Principal, Tax Services
Art has 22 years of experience advising both U.S. and international high net-worth individuals with their wealth tax planning and structuring, as well as, advising on family governance/business succession matters. Art is a leader of the south Florida private client services practice.
Art began his career as a Florida estate planning and asset protection attorney more than 20 years ago. Prior to joining RSM, Art practiced law with a south Florida law firm, later joining a Big Four firm in Miami where he managed their private client services practice. He later joined a private bank in Miami where he managed the U.S. and Latin American estate and tax planning teams. As a co-leader of the firm’s private client services group, Art works with clients in Miami, Naples, Fort Lauderdale and Palm Beach, handling the planning, structuring and succession planning for high net-worth clients and family office groups.
954 356 5674
Executive Vice President and Provost, Florida Memorial University
Dr. Michelle Howard-Vital leads Florida Memorial University in Miami Gardens. From 2007 to 2014, Dr. Howard-Vital was president of Cheyney University in Pennsylvania. Since that time, she has done independent consulting work and was a senior fellow of the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
Earlier in her career, Dr. Howard-Vital served as interim chancellor of Winston-Salem State University and as associate vice president for the University of North Carolina System. From 1993 to 2003, she served as vice chancellor and associate provost at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington.
President Howard-Vital holds bachelor’s and master’s degree from the University of Chicago and a Ph.D. in public policy analysis from the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Rosyln Clark Artis, president of Florida Memorial University, stated that “Dr. Howard-Vital brings a wealth of academic and administrative experience to the Florida Memorial University Cabinet. She is an advocate for high quality education and will do much to highlight the skills and expertise of our phenomenal faculty. She is a prolific writer and scholar in her own right and will certainly set a high standard for all of our academic programs.”
Executive Vice President and Provost, Florida Memorial University
CEO of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce
Eric Knowles has lead the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce since 2014. He oversees the operations of the organization by implementing its strategic plans and policies as established by the Board of Directors. Knowles is the successor to Bill Diggs, who resigned in 2013.
Knowles is the former Senior Director of Government Affairs for Sun Life Stadium and The Miami Dolphins. Some of his core accomplishments in this role include managing a 72,500 person facility (Sun Life Stadium, home of the Miami Dolphins and former Florida Marlins), managing tenant relations that included the Miami Dolphins, Florida Marlins, Orange Bowl Championship, and related events; handling the training and management of 3,500 game day employees, and directing all government affairs, as it pertains to Sun Life Stadium and the Miami Dolphins.
Eric holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida International University and is a proud veteran of the United States Army.
CEO of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce
President/Chief Executive Officer, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
Alfred Sanchez is the president and chief executive officer of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, South Florida’s first and the longest-sustaining business development organization and one of the largest chambers in the southeastern U.S.
In this role, Alfred directs a team of 25 chamber professionals, supporting more than 400,000 employees of chamber member companies in South Florida. His involvement with the chamber spans 21 years and includes serving on the board of directors, chairing the Marketing Committee and Leadership Programs Group, and serving on the Nonprofit Committee. He attributes much of his success in South Florida to his deep involvement with the chamber.
Previously, Alfred served in a variety of leadership roles with the American Red Cross. Most recently, he was the regional chief executive officer for its South Florida region, where he led a team of over 3,000 volunteers and staff, supporting almost eight million residents across 13 counties to prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural and man-made disasters.
Before this, he led the YMCA of Greater Miami as president and chief executive officer. During his 12-year tenure at YMCA, he expanded its financial development and led strategic planning initiatives that culminated in the opening of three new Family YMCAs. These were the first facilities built by the Miami YMCA in 40 years and substantially increased the organization’s reach to thousands more community members.
Alfred also served as director of government and community relations for Royal Caribbean Cruises and Celebrity Cruises. In this role, he oversaw the charitable programs and helped implement the company’s mission to enhance communities throughout 160 international ports of call.
Alfred received a bachelor’s degree in psychology and English from Beaver College and a master’s degree in community and clinical psychology from the University of Maryland. Active in his church and in the Miami community, he serves on local and national boards including Greater Miami & the Beaches Resilient City Steering Committee of the 100 Resilient Cities—Pioneered by the Rockefeller Foundation; The Beacon Council; Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau; Orange Bowl Committee and Great Commission Alliance Board, serving the people of Haiti.
President/Chief Executive Officer, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
Shareholder at Carlton Fields
Edmund Zaharewicz has broad experience in federal securities and commodities regulation, insurance regulation, and related employee benefit and general corporate matters. He focuses on regulatory matters affecting the development, distribution and administration of life insurance and annuity products and related investment products, including mutual fund, private fund, and managed account offerings.
