Miami-Dade Beacon Council Names 2017 Board of Directors

(Miami, FL) Sept. 29, 2016 –  The Miami-Dade Beacon Council, a public-private partnership whose mission is to increase jobs and investment, announces its 2017 Board of Directors and Officers. The leadership group includes many of Miami’s most well-known business leaders and representatives of the community’s successful small businesses, and leading government officials.

“Economic development, diversification and job creation are among my top priorities,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez. “As the County’s official economic-development partner, the Miami-Dade Beacon Council is critical to our community’s continued growth, and I look forward to working with the new Board of Directors to create an even better community for all Miamians.”

“We are grateful to this esteemed group of individuals for their commitment to Miami-Dade County’s future economic success,” said Miami-Dade Beacon Council Chair Ernie Diaz, Regional President for TD Bank in Florida. 

Miami-Dade Beacon Council Chair-Elect and Co-Managing Shareholder of Greenberg Traurig’s Miami office Jaret L. Davis said: “I look forward to working with the dynamic group of leaders on this year’s Board of Directors. Together we will tackle the important role of helping to guide our future economic development strategic plan for Miami-Dade County.”

Davis added, “Our County and our economy are at an important crossroads. The steps we take in 2017 will go a long way toward determining our ultimate destiny as a community.” 

2016-17 Officers

Chair –  Jaret L. Davis, Greenberg Traurig  

Chair-Elect – Nelson Lazo, Doctors Hospital

Secretary –  Dan Mackler, Gunster

Treasurer – Dawn White, American Airlines

President & CEO – Larry K. Williams through Oct. 31, 2016

Interim President & CEO – Sheldon T. Anderson beginning Nov.1, 2016

2016-17 Board of Directors

Donna Abood, Avison Young**

Sheldon Anderson, Northern Trust**

David Appel, Cherry Bekaert 

Tony Argiz, Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra LLC 

Joe Atkinson, Wells Fargo 

Representative Bryan Avila, Miami-Dade County Legislative Delegation 

Javier Avino, Bilzin Sumberg  

Alan Becker, Becker & Poliakoff  

Sigfredo Birriel, Bank of America Merrill Lynch**

The Honorable Luigi Boria, Mayor, City of Doral

George Burgess, Becker & Poliakoff **

David Bruce, Ryder **

The Honorable Jim Cason, Mayor, City of Coral Gables

Hugo Castro, AXA Advisors**

Brian Clay, BankUnited 

Terry Curry, Ocean Bank 

Jaret Davis, Greenberg Traurig**

Ernie Diaz, TD Bank**

Elizabeth Dvorak, Workscapes 

Mary Jo Eaton, CBRE                   

Jeffrey D. Feldman, Cozen O’Connor**

Robert R. Feldmann, RSM US**

John Fumagalli, Northern Trust 

The Honorable Oliver Gilbert, III, Mayor, City of Miami Gardens 

The Honorable Carlos Gimenez, Mayor, Miami-Dade County

Gary Goldfarb, Interport Group of Companies**

Xavier Gonzalez, Technology Foundation of the Americas

The Honorable Carlos Hernandez, Mayor, City of Hialeah 

Brad Houser, Akerman**

The Honorable Smith Joseph, Mayor, City of North Miami

Alan Kleber, Jones Lang LaSalle 

Richard Kuper, Miami Dade League of Cities

Nelson Lazo, Doctors Hospital**

The Honorable Daniella Levine Cava, Miami-Dade County Commissioner 

The Honorable Philip Levine, Mayor, City of Miami Beach 

Dan Mackler, Gunster**

Chris Marlin, Lennar International

Rodrigo Melendez, KPMG 

Carlos Migoya, Jackson Health System

Ben Mollere, Baptist Health South Florida**

Roberto Munoz, BBVA Compass**

Yolanda Nader, Dosal Tobacco**

Steve Owens, Swire Properties                              

Joe Pallot, HEICO**

Manny Perdomo, SunTrust Bank Robinson Humphrey

The Honorable Jeff Porter, Mayor, City of Homestead 

Olga Ramudo, Express Travel**

The Honorable Tomas Regalado, Mayor, City of Miami

Walter Robinson, Robinson Commercial Real Estate Services**

Joe Roisman, Perry Ellis International**

Virginia Sanchez, Diageo/Laurem Group   

Penny Shaffer, Florida Blue**

Ron Shuffield, EWM Realty International**

Ken Stiles, Stiles Realty 

Patricia A. Thompson, Carlton Fields**

Aviv Tzur, Avbiz Aerospace Ventures**

Peter Ulrich, Boston Consulting Group

Alexandra Villoch, Miami Herald Media Company**

Dawn White, American Airlines**

Irene White, FPL**

Larry K. Williams, Miami-Dade Beacon Council**

** Denotes Executive Committee

2016-17 Ex-Officio

Emilio Gonzalez, Miami International Airport   

Matt Haggman, One Community One Goal  

The Honorable Kent Hippolyte, Consul General, St. Lucia / Dean of Consular Corps

Saif Ishoof, Florida International University  

Barry Johnson, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce 

Geoffrey Kirles, University of Miami  

Juan Kuryla, PortMiami   

Burton Landy, Akerman LLP   

Peter Loyello, Miami Marlins   

Tomislav Mandakovic, Barry University 

Eduardo Padron, Miami Dade College   

Mary Scott Russell, Chamber South  

William Talbert, Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau 

Nelson Tarke, Jr., CAMACOL  

Mark Trowbridge, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce  

Tony Villamil, The Washington Economics Group   

“We’ve brought together an elite group of people who are pivotal economic influencers,” Miami-Dade Beacon Council President & CEO Larry K. Williams said. “Their guidance is invaluable to increasing Miami-Dade’s job-generating investments and competitiveness in the global market.”

About The Miami-Dade Beacon Council

The Miami-Dade Beacon Council is Miami-Dade County’s official economic development partnership. The not-for-profit public-private organization focuses on job creation and economic growth. Since 1985, the organization has assisted more than 980 businesses that have created more than 65,000 direct jobs and added more than $4 billion in new capital investments. It accomplishes this by marketing Miami-Dade as a world-class business location, growing local companies and shaping the local economy’s future. For more information, visit www.beaconcouncil.com