GMF&E Conference Delivers

It’s called the Greater Miami Festival & Events Annual Conference, a combination of informative programming combined with fun. Whenever you get festival and events planners together, you can count on a good time and the GMF&E confab at MACC was no exception. After morning workshops, the luncheon provided lots of great entertainment including emcee Suzy Q who performed as well as two great bands, Pure Energy Street Band and Sunshine Jazz All Stars with Oriente. Adding to the show was a beautiful performance by Rena, the belly dance artist, and yet another great act by the ISE-ILE Afro Cuban Dance Company. Sound and lighting was provided by Beach Sound Group and Aivia. A Catabella Express train cheering them on made for a great finale, rolling around and through a dancing crowd of folks.

Doral Business Council Trustee Mercantil Commercebank hosted its Third Annual Tri-County Networker at Seminole Hard Rock Casino on that same Thursday. The celebration was attended by hundreds of members from 17 different chambers of commerce and business organizations. It was a networking bonanza for those enjoying the food and drink at this beautiful annual affair during which organization heads were asked to join the folks from Mercantil on stage to receive a lovely recognition award. Among the many receiving the presentations were DBC Chair Bruce Siddens as well as Barbara Pimentel, Executive Director of FCBF and DBC Treasurer.

On the nonprofit front, Karaoke Night at Coral Gables Woman’s Club raised funds for the Ann Storck Center dedicated to enriching lives of children and adults with developmental disabilities. Orchestrated by Eneida Rivera, this first time event is sure to be followed by more as it was a great success. Among the dozens seen enjoying the evening were Ralph and Iris Rivera, Claudia Coupet, Carmen Suarez, Margie Shanti, Eddie Snow, John Burns, Barbara Lapsley, and Joannie Knight, to mention a few.

The Intercontinental Hotel hosted a lovely launch party for Adriana Parra Simon and IGTravel June 24, unveiling a new business: “IG Entertainment Live.” With a family history in the entertainment field, this promises to be a perfect match. More on her upcoming events soon. Until next time, keep making each day count.


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A graduate of the University of Florida with a major in Spanish, Burns has an extensive background in advertising, marketing and reciprocal trade, travel , non profit consulting and management. Before joining Miami's Community Newspapers as a columnist and marketing specialist, Gloria was the Executive Director of the Jr. Orange Bowl Committee (6 yrs.) and first Executive Director of the Coral Gables Community Foundation (14 yrs.) and the Pinecrest Community Foundation (1 ½ yrs) . Burns' volunteer activities led her to become a columnist for Community Newspapers writing Gloria’s Gab, that focuses on the non-profit activity, and a host of an online show, Gloria's Gab LIVE. Gloria serves the board of the Rotary Club of Coral Gables as Civic and Charity Chair, and is involved in the club's International Committee. She is an active Life Member of the Jr. Orange Bowl Committee and is Secretary of the Merrick Festival. She serves on the board of directors of the Coral Gables Woman' Club as Publicity Chair and also coordinates the club's monthly fundraiser for various charities with Gringo Bingo at Clutch Burger. In addition, Gloria participates in numerous other charitable events and is a member of the Business Forum Group, Profit Inc., the Greater Miami Festival & Events Association and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce. In other volunteer activity, Gloria helps Miami Christian School with fund-raising and PR; is an Ambassador and volunteers for events for A Safe Haven for Newborns. She is an active member of the Music Ministry at Our Lady of Guadalupe Catholic Church where she enjoys singing in the choir every weekend.