Biography |
Wilma Kruger
Chair
Wilma Kruger has emerged as one of the most influential ambassadors of cultural exchange and business development between metro Atlanta and Brazil. An accomplished engineer and architect, Kruger currently serves as the executive director of the Benedita da Silva International Foundation (BDIF) and Chair of the Atlanta-Rio Sister City Commission (ARSCC).
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As a close personal friend and adviser to Benedita da Silva, the first Afro-Brazilian federal senator and first female governor of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil’s second most important state, Ms. Kruger was instrumental in establishing BSIF’s international headquarters in Atlanta. Under her leadership as executive director, the foundation is positioned to play a pivotal role in strengthening the family unit and providing opportunities for historically disadvantaged groups in Brazil, America, and Africa.
As Chair of ARSCC, Ms. Kruger uses her business acumen and commitment to global humanity to identify and facilitate trade and investment opportunities between Brazilian and American companies. Ms. Kruger is a highly regarded consultant for Brazilian government agencies seeking to establish and enlarge educational, cultural, and economic ties with American business and government interests. In the absence of a Brazilian consulate in metro Atlanta, Kruger, through ARSCC, fills a vital gap for both public and private sector entities seeking opportunities between the respective continents.
Ms. Kruger possesses a multitude of skills and talents which allow her to seamlessly engage multiple disciplines. Fluent in English, German, and Portuguese, she was selected by the City government of Salvador, Bahia (Brazil) to oversee the Department of Tourism. Over the years, she has promoted cultural exchanges over several continents, including the Americas, Europe, and Asia. Ms. Kruger has also organized trade missions to various cities in Brazil, including Sao Paulo, Rio, Recife, and Salvador, where she has made personal introductions between high ranking government officials and business executives.
A native of Minas Gerais, Brazil, Ms. Kruger received her civil engineering and architecture degree from Berlin Technical University in Berlin, Germany. She also received a B.A. in Architeture from a private University in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
Ms. Kruger is an ordained minister and certified international chaplain. As an accomplished motivational speaker, she has addressed both secular and religious audiences around the world. She resides in Alpharetta, Georgia, with her husband of 34 years, Rev. Rudi Kruger. They have three married children, and four grandchildren.