Miami-Dade County Fair & Exposition Inc. recently announced that Nelson C. Bellido, a local attorney, has assumed the role of board of directors chair.
Bellido, who is partner in charge of the Miami office of Roig Lawyers, a statewide law firm, has served on The Youth Fair’s board of directors for 10 years. However, his history with The Youth Fair extends back to his childhood when he first became involved with event.
“I owe much to The Youth Fair, especially for its support through the Scholarship Program when I attended Duke University and the University of Florida Law School,” Bellido said. “The Youth Fair was there for me, and I feel very strongly that it is my duty to give back, especially to an outstanding institution that is one of the pillars of our South Florida community.”
The Youth Fair & Exposition awards more than $530,000 annually in college scholarships, cash premiums and awards to local public, private, charter and home school students. To date, The Youth Fair has awarded more than $11 million to Miami-Dade students to help them achieve higher education.
Bellido, who was first appointed to the board of directors in 2007, also has served as the chair of the Miami-Dade Commission on Ethics and Public Trust, where he is serving a second four-year term.
He received his law degree from the University of Florida College of Law and his bachelor’s degree from Duke University, majoring in political science and history with emphasis on Latin American history. Bellido focuses his practice on complex commercial litigation, insurance law, banking and finance law, and products liability. He is a former assistant state attorney with the Miami-Dade State Attorney’s Office, a former adjunct business law professor at Florida Memorial University, visiting lecturer at Duke University and adult education teacher with the Miami-Dade Public Schools. Bellido also is a former director of the Cuban American Bar Association.
The Miami-Dade County Youth Fair & Exposition (The Youth Fair) is the largest charity event in South Florida. The not-for-profit association is dedicated to promoting education and agriculture while showcasing and rewarding youth achievement and providing quality family entertainment, all without taxpayer dollars.
The annual Youth Fair exhibits more than 63,000 student projects to nearly 600,000 Youth Fair guests and, in 2017, awarded more than $530,000 in college scholarships, cash premiums and awards to students.
The Fair Exposition Center, which is the second largest convention center in Miami-Dade County, hosts an additional 70 community events each year.
Visit fairexpo.com or call 305-223-7060.