His practice includes advising clients with respect to bank- and corporate-owned life insurance products, individual and group annuity products, stable value products, registered and private placement variable insurance products, mutual funds and private investment funds for institutional and high net worth clientele. He represents insurance companies, investment advisers and investment companies in regulatory compliance examinations and investigations and has served as legal counsel to boards of directors of registered investment companies.
He also advises in a wide variety of related areas, including InsurTech, ecommerce, privacy, data security, anti-money laundering, custody of client assets, agent licensing and supervision, insurable interest, group life eligibility, assumption reinsurance transactions, fund mergers and liquidations, proxy statements, regulatory filings and reporting, product and client disclosures, soft dollar arrangements, suitability, product advertising, client communications, market conduct standards, personal securities transactions, codes of ethics, and trading practices.
Shareholder at Carlton Fields
Vice Provost at Miami Dade College
Dr. John Wensveen is Vice Provost of Academic Schools at Miami Dade College providing direct leadership and direction for the College’s professional education programs including the Academic Schools (Business, Trade & Transportation; Education; Engineering, Technology & Design; Justice, Public Safety & Legal Studies, Science), School of Continuing Education & Professional Development, and the Office of Workforce Education & Partnerships. He is responsible for creating corporate relationships with local, regional, national, and international boards and organizations and with leaders of foreign governments, businesses, and nongovernmental organizations.
He has extensive academic leadership experience including Professor and Head of the School of Aviation & Transportation Technology at Purdue University, Dean of the School of Aviation at Dowling College, and Professor of Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
John has held a variety of industry leadership positions including Partner/EVP at Mango Aviation Partners, Global Head of Airline Advisory Services at Radixx International, President of Airline Visions, Executive Consultant at InterVISTAS, Senior Director at Marriott Vacation Club International, Vice President of International Affairs at MAXjet Airways, Director of Strategy and Communications at Corporate Visions, and Manager of Pacific Rim Flight Operations & Passenger Services at Canada 3000 Airlines.
John is an External Instructor at the International Air Transport Association (IATA), a frequent contributor to the media, provides expert witness testimony, and is author of two leading industry books including a “best-seller” (Air Transportation: A Management Perspective and Wheels Up: Airline Business Plan Development).
John earned Masters and Ph.D. degrees in International Air Transport and Business from Cardiff University (United Kingdom) and a B.A. in Geography and Transportation Land Use Planning from the University of Victoria (Canada). Currently, he is working toward the U.S. Coast Guard, Masters Upgrade (100 Gross ton license) certification.
In his free time, John is an avid boater, scuba diver, and enjoys hitting the open road in the RV.
https://www.miamidade.gov/citt/library/presentations/2017-2018-presentation/dr-john-wensveen.pdf
Vice Provost at Miami Dade College
President & CEO at Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce
Mark A. Trowbridge is the President & CEO Chief executive, administrative and fiscal officer of the Chamber. Responsible to the Board of Directors for a full range of activities including coordination of the program of work, organizational structure and procedures, interpretation of policy, strategic planning, communications and branding.
President & CEO at Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce
President & CEO of Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
William D. Talbert, III, CDME has served as President & CEO of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau (GMCVB) for the past eighteen years and Chief Operating Officer for the prior nine. His major accomplishments include assisting with the passage of the Travel Promotion Act of 2010; negotiating inter-local government funding agreements; preparing five successful Super Bowl bids, including the most recent bid for the NFL’s centennial year 2020 Super Bowl; and three Pow Wow bids. Under Talbert’s leadership, the GMCVB was awarded accreditation from the Destination Marketing Accreditation Program in November 2007.
In June 2016, Talbert was appointed to the United States Commerce Department’s 2016-2018 Travel & Tourism Advisory Board. The Board serves as the advisory body to the Secretary of Commerce on matters relating to the travel and tourism industry in the United States and offers recommendations on implementation of the National Travel and Tourism Strategy.
On July 1, 2016, Talbert became Chair of the VISIT FLORIDA Board of Directors for FY 2016-17. VISIT FLORIDA is the state’s official tourism marketing corporation and serves as Florida’s official source for travel planning to visitors across the globe.
Talbert holds a master’s degree in Public Administration from Florida Atlantic University and bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida. In 2006, he earned the Certified Destination Management Executive (CDME) designation – the highest educational achievement in the destination marketing industry.
President & CEO of Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau
Deputy Director, Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources at Miami-Dade County
Deputy Director, Regulatory and Economic Resources
Company NameMiami-Dade County
Dates EmployedNov 2014 – Present Employment Duration3 yrs 4 mos
Director of the Office of Economic Development – responsible for heading the economoic development activity of MIami-Dade County.
Regency Park Corporation
VP Development
Company NameRegency Park Corporation
Dates Employed1978 – 1998 Employment Duration20 yrs
Developed office park in Cary, NC.
