Table of Contents
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Countdown to the
14th Annual Beacon Awards
Meet Miami’s Most Innovative Companies
 The 14th Annual Beacon Awards will showcase some of Miami-Dade’s best businesses. The annual awards ceremony, to be held May 4 at the Hilton Miami Downtown, helps promote the One Community One Goal initiative to diversify the local economy and provide higher-paying jobs by highlighting Miami companies that have created jobs and invested in our local economy in a significant way. The following includes two of our distinguished awards.
Education Award
LaunchCode is a non-profit that grows the tech talent ecosystem and creates economic opportunity through apprenticeships in technology. The company launched several new programs recently including a large scale coding class offered in partnership with Miami-Dade College, networking events to promote local hiring in the tech ecosystem and a speaker series highlighting different popular technologies. http://launchcode.org
Chairman’s Award The $430 million Miami Cancer Institute-a state-of-the-art cancer center located on the campus of Baptist Hospital of Miami will create more than 600 permanent jobs and has recruited nationally renowned experts. Miami Cancer Institute will be the first center in South Florida to offer proton therapy, an advanced form of radiation therapy that spares healthy tissue and is particularly successful in treating childhood cancers and cancers of the brain, liver and lung.
http://www.baptisthealth.net Please join us to celebrate these great companies and the close to 100 nominated companies at the Beacon Awards on Wednesday, May 4th.
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Meet The Beacon Council and Miami Partners @eMerge Americas
 The Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County, Miami Downtown Development Authority, Miami International Airport and other local organizations are working together to create a Miami experience at eMerge Americas.
Visit the Miami pavilion in the beginning of Section E and help us spread the word about the many significant developments in Miami’s growing tech ecosystem. Hear from leaders shaping the Miami tech ecosystem and reasons why companies from all over the globe are making the decision to locate in Miami.
Tech Talks and other events at The Beacon Council Booth (E4) include:
Monday, April 18 The Beacon Council and ACCIÓ, represented by Jordi Baiget Cantons, Minister of Business and Knowledge of the Government of Catalonia, will work together to promote economic and commercial relations between Miami Dade County and Catalonia.
 3:15 p.m.
Tech talk with Jim McKelvey – Co-founder of the groundbreaking mobile payments company, Square, and Founder of LaunchCode, a non-profit focused on solving the tech talent shortage and creating pathways to economic opportunity through apprenticeships and job placements. 
Tuesday, April 19 11:20 a.m.
Tech Talk with Brian Breslin
Founder of Refresh Miami, the largest technology and entrepreneurship-focused non-profit in Florida with a membership base of over 9,000. Brian is a long time serial web entrepreneur, having started his first business online at age 14. He later founded Infinimedia in the late 1990s and is currently the CTO of SimCase, an ed-tech startup.
 3:15 p.m.
Tech talk with Michael Simkins, President and CEO of Innovate Miami, and the developer behind a planned 10-acre, 24-hour fully connected live-work-play technology ecosystem for innovation and entrepreneurship located in Park West, a neighborhood adjacent to Downtown and Overtown in Miami.
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Investor Spotlight: Elizabeth Dvorak, Founder, Owner and CEO of Workscapes
 Tell us a little about yourself.
I have lived in Miami 2 ½ years. My husband and I are co-owners of Workscapes. In March 2013 we acquired 5 Herman Miller dealerships expanding our company state wide. We have offices in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville, Ft. Myers and Miami. Our headquarters was in Orlando for 15 years. With our expansion, we moved our headquarters and our home to Miami. How did you first get involved with The Beacon Council?
We have been serving the South Florida market since 2001, and have known of The Beacon Council. When we relocated here, Mike Fay and Donna Abood encouraged me to become an investor. I was previously a board member of the Economic Development Commission of Central Florida. I have always had a passion for economic development and helping companies grow. It was an easy decision to become an active member, and I have just joined the Life Science committee. What are Miami’s top business assets?
