James Kohnstamm is an experienced economic development professional who began with the Miami-Dade Beacon Council in 2008. As Senior Vice President in the Economic Development Department, Kohnstamm consults with local, national and international business leaders on the economic trends and attributes of Miami-Dade County and develops customized services to expanding and relocating business to facilitate job generating investments. With a focus in the Aviation industry, Kohnstamm has directly managed over 100 economic development projects that have generated over 4,700 jobs and $1 billion of investment for Miami-Dade County. Clients include: Amazon, The Boeing Company, Brightstar, Cable & Wireless Communications, Cosentino, Deloitte, LAN Cargo, Ryder System, Telemundo, Univision, and UPS.

Prior to joining The Beacon Council, Kohnstamm worked for The University of Miami School of Education and was a high school English and History teacher. A Seattle native, he holds a MA degree in International Administration from The University of Miami and a BA in Anthropology from Connecticut College.