Beacon Award winners to be honored at Mar. 14 luncheon

The Beacon Council, Miami- Dade County’s official economic development partnership, has announced the winners of the 11th Annual Beacon Awards. This year’s winners will be recognized on Thursday, Mar. 14, during the awards ceremony and luncheon aboard the Celebrity Constellation.

“We are honoring individuals, industries and organizations which have contributed to strengthen our local economy,” said Joseph W. Pallot, chair of the Beacon Council. “Whether they are a small business, a large multinational or a valued establishment, they are outstanding, and we thank them for their commitment to our community.”

The prestigious Jay Malina Award, named after the late founder of the first One Community One Goal (OCOG) initiative, will be given to Richard D. Fain, chair and CEO of Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Fain is being recognized for his leadership and notable contributions to the growth of the Miami Dade County economy.

The Beacon Awards are a component of the second One Community One Goal initiative to diversify the local economy and promote higher paying jobs. It was updated from the 1998 original founded and cochaired by the late Jay T. Malina.

“We are honoring the industries most able to provide higher-paying jobs in Miami-Dade County,” said Frank R. Nero, president and CEO of the Beacon Council. “These target industries and a solid foundation in education, along with a working infrastructure, provides us with the best opportunity for growth and stability.”

The Distinguished Award winners are:

Miami Children’s Museum, Education Award sponsored by Bank of America;

José Abreu, Miami-Dade Aviation Department, Chairman’s Award sponsored by Florida Blue;

Miami-Dade Public Schools with special recognition to the schools superintendent Alberto Carvalho and members of the School Board, Judges’ Special Award, sponsored by Baptist Health South Florida, and

Univision Networks, Make it Miami Award sponsored by American Airlines.

The Industry Award winners are:

LATAM Airline Group SA, Aviation;

Craig Robins, DACRA, Creative Design sponsored by UK Trade & Investment;

TotalBank, Foreign Direct Investment sponsored by Carlton Fields;

Nutri-Force Nutrition, Healthcare;

InterContinental Miamil, Hospitality and Tourism;

ColoHouse, Information Technology sponsored by AT&T;

TD Bank, International Banking and Finance sponsored by AXAAdvisors;

Novartis Pharmaceuticals, Life Sciences sponsored by FPL;

VSBrooks Advertising, Small Business sponsored by Dosal Tobacco Corporation, and

FedEx Express Latin American and Caribbean Division, Trade and Logistics sponsored by Cherry Bekaert LLP.

Winners were chosen by the Judges’ Committee, which included the Beacon Council chair and past chairs. The Beacon Awards are made possible by patron sponsors including Celebrity Cruises, The Collection, The Miami Herald/El Nuevo Herald, Multivision Video & Film, and Diageo.

For more information, visit www.beaconcouncil.com


Connect To Your Customers & Grow Your Business

Click Here