5th Annual City National Bank Better Beach Finalists Announced

5th Annual City National Bank Better Beach Finalists Announced

With over 50 contenders participating in the 5th Annual City National Bank Better Beach Awards, the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce released their complete list of stand-out finalists in categories of marketing, design, architecture, and entrepreneurs, to name a few, that have contributed to the Miami Beach community.

Expert judges thoroughly critiqued each submission based on an extensive list of criteria. Winners will be announced in an award ceremony during the event, which will be held on Thursday, April 27, at the 1 Hotel South Beach.

The event is organized by the Chamber’s Real Estate Council, chaired by Seth Feuer, COMPASS and Susan Askew, Reanimar, and is tasked with supporting its members by sharing expertise, offering guidance, exploring new educational opportunities and facilitating communication within the industry and larger community. The event is being co-chaired by Debi Quade, Cervera Real Estate, Scott Diffenderfer, COMPASS, and a subcommittee of industry professionals. The event’s title sponsor is City National Bank and additional sponsors are Dominion Builders as well as East of Collins Expediting.

City National Bank is proud to once again sponsor the 5th Annual Better Beach Awards. The bank has supported this award program since its inception in 2013. Miami Beach embraces a rich diversity of creative thinkers that makes the real estate industry so unique. These awards give the Chamber of Commerce the opportunity to recognize pioneers in real estate who incorporate sustainability, historic preservation, innovative architecture and outstanding citizenship into their work.

“For 70 years City National Bank has been an integral part of the Miami Beach business community,” Jorge Gonzalez, President and CEO of City National Bank said, “We are honored to partner with the Chamber of Commerce to celebrate excellence in business and real estate with the Better Beach Awards and to help promote a better and even more vibrant Miami Beach. We congratulate the honorees and thank them for their contributions to our community.”

The following were recognized by the event subcommittee and will be given an award for their innovation and forward thinking at the 5th Annual City National Bank Better Beach Awards:

1. EXCELLENCE AND INNOVATION
This individual and organization has shown excellence in the community
• Sabrina Cohen, Sabrina Cohen Accessibility Park

2. FORWARD THINKING BUSINESS
This business has shown leadership and foresight on a topic of importance affecting South Florida’s real estate industry.
• The New Tropic

3. FORWARD THINKING INDIVIDUAL
These individuals have shown leadership and foresight on a topic of importance affecting South Florida’s real estate industry.

• Nick Gelpi, Miami Beach Urban Studios (FIU)
• Jeremy Waks, Debris Free Ocean

4. GLOBAL GAME CHANGER FOR RESILIENCY AND SUSTAINABILITY
This award is given to an individual for their thought-provoking leadership within the real estate industry
• Caroline Lewis, The CLEO Institute

The following are companies and/or individuals are finalists and the winners in each category will be announced at the 5th Annual City National Bank Better Beach Awards:

5. HISTORIC PRESERVATION AWARDS
These finalists have shown preservation and conservatory property protection, objects, landscapes or other artifacts of historical significance
• 27 Restaurant and Bar
• Oceanside Hotel
• Plymouth Hotel
• Southgate Towers Apartments
• The Betsy-Carlton Hotel

6. INNOVATIVE ARCHITECTURE AWARD
These finalists have demonstrated unique and unusual twist to the design with innovative architectural solutions while creating striking and functional spaces.
• Louver House
• Nike
• The Betsy-Carlton Hotel
• Villa Soninha

7. INNOVATIVE DESIGNER AWARD
These finalists have demonstrated exceptional creativity towards a completed project in Miami Beach in either residential or commercial real estate.
• 1 Hotel Penthouse (Samuel Amoia)
• Bakehouse Brasserie
• Commonwealth
• DOA
• Green Diamond
• Loews Miami Beach Hotel
• Lolo’s Surf Cantina
• Ora Nightclub
• Southgate Towers
• The Betsy-Carlton Hotel
• Upland Miami

8. BETTER BEACH CITIZEN AWARD
These finalists have shown outstanding accomplishments in terms of giving back to the community, city, and those around them.
• Allan Shulman
• Ceci Velasco & Mike Palma
• Daniel Ciraldo
• Jason Halpern
• Jonathan Plutzik
• Sandor Scher
• Valerie Navarrete

9. MOST INNOVATIVE METHOD OF MARKETING AWARDS
Proven to successfully break down barriers to how we think of marketing in the Real Estate field. They have taken a new approach to marketing and are leading the field by example.
• Ads On Rides
• Albert Justo, The Waterfront Team
• David Nguah, Douglas Elliman
• Frances Alban, Alban Communication
• Hechtkopf Group, Douglas Elliman
• Lifestyle Production Group
• Luis Dominguez, Sunlife Reality
• Madeleine Romanello, Compass
• Melissa Jane Rubin, Compass
• Mirece Curkoski, The Waterfront Team
• Nancy Batchelor, EWM
• Raymond Bolduc, One Sotheby’s Realty
• VHT Studios

10. 2016 RISING STARS: REAL ESTATE AGENT
Last year, the event subcommittee agreed to launch a new category that recognizes the efforts of new agents or “Rising Stars.” Agencies that practice on Miami Beach have hand selected their best new agents and over the course of this coming year these finalists have competed amongst themselves. One winner from this class will be announced at the program that has displayed an initiative to immerse themselves into the real estate industry, has gone above and beyond the minimum requirements and excelled amongst their peers.
• David Carson, COMPASS
• Carlos Larocca, ISG
• Sari Libbin, Douglas Elliman
• Alyssa Morgan, Coldwell
• Joyce Parra, Cervera

11. 2017 RISING STARS: REAL ESTATE AGENT
The new class of rising stars that will compete this year. A winner will be announced at the 2018 City National Bank Better Beach Awards.

The winner of the class will have taken the initiative to immerse themselves into the real estate industry, have gone above and beyond the minimum requirements and have excelled amongst their peers. (Please see 2016 Rising Star category for full description of award).
• Amparo Munoz, Alba International Realty
• Diego Palomo, Douglas Elliman
• Eric Morales, Kurz Real Estate
• George Schechter, COMPASS
• Scot Drucker, COMPASS

12. RISING STARS: REAL ESTATE INDUSTRY AT LARGE
Within the first 24 months of their industry career, these winners have hit the ground running and have taken the initiative to immerse themselves into the Real Estate industry and go above and beyond the minimum requirements and excel amongst their peers.
• Alexander Karry
• Zachary Eisner
• Lester Ealey

The 5th Annual City National Bank Better Beach Awards is being held at the 1 Hotel South Beach on April 27, 2017 from 11:30 am to 2:00 pm. For more information and or to purchase tickets, visit www.miamibeachchamber.com.


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