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At the School Board Meeting of January 17, 2024, School Board Chair Mari Tere Rojas proffered agenda item B-4, recognizing Trish and Daniel (Dan) Bell.
Trish and Daniel (Dan) Bell are among our community’s most active and genuinely engaged supporters, both in terms of their extensive proven leadership and their generous philanthropy. For more than 20 years, they have conscientiously followed their deep passion to enhance our community, focusing primarily on providing opportunities to improve the lives of underserved individuals who otherwise might lack the resources and support to realize significant improvement in their lives.
The Bells provide meaningful and significant philanthropic support to a wide range of community service and cultural organizations. Among the recipients of their largest gifts are the United Methodist Church; Chapman Partnership; Branches, a multi-site organization supporting underserved children and young adults, as well as founding members of the Branches Advisory Board; and the Miami Science Museum. Most recently, the Bells became the principal funders of an iconic new interfaith chapel on the main campus of Florida International University (FIU).
As a result of their impact in the community, the Bells have been recognized with numerous awards. Some of these include the Alvah H. Chapman, Jr. Humanitarian Award; Miami-Dade’s Outstanding Philanthropists; MCCJ’s Silver Medallion Humanitarian Award; Miami’s Power Couple by Big Brothers Big Sisters; and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the FIU Robert Stemple College of Public Health. Since 2015, Branches’ annual Community Empowerment Award has been named in honor of Trish and Dan Bell. In 2018, the Bells were awarded honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters degrees from Siena Heights University (Siena, Michigan) and in 2019, Miami Dade College presented Trish and Dan with a Bachelor of Arts and Letters Honorary Degree, all of them in recognition of their community service and philanthropy.
Trish has also received numerous individual recognitions for her service to the community, including among many, Barry University’s Laudare Medal; Miami Today’s Gold Medal recipient, and Chapman Partnership’s Lifetime Achievement Award was named in her honor in 2015. More recently, Trish has been recognized with the Plaza Health’s Woman of Distinction Award, and the Woman of the Year Award by the Miami Women Who Rock organization.
Together, the Bells serve as Co-Chairs Emeritus of the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, where for twelve years they led the effort to create the new iconic science museum in the heart of Miami. They also both served on the Board of Trustees of the Florida United Methodist Children’s Home for six years, and for 15 years they have been the principal advisors and financial supporters of Branches. Trish also is Past Chair, and now active Chair Emeritus, of the Board of Trustees of Chapman Partnership, widely recognized as one of the nation’s most effective organizations for assisting the homeless. Trish and Dan now serve together on the Board of Trustees of the FIU Foundation, and Trish also serves on the Foundation Board for the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and on the Steering committee of the American Red Cross Tiffany Circle. For many years, Trish has either chaired or been the principal advisor for numerous major fund-raising galas for a multitude of community non-profit organizations. Trish and Dan Bell have Co-Chaired six of Miami-Dade County Public Schools “Love of Learning” galas since its inception in 2015.
Now retired, Dan co-founded Kos Pharmaceuticals in Miami and led the company, as CEO and then Chairman, from start-up to national recognition as one of the fastest growing companies in the United States until its sale in 2006.
The Bells, who were high school sweethearts, are blessed with two wonderful sons, an outstanding daughter-in-law, and two precious granddaughters.
