Our story
It was inspired by Felix Guisard that the Commercial and Industrial Association of Taubaté was born. The entity was founded on March 4, 1899 , according to the registration of the first existing statutes in the Real Estate Registry and Annexes of the District. Felix Guisard led a group of merchants to face the difficulties presented in the face of the scenario installed with the coffee crisis in 1899 and since then, ACIT has consolidated itself as one of the most active associations of shopkeepers throughout the interior of the state, being the third oldest Commercial Association in the State of São Paulo and the oldest in Vale do Paraíba, completing its 122 years in 2021.
The entity already had the acronym ACT before becoming ACIT, as we know it today. According to newspapers at the time, the meetings for the creation of the entity took place in “Mr. Barnabé Ferreira de Abreu e Costa, in Largo da Matriz”, a place that was also the first headquarters of the association and the starting point that endowed Taubaté with an institution that has always projected the dynamism of commerce. The first board was composed of President Felix Guisard, Vice President Antônio Gomes de Souza Penna, First Secretary Joaquim Gonçalves Freitas, Second Secretary Brás Curiu and Treasurer Crispim José de Carvalho. Felix Guisard directed the entity until 1904.
At the beginning of this century, the entity stood out with the creation of night courses, aimed at entrepreneurs, dependents and their employees. The courses covered topics such as commercial bookkeeping, commercial law and commercial geography. However, according to research carried out by ACIT, the entity had a period of little activity, mainly from the 10's onwards, coming to re-emerge with greater force in 1934, when its statutes were reformulated and the businessman Francisco de Barros took office as president. directed the entity until 1939.
ACT logo in the 80s
The entity's history is totally linked to the development of Taubaté, and represents an important figure in the different economic periods experienced by the city and also by the country.
ACIT's headquarters have already passed through some addresses in the city, such as the Santa Marina Building at Rua Carneiro de Souza, 66 - Centro and in a building at Rua Duque de Caxias, 159, led by the then President of ACIT, Mr. Dirceu Ortiz Gomes in 1987. At the same time, in its membership, the entity had companies such as Lojas Arapuã and Casas Buri.
In 1993, ACIT inaugurated the “Palácio do Comércio”, at Rua Jacques Felix, 675. In that same year, ACIT also inaugurated the automated “SPC”, with a telecheque system. Finally, the entity resided for a few years in Praça Monsenhor Silva Barros until returning to its current headquarters on Rua Jacques Felix in 2016.
Construction of the ACIT Headquarters on Jacques Felix Street. Source: Jornal do Entrepreneur
Construction of the ACIT Headquarters on Jacques Felix Street. Source: Jornal do Entrepreneur
SCPC computerization in the 90s
Source: Jornal do Entrepreneur
Construction
of
boardwalk
Between 1996 and 1998, one of the great achievements of ACIT was the realization of FEITAU – Feira do Comércio, Indústria e Serviços de Taubaté, held in the premises of the Army Aviation Command (Cavex), under the management of President Mr. Augusto Ambrogi, management that became known for beautiful editions of commemorative trade balls, which honored the city's great businessmen, Christmas events and large business development and networking meetings.
Works on the “boardwalk” in 1986. Source: Jornal do Empresario
Dirceu Ortiz Gomes
President from 1985 to 1995
“ACIT, when I took over, was pre-bankruptcy, with more than eighty titles protested. With the help of my peers, I managed to settle everything. After a long period of improvement, we started to computerize the entity. From 40 members, we went to 400. We managed to computerize the SCPC and, little by little, we built the entity's headquarters, which today is very respected, is one of the most efficient in the region.”
A special thanks to all the Presidents and those responsible for the growth and development of ACIT. Without your contribution, affection and dedication, all this would still be a dream!