto), and Paulo Roberto Konrath (Lotus).

Honorary Board Members
Serving as Honorary Board Members of Abicalçados are Caetano Bianco Neto (Chairman of the Board from 2019 to 2025), Paulo Roberto Schefer (Chairman from 2013 to 2016), and Rosnei Alfredo Silva (Chairman from 2016 to 2019).