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Congratulations 14th Annual Beacon Award Winners
Meet Some of Miami’s Most Innovative and Successful Companies
 The 14th Annual Beacon Awards, showcasing some of Miami-Dade’s best businesses, is only a month away. The annual awards ceremony, to be held May 4 at the Hilton Miami Downtown, help promote the One Community One Goal initiative to diversify the local economy, provide higher-paying jobs by highlighting Miami companies that have created jobs and invested in our local economy in a significant way. Here is a preview of some of the winners.
Small Business
Freebee provides a fun, alternative transportation option. The company provides free rides on electric, open-air vehicles resembling oversized golf carts called “Freebees”. They provide rides on routes in popular, high-traffic areas, and are outfitted with mini HD televisions and audio systems. Each car also is branded with national and local business marketing campaigns. Last year the company added 21 new jobs including Business Development, Operations and Logistics, Fleet Maintenance Manager, and specialized Brand Ambassadors. The company is being entrepreneurial about addressing one of our community’s most pressing challenges – traffic. Aviation
FEAM is a MRO (Maintenance, Repair, Overhaul) company providing aircraft line maintenance services to a variety of domestic and international air carriers flying transport category aircraft. The company has maintenance bases in about a dozen U.S. locations including its headquarters at Miami International Airport. The company also has a presence at U.S. military bases. They employ approximately 500 aircraft mechanics/line maintenance engineers throughout the system. The company is providing specialized training to its employees in order to work with international airlines. Banking
Ocean Bank is a leading commercial real estate and construction lender in Miami-Dade County. With $3.3 billion in assets, it is Florida’s largest independently owned state chartered bank. Ocean Bank operates 21 offices, 17 in Miami-Dade, and four in Broward. The bank initially grew to prominence providing banking services to the Spanish-speaking community. It is well established as a prominent player in real estate and commercial lending. The company has recapitalized and has helped finance many local developments. Creative Design
NBCUniversal is the leading media company reaching over 90 percent of Hispanics in the U.S. every month, in English and Spanish, across all its video platforms. NBCUniversal Telemundo Enterprises encompasses the company’s Hispanic franchises and all of its Hispanic content efforts including TELEMUNDO, a Spanish-language television network reaching 94 percent of Hispanic TV households; Telemundo Studios, the leading producer of original Spanish-language primetime content in the U.S.; the Telemundo Station Group, reaching U.S. Hispanic viewers in 210 markets; NBC UNIVERSO, a modern general entertainment cable channel for Latinos; Telemundo International, the second largest distributor of Spanish-language content in the world; and its Digital Media unit, which creates and distributes original content across digital and emerging platforms. The company is investing more than $250 million in its new Miami-Dade global headquarters and is expected to add 150 new direct jobs.
http://www.nbcuni.com Please join us to celebrate these great companies and the close to 100 nominated companies at the Beacon Awards. Stay tuned next week for more previews.
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Miami-Dade Commissioner Welcomes New Trade Office
 The Collectif Cooperation Export Martinique (CCEM) established a trade office at the Miami Free Zone to promote products from the French Caribbean island in Miami. The grand opening of the trade office was held on March 15. Miami-Dade County Commissioner Jose “Pepe” Diaz and Chairman of the International Trade Consortium (ITC) welcomed guests and noted that the county had been working with CCEM and Extreme Chic from Martinique for several years on this project. “I look forward growing this partnership,” Commissioner Diaz said. Attendees included representatives from the Consulate General of France in Miami, and Pam Fuertes-Berti with The Beacon Council, and other trade organizations.
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Miami’s Young, Diverse and Scrappy When it Comes to Tech
 Miami is young, diverse and scrappy when it comes to Tech. That was the consensus at the State of Miami’s Tech Hub event held March 30. The Beacon Council’s Director of Economic Development, Lyndi Bowman, served as a panelist for the event that took place in Wynwood at the Miami Ad School and was hosted and moderated by Andrew Quarrie, Founder of Jurnid. Panelists included Brian Breslin, Founder of Refresh Miami; Alexander Sjögren, CTO of YellowPepper; Mario Cruz, Director of Watsco Ventures; Marshall Watt, Co-founder of Coinsetter; Aquiles La Grave, Co-founder of Visibl.io; Ian-Michael Farkas, VP Americas of Local Measure; and David Breitenbach, Co-founder of Cityscape.
