Miami-Dade Beacon Council Names New Board of Directors and Salutes Past Year's Leadership

Miami-Dade Beacon Council Names 
2017 Board of Directors and Salutes Past Year’s Leadership

Miami-Dade Beacon Council saluted its past year’s leadership team. 
From L to R: Donna Abood, Yolanda Nader, Jaret Davis, Ernie Diaz, Patricia Thompson and Larry K. Williams. 
The Miami-Dade Beacon Council announced 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.” 

 
 

Annual Meeting 2016
Come Early to “Network with Purpose”
This Thursday, Oct. 13
Join us from 11 am-noon to talk to business and government leaders and give your input on how innovation is impacting Miami’s fastest growing industries. 

INVESTOR SPOTLIGHT: Penny Shaffer, Market President for Florida Blue in Eight Southeast Counties
 
Tell us a little about yourself. 
I have lived in Miami since 1997. I came to Miami from Mexico City, Mexico to join AT&T Regional Operations.     

How did you first get involved with The Miami-Dade Beacon Council? 

I became a representative for AT&T when George Foyo retired in 1999. I found the organization a good option to fulfill several important goals: a contribution to the development of a world class city with a robust economy, a place for executive relationship building and an opportunity to maintain a strong brand image. Those same goals were fulfilled when I moved to Florida Blue, the BlueCross BlueShield independent licensee in Florida.

What are Miami’s top business assets?

The most important asset for Miami is the quality of the community’s workforce. We have trained professionals with multi-lingual capabilities, an important factor in our ever changing diverse community.

What’s next for your business/industry?

– Continued reform and evolving regulations
– Consolidation in the industry
– Changing payment models to make products and services more affordable and universally available

What do you like best about living in Miami?

Having lived and worked in many places around the globe, I love that Miami is a cultural mosaic. When AT&T and SWB merged in 2005, I chose to remain in Miami and make it my permanent home. I adopted the famous quote – I have sand in my shoes.

Miami Dade College Offers More than 30 Tech Degree Programs 

Miami Dade College offers more than 30 degree programs and certificates and two baccalaureate degrees, The School of Engineering and Technology (EnTec) is designing curriculum in collaboration with our industry partners in the areas of animation, cybersecurity, data analytics, robotics, information systems and electronics engineering. These programs are structured so that students can enter and exit at multiple points through stackable credentials. 

Students can earn college credit for prior learning through PLA – prior learning assessment – and apply it to a short-term certificate then continue on to an associate degree and, ultimately, complete a baccalaureate degree at MDC. Another option is enrolling in one of our non-credit programs through The Idea Center and earn college credit in a related certificate or degree program.

 
New Free Miami-Dade County App Helps Job Seekers
 
Miami-Dade Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez and CareerSource South Florida has launched a new mobile App called EMPLOY MIAMI-DADE to assist job seekers find a career. 
 
Download the FREE app today or visit Employ Miami-Dade online services at www.employ-miamidade.com  

For more information on the Employ Miami-Dade,
 call 305-594-7615 

 

Publication Date: 
Monday, October 10, 2016
Publication Date Long: 
Oct. 10-16, 2016 NEWSLETTER
Left Side: 
Did you know? 
FIU law graduates earn highest Florida Bar passage rate for third time in a row

Graduates earned the top bar passage rate in Florida, with 87.5 percent passing the exam that allows them to practice law in the state. First among Florida’s 11 law schools on the July 2016 bar examination, FIU College of Law graduates exceeded the statewide average bar passage rate of 68.2 percent by almost 20 percentage points. 
 
Read more.

The Miami-Dade Beacon Council in the News
 
Support for youth employment is vital for
Miami and our students
 
Miami Herald
 
Coding school seeks incentives to create 46 jobs in Miami
 
South Florida Business Journal
 
Job Incentives to Help Diamond Sellers
 
Miami Today
 

UPCOMING EVENTS

Small Business Institute: Marketing Module Training

Wednesday, Oct. 12

MEDWeek,  the largest Federally-supported Conference held in honor of minority-owned businesses, is being held

Oct. 13-14

State Sen. Oscar Braynon Invites You to a Business Brunch
Saturday, Oct. 15
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Presented by Miami-Dade Chamber and FIU
 
Read more.

Town of Miami Lakes is Offering Access to Capital Workshop 

Thursday, Oct. 20

Going Global
Workshop
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Presented by Jean Monestime
Miami-Dade Commission Chairman
 
Tuesday, Oct. 25
9 a.m. to noon
Gwen Margolis Community Center
 
Read more.
 

 

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

 

Source: Old Beacon Site