It is officially Gala season at the Chamber, the most exciting time of year! On Saturday, May 7, the Chamber celebrates its 94th Annual Dinner Gala and Silent Auction at one of my favorite venues – the Fontainebleau Miami Beach. Over 1,000 guests will join together as the Chamber honors five distinguished leaders of the community while celebrating another successful year. The event will also raise money for the Miami Beach Chamber Education Foundation.
We are excited to announce this year’s celebrated honorees:
• Stu Blumberg, Former President and CEO, Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association will receive the City National Bank Miami Beach High Alumni Outstanding Achievement Award
• David Edelstein, President of TriStar Capital will receive the Excellence in Tourism Award
• Pierluigi Gazzolo and Viacom International Media Networks will receive the Corporate Citizen of the Year Award
• Jonathan Plutzik, Owner, The Betsy – South Beach will receive the Jan Pfeiffer Distinguished Service Award
• Stanley Whitman, Chairman Emeritus of Whitman Family Development, LLC will receive the Leonard A. “Doc” Baker Lifetime Achievement award
I would like to thank our Gala committee co-chairs Robin Jacobs and Sherry Kaplan-Roberts who are knee deep in the planning process. I’m also pleased to announce that my co-Master of Ceremonies for the event will be WPLG Channel 10 reporter, Erica Rakow. Erica is the daughter of Miami Beach Police Officer Scott Rakow, who died in the line of duty in 1988, when she was 6 months old. Recently, Erica and her mother Toni Rakow-Lester, returned to South Florida. I was proud to have known Scott when I was growing up on Miami Beach and excited about Erica’s return to Miami Beach.
For ticket purchases, sponsorship opportunities and/or more information on the Gala, feel free to contact the Miami Beach Chamber at (305) 674-1300 for more information.
Hope to see you at the Fontainebleau on May 7!