The event focused on Miami’s status as an emerging technology hub and the reality with regard to Miami’s strengths and weaknesses and what can we do as a community to move things forward. Many of the panelists are founders of tech companies and startups that have moved from more traditional tech hubs like San Francisco, New York and Boulder to build and launch their companies in Miami. Some of the strengths discussed were Miami’s access to decision-makers, access to other markets, and diversity. Some of the weaknesses discussed were the lack of mentorship and access to talent. Most of the current challenges can be contributed to the fact that Miami’s entrepreneurial ecosystem is young – especially in comparison to hubs like San Francisco, New York, Boston, etc. There is still plenty of room for growth and progress, but what is truly remarkable is what has been accomplished in the last three to four years, how far we have come, and the inherent assets that make Miami a location where entrepreneurs from all of the world want to start their business. Marshall Watt, serial entrepreneur and Co-founder of Coinsetter (sold), explained that after spending extensive time in other tech hubs across the U.S., he believes Miami’s core strength is its diversity. He described that “the issues Miami is dealing with today are the same issues the rest of the country will be facing in 10-15 years and this is a huge advantage for Miami and for founders alike.”
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Hialeah, Miami-Dade Schools Receive National Recognition
Hialeah, Miami schools rated among most equitable in the nation for poor students.
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Attention: Small Businesses
Apply Now for Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses, Cohort 9
Miami Dade College is accepting applications for the 10,000 Small Businesses Program, specifically Cohort 9. Join one of a series of available informational webinars through June 8. Deadline to apply is June 16.
Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Businesses (10KSB) is a classroom-based practical business education program that gives entrepreneurs several benefits including valuable skills for growing their businesses, the opportunity to access financial capital and powerful networking opportunities at no cost to participants.
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eMerge Americas Coming Soon
April 18 & 19
Embark on a discovery-driven journey where ideas flow freely and innovation rules. Set in the growing tech hub of Miami, eMerge Americas brings together industry leaders, investors, government officials and entrepreneurs from North America, Latin America and Europe. It’s two days of summits, keynotes, startup competitions, networking events in Miami’s most iconic venues, and more. Like every great journey, it will leave you changed. Beacon Council Members receive a 25% discount off any eMERGE pass. Our discount code is: CP-EA-054 |
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GIS Website Features Available Properties
The Beacon Council and Miami-Dade County website www.miamidadesites.com features available vacant industrial and commercial properties. It is based on user-defined criteria for Miami-Dade County utilizing geographically based demographic and business information.
It also enables commercial real estate brokers to register and highlight available parcels. Listings are provided at no cost and reach a targeted audience including Site Selectors/Consultants, Real Estate Developers, and businesses pursuing new opportunities in Miami-Dade County. Listings are featured regularly in this newsletter.
Featured listing of the week:
 Southern Professional Center
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Publication Date:
Monday, April 4, 2016
Publication Date Long:
April 4-10, 2016 NEWSLETTER
Left Side:
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Did you know? |
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The Beacon Council Parking Reminder
The building’s parking garage at 80 SW 8th Street has reopened. The entrance is located on 8th Street about a block east of the former entrance. Stay alert as this is still a construction zone. See new prices.
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| The Beacon Council in the News
Tech talent in South Florida: Making
progress?
Miami’s fashion industry to get Miami Dade
College institute |
| UPCOMING EVENTS |
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ONE HERITAGE
The State of Black Miami Forum
Thursday, April 7
@ Florida Memorial University
 Miami-Dade Commission Chair Jean Monestime and the Board of County Commissioners in association with Florida Memorial University presents One Heritage, The State of Black Miami Forum, a community conversation about achieving economic prosperity and improving quality of life. Co-hosted by Commisisoner Barbara Jordan, District 1; Commisioner Audrey M. Edmonson, District 3; Commissioner Dennis C. Moss, District 9; and Miami City Commission Chair Keon Hardemon. RSVP at Contact
(305) 694-2779
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The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) Miami Branch is hosting a Green Jobs Panel
Wednesday, April 13
Miami Dade College Wolfson Campus
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How Miami is implementing new technology to attract and retain investment
Panel Discussion
Thursday, April 14
Keynote: Alberto Carvalho, Superintendent, Miami-Dade Public Schools |
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African American Achiever Awards
Wednesday, April 20
The Beacon Council Chair-Elect Jaret L. Davis, Co-Managing Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig’s Miami office, is one of the 2016 Honorees of the JM Family African American Achievers awards.
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31st Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council Annual Business Expo
April 27-28
The Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council (FSMSDC) matches corporate America and government agencies with Minority Business Enterprises in Florida.
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Bottom Side:
Our Mission:
As Miami-Dade County’s official economic development partnership, The Beacon Council is charged with bringing new, job-generating investments to the community, while assisting existing businesses in their efforts to expand. By doing this, The Beacon Council facilitates the creation of quality jobs for each and every resident of Miami-Dade County. The Beacon Council is an accredited economic development organization.
Will you join us? Call Member-Investors at (305) 579-1326
(305) 579-1326
(305) 579-1326
Source: Old Beacon Site
