President CDL – 1980

Manoel Valença began working early, at the age of 19 in an aviation company called Aerovias, which would later become the name of his daughter's company, also former President Valéria Valença, in honor of his father.  Manoel was transferred from Aracaju, his hometown to São Paulo where he worked in the International cargo department. "It was a sector of much bureaucracy, and my father felt very trapped. When the company felt the desire to expand to other markets, it came to Campina Grande, in the possibility of opening a branch here, and fell in love with the city ", explains Valéria.  When he returned to São Paulo, Manoel asked the superiors to come to Campina to assemble the branch of the company. 

In Campina Grande, Manoel started working as Varig's manager, after which he became a representative of the company, even after retiring. 

In his management of the CDL, Manoel was very involved in the activities of incentive to the shopkeeper with events and activities related to the growth of the shopkeeper itself, seeking the improvement and training. The entrepreneur's personality was printed in his management: "My father was a restless man, always in search of dynamism and movement. The search for excellence, for the work well done guided all the projects that were involved, he never accommodated or gave up on the obstacles. Even today, at 90 years old, is an active man, well informed, connected in the current facts. I think the greatest lesson my father left was persistence for his dreams. With him I learned that will is the first step towards realization, "says Valéria.