Deputy Director, Department of Regulatory and Economic Resources at Miami-Dade County
President at Florida International University
Mark B. Rosenberg is the fifth president of Florida International University (FIU). A public institution of higher education, FIU is the face of the country’s future in higher education demographics: it is a majority-minority institution that leads the country in the production of minority degrees in the sciences and engineering.
Dr. Rosenberg has served as the fifth president of FIU since August 2009. A political scientist specializing in Latin America, Dr. Rosenberg is the first FIU faculty member to ascend to the university’s presidency.
Under his leadership as president, FIU has increased enrollment to almost 56,000 students, improved graduation rates by nearly 13% and hired over 500 new faculty. As President, Dr. Rosenberg has provided leadership to grow the institution’s budget, improve student retention and graduation rates, expand internships for enrolled students, and coordinate FIU’s emergence as a leading producer of graduates in priority national and state areas focused on science, technology, engineering and math (STEM). The university has been named as a Carnegie “Highest Research” as well as an “Engaged” institution, and has developed path-breaking partnerships with the Miami Dade County Public Schools, JP Morgan Chase, Florida Power & Light and Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Research expenditures have grown by nearly 30% to nearly $171 million, and over seventy new student advisers and counselors have been hired for a restructured and expanded student graduation initiative.
From 2005 to 2009, Dr. Rosenberg served as the second Chancellor (he was the first that was formally selected by the Board of Governors) for the State University System of Florida, which includes all of Florida’s public universities – over 325,000 students and an all-accounts budget of nearly $9 billion. As chancellor, Dr. Rosenberg led the system’s strategic development and financial planning and policy initiatives, working closely with Governors Jeb Bush and Charlie Crist and the state legislature to secure support for SUS priorities. During this era, major new strides were made in research support for the system, over $1 billion was provided for new facility construction, and a new SUS strategic plan was developed, approved and launched.
Prior to becoming chancellor, Dr. Rosenberg was integrally involved in the expansion and development of FIU into a major public research university. As Provost and Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs from 1998 to 2005, Dr. Rosenberg spearheaded the establishment of a law school in 2002 and a medical school in 2006. Under his leadership, FIU increased enrollment, implemented major campus construction projects, and was invited to join the select national honor society Phi Beta Kappa. Dr. Rosenberg was also instrumental in moving FIU into the top tier of Carnegie Foundation research universities.
Dr. Rosenberg’s academic career began at FIU in 1976 as an assistant professor of political science. In 1979, he founded the FIU Latin American and Caribbean Center, which today is one of the nation’s premier federally-supported research and teaching centers focusing on the region. Dr. Rosenberg subsequently served as the Founding Dean of the College of Urban and Public Affairs and Vice Provost for International Studies. He has also been a Visiting Distinguished Research Professor at The Peabody College of Vanderbilt University, and a Visiting Professor at the Instituto Tecnologico de Monterrey (ITESM) in Mexico.
Dr. Rosenberg earned a B.A. in 1971 from Miami University of Ohio and a Ph.D. in Political Science with a graduate certificate in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the University of Pittsburgh in 1976. He has written or co-edited seven books and numerous scholarly articles in leading journals. His latest book, The United States and Central America: Geopolitical Realities and Regional Fragility (2007), is a Harvard University project co-authored with Luis Guillermo Solis of Costa Rica. Governmental and media organizations have frequently sought Dr. Rosenberg’s expertise on Latin America. He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations, has testified before Congress numerous times, and has served as a consultant to the Department of State and the U.S. Agency for International Development.
Firmly committed to service with national and local educational impact, Dr. Rosenberg serves as Chair of the Association of Public Land-Grant University’s (APLU) Coalition of Urban Serving Universities (USU); Chair of APLU’s Commission on Access, Diversity, and Excellence (CADE); and Co-Chair of the Board on Science Education’s (BOSE) Roundtable on Systemic Change in Undergraduate STEM Education. He also just ended his term as Chair of the National Academies’ Committee on Developing Indicators for Undergraduate STEM Education.
Within Miami-Dade County, Dr. Rosenberg was the 109th Chair of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (GMCC), one of Florida’s leading business associations; and also served a 5-year term as Chair of the Academic Leaders Council (ALC) for the Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County’s official economic development organization. He serves on the Board of Directors of City National Bank of Florida, and is active in a variety of other civic organizations, including the Holocaust Memorial Miami Beach, Florida Council of 100, and the United Way of Miami-Dade County.
Dr. Rosenberg is a first-generation college graduate whose two children, Ben and Ginelle, are both graduates of FIU. He and his wife of over 40 years, Rosalie, are members of Temple Menorah in Miami Beach.
President at Florida International University