Miami is on the world stage right now. It’s an exciting place to live, work and play that offers a diverse culture. The community is high energy, has fantastic venues and great food. Culturally, the city has really grown in the last five years with events such as Art Basel and Emerge of the Americas. Of our five locations in Florida, we see Miami as having the largest opportunity for growth. And, let’s not forget we are on the water. What’s next for your business/industry?
We are in the workplace performance business. Technology and changing demographics are driving significant change in the work place. Employers want to attract and retain the best talent. Employees want variety as to where they work to support the work they are doing. There is significant research that shows that a well-designed work place delivers more than aesthetics; it delivers productivity, wellness, and profitability. What do you like best about living in Miami?
There are several things I like about Miami. We have met incredible people here, and they have been extremely helpful and welcoming as we have made this our new community. I like the canopy of Banyan trees along the Miami roads, the energy and the intensity of the city. I also enjoy the diverse cultures and international vibe. To summarize as my son said not too long ago, “I like it here; there is a lot of action!” |
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Miami Today Honors Local Achievers
 Miami Today recently honored local business and community leaders with the 2016 Gold Medal Awards. The Beacon Council congratulates Former Miami Mayor Maurice A. Ferré for being honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. The publication also honored: Steven L. Cantor, Henry Fleches, Dr. Eduardo J. Padron, Boys & Girls Club of Miami-Dade, Express Travel, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Zyscovich Architects. The 2016 Medal Sponsors included: Codina Partners, Florida Power & Light, Hunton & Williams, Pinnacle Housing Group and TotalBank.
Olga Ramudo and Express Travel won the bronze medal award for being a Hispanic woman longtime business owner and innovator. She is an Executive Committee Member of The Beacon Council.
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The Beacon Council and CareerSource South Florida Workforce Partner to Create Strategic Job Programs
The Beacon Council, in partnership with CareerSource South Florida and through the One Community One Goal initiative, hosted an innovative session with business leaders to gain insights for CareerSource South Florida’s Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Local Plan for Miami-Dade County. The information shared will help create strategic program investments in our community in order to stimulate the local economy and help ensure that employers are able to find workers with the right skill sets.
Provide your expertise by filling out this
Your insights will drive the development of programs that will enhance the productivity and competitiveness of our business community and support growth of local businesses. |
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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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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:
 Sunset Station
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Publication Date:
Monday, April 18, 2016
Publication Date Long:
April 18-24, 2016 NEWSLETTER
Left Side:
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Did you know?
Last year, the Hackathon at eMerge Americas attracted more than 125 coders. Participants have 24 hours to tackle complex challenges presented by industry-leaders for more than $50,000 in cash and prizes. |
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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
Lawsuit filed against Carnival for agreeing to discriminatory Cuba cruise policy
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| UPCOMING EVENTS |
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African American Achiever Awards
Wednesday, April 20
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Miami-Dade County Internal Services Department
Small Business Development Division
Access to Construction Contracts Free Informational Session
Friday, April 22
Contact Lawanda Wright-Robinson at 305-375-3186
RSVP to |
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31st Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council Annual Business Expo
April 27-28
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Panel Discussion on Doral Real Estate presented by Miami Herald and Midtown Doral
Thursday, April 28
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Is your business ready to go global?
Free workshop for businesses Tuesday, May 3
Contact (305) 779-9230 or email: entrepreneurship@fiu.edu
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The Black Enterprise Entrepreneurs Summit kicks off in Miami
May 4 to 7
Get a chance to gain exposure for your business by interviewing live on-site for MSNBC’s Your Business program Exclusive discounted stay at the Loews Miami Beach Hotelas an attendee of the Entrepreneurs Summit Also, when you register as a group of 4, get your 5th registration for free.
(No code necessary; must register together.) For more information or to register, visit blackenterprise.com/es.
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Legacy Magazine Dealmaker Symposium
“Harnessing Our Collective Power “
Friday, May 13
Your chance to interact
with the most powerful players in business/industry and government… Historic Lyric Theater
8:45 a.m. to 4 p.m. |
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
