Joaquim Rio

Joaquim Rio, originally from Ovar, Portugal, emigrated to the United States in 1969 following his service in the Portuguese Navy from 1965 to 1969. He currently resides in Mamaroneck, New York, where he established a successful family and professional life alongside his wife, Tina Rio, and their two children, Erica and Andrew. Throughout his career, Joaquim worked across several sectors, including shipbuilding and landscaping, before eventually serving in the public works department for the Village of Mamaroneck—the community where he remains an active member today.

Deeply connected to his Portuguese heritage, Joaquim has found in the annual Portugal Day celebrations a meaningful way to keep his roots alive, reconnect with lifelong friends, and honor the time he spent serving in the Navy and his youth in Portugal. Over the years, he has been a consistent participant in community initiatives across East Hartford, Connecticut, as well as Newark, Kearny, and Elizabeth, New Jersey. He was also a dedicated member of the Portuguese Club of New Rochelle. For Joaquim, receiving this distinction during the Portugal Day festivities represents a special homecoming and a recognition that fills him with immense pride, celebrating a life defined by service and cultural devotion.