2020 started off with a bang at the Chamber. In the month of January, we had over 20 networking events, which included our Annual Golf Classic. The tournament is one of our signature Chamber events and after popular demand, we returned to the Miami Beach Golf Course. In addition to it being a fun filled day, the event affords us an opportunity to be philanthropic by donating a portion of the proceeds to benefit Miami Beach’s feeder pattern schools. I want to thank Co-Chairs of the Miami Beach Chamber Education Foundation Alfredo Gonzalez (Greenberg Traurig) and Bruce Gould (Bruce K. Gould Foundation) for being our event co-chairs.
Last week, we had our Heroes Breakfast, which was presented by our title sponsor City National Bank, the Loews Miami Beach and presenting sponsor ServPro Miami Beach. The event continues the Chamber’s tradition of celebrating the achievements of individuals doing brave work in the community (learn more about the breakfast by reading the accompanying story on the front page), I want to thank our Pillar Board Chair Seth Feuer (COMPASS) and Vice Chair Leila Chang (Florida Dental Benefits) for their leadership as well as our Hero sponsors for the event, which include Baptist Health South Florida, AT&T, Trulieve, Hotwire, East of Collins, Vision Movies, Uptime Technologies, BNI South Beach and Atlantic Broadband. I’d also like to thank our gift sponsors that donated a service or item to our Heroes. Every year, it’s great to hear the stories of these brave men and women.
I’m excited to share some news with you all. At our February meeting, and just in time for Black History Month, the Board of Governors approved the Chamber starting a diversity, equality and inclusion council. The mission of the council is to include diversity and inclusion as a core value for the Chamber and to incorporate these values into all aspects of our work including advocacy, communications, workplace environment, vendor selection, hiring, promotion and retention. The Council will foster a shared culture at the Chamber that promotes the goals of accepting, respecting and valuing differences that include attributes such as age, race, gender, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, gender expression, sexual identity, ability, language, family circumstances and cultural backgrounds.
Additionally, the Women’s Business Council will be hosting a Black History month event at the Alexander Hotel on Friday, February 28 at 8 am. The Chair of the Council DeAnne Connolly Graham (Brightness) and a few members of the council will be interviewing Olivia Brown former actress on the hit TV show Miami Vice. Co-presented with the International Women’s Film Festival, the event is called “Breakfast With A View” because it is based on the popular day time talk show “The View.” I’d like to thank DeAnne for bringing us amazing Black History month programming and the concept of starting a Diversity, Equality and Inclusion council.
Finally, I want you to mark your calendars and reserve May 30, 2020 at the Loews Miami Beach for our Chamber Gala. I can’t give away to many details because I have been PROHIBITed from doing so!
Best,
Robin Jacobs
