SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER 2012
IT’S YOUR TIME TO SHINE! APPLY NOW FOR THE 2012 DIAMOND AWARDS JOSHUA JONES
T
Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce
he Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce will honor excellence in business at its annual Diamond Awards, presented by Montica Jewelry, on Thursday, November 1, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency Coral Gables. The Diamond Awards are the Chamber’s signature award program for top companies in the Coral Gables community. The prestigious Diamond Awards will honor businesses in nine different categories this year. Brilliant businesses will be recognized for their outstanding performance in the following categories: • Hearts On Fire – Large Business • Montica Ideal Cut – Medium Business • Princess of Hearts – Small Business • Diamond in the Rough – New Business • Minority-Owned Business • Non-Profit Organization • Restaurant • Multi-National Company • Ideal Workplace “We are proud once again to sponsor the Diamond Awards.” said John O’Rourke of Montica
Jewlery. “We are glad to continue this tradition and honor those organizations that have contributed so much to our community.” This year’s presenting sponsor is Montica Jewelry and supporting sponsors: Envision Possibilities; Logistical Outsourcing, Inc. and U.S. Century Bank.
merce. Applications are to be submitted by 4:00 pm on Thursday, September 21, 2012. To apply and submit a Microsoft Word or PDF file of your application to Erica Dominguez at edominguez@ coralgableschamber.org. For more information, visit www.coralgableschamber.org
The annual Diamond Awards, presented by Montica Jewelry, are our Chamber’s way of recognizing companies that have achieved luminous business success. The criteria for the awards are excellence in business, corporate citizenship, customer service and workplace environment. “These awards inspire businesses in the Coral Gables community to continually strive for excellence and become the “diamond” standard by which other companies and organizations are measured” said Mark A. Trowbridge, president & CEO of the Coral Gables Chamber of Com-
GOOD MORNING CORAL GABLES FEATURES INSTALLATION OF NEW CHAMBER BOARD
JOSHUA JONES Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce
O
n Thursday, September 20 at 8 am, the Good Morning Coral Gables breakfast will feature the 20122013 Board of Directors installation, including incoming Chair Darla Thompson of Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, LLP at the historic Biltmore Hotel.
IN THIS ISSUE • Chair’s Remarks
BEWARE THE IDES OF MARCH
Join us as we introduce and install the Chamber’s 2012-2013 Board of Directors by the honorable Michelle Alvarez-Barakat, Judge-Elect. The cost of this event will be $20 for all members who pre-register by September 14 and $40 for future members and guests. For more information on how to regster, visit www.coralgableschamber. org.
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• President’s Perspective
Page 3
• Trustee Talk
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• Chamber Events
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• Membership Highlights
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• Calendar of Events
Page 7
• Sponsor Recognition
The program will also feature Mayor Jim Cason presenting his annual State of the City Beautiful address.
Page 8-9 www.coralgableschamber.org | CHAMBER CONNECTION |SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012
CHAIR’S CORNER Darla Thompson Cherry, Bekaert & Holland CGCC Chair dthompson@cbh. com
B
eing in the accounting industry, I’m accustomed to being very busy this time of year with September and October being final tax deadlines which brings us into a new beginning. Changes in priority are made. Cautious projections are calculated. It’s a time for rebirth; a time for retrospection; a time for assessment. Your Chamber closed its fiscal 2012 year in August and inaugurated its new beginning fiscal 2013 on September 1st. In retrospect, we cherish the extraordinary stewardship of Chairman Drew Kern and his board of directors. With a tip o’ the hat, please join me and wish them happy landings. Thanks to them, our Chamber is a healthy, prestigious, dynamic operation.
increased membership; introducing new
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Chair: Darla Thompson (Cherry, Bekaert & Holland) Chairman-Elect: Perry Adair (Becker & Poliakoff, P.A.) Vice Chairman-Business & Economic Dev: Barbara K. Norland (Junior Orange Bowl) Vice Chairman-Gov’t & Legislative Affairs: Laura Russo (Laura Russo, PA) Vice Chairman-Community Affairs: Amy Donner (Community Newspapers) Vice Chairman-Member Affairs: Marianne Sioli (Filer Insurance, Inc.) Vice Chairman-International Affairs: Marco Ibarra (Eliptek Technology Group) Vice Chairman-Special Events: Gabriel de Armas Jr., Home Instead Senior Care Treasurer: John Allen (Home Financing Center, Inc.) Parliamentarian: Martha de la Pena Rojas (Florida Blue) Trustee Council Chair: J. Dustin Symes (City National Bank of Florida) Past Chairman: Drew Kern, Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell Realtors Chair’s Appointee: Linda Knudsen, Baptist Health South Florida President & CEO: Mark A. Trowbridge
projects and programs, and remaining a responsive, dynamic organization in 2013. October is one of my favorite months. We get a little taste of Fall. The armada heads down the glorious Biscayne Bay on Columbus Day. There’s UM Hurricane football to watch (sorry Mark!). The rainforest at Fairchild is less steamy. Coral Gables hotels and restaurants start welcoming tourists. Our trolleys are full. People are out on the sidewalks of Miracle Mile and Giralda until late into the evening. The Gablestage and Miracle Theater begin their new seasons. Sincerely, Darla Thompson, Cherry, Bekaert & Holland Chair, Coral Commerce
Gables
Chamber
of
The 2012 year-end finds the Chamber in good fiscal shape. However, rest assured our new board, the divisional vice-chairs, committee chairs, ambassadors, trustee diplomats and staff under Mark Trowbridge, are reenergized, working in sync and with great confidence. We cautiously predict
SPONSORSHIP AND ADVERTISING OPPORTUNITIES SPONSORSHIP Open Doors to Greater Exposure and Bigger Business! The Coral Gables Chamber has many high profile events that offer outstanding promotional value to your business. Get involved in the community and sponsor one of our upcoming events. For more information, contact Erica Dominguez at edominguez@coralgableschamber.org.
ADVERTISING What happens if you do not advertise your business? Absolutely nothing. Make your business stand out and take full advantage of your Chamber membership. There are sponsorship opportunities, newsletter advertising, City Beautiful magazine, website advertising and much more available to you to help promote your business. Rates are available on the front page of our website, www. coralgableschamber.org or you can contact Joshua Jones at jjones@coralgableschamber.org. 2
2012-2013 EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD OF DIRECTORS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Elected-term expires 2013 Dixie McDaniel de Andrade (Envision Possibilities) George Feliciano Jr. (Bay Plumbing Company) Ramon Ferrer (Florida Power & Light) Nelson Lazo (Doctors Hospital) Deirdre Nero (Nero Immigration Law) Elected-term expires 2014 Thad Adams (Allen Morris Company) Brian Barakat (Barakat Law, P.A.) Wayne Eldred (Tarpon Bend Raw Bar & Grill) Frank Fernandez (US Century Bank) Anabella Smith (Zyscovich Architects)
Elected-term expires 2015 Nikki Deas (Vine Communications) Rosemary Guilfoyle (Planning Consultants Group) John Knowles (Photo Offset, Inc.) Marti Mang (TotalBank) Zachary Sulkes (Bacardi USA) Appointees-term expires 8/31/2013 Dr. Andy Gomez (University of Miami) Dr. Jose Gurevich (Smiles & Sonrisas) Joe Hovancak (Comcast Business Class) Ramon Usategui (Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust) Al Peraza (Mercantil Commercebank) EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS City of Coral Gables Commissioner Frank C. Quesada City of Coral Gables Cynthia Birdsill (Economic Sustainability Department) Education Foundation of the Coral Gables Chamber Darla Thompson Coral Gables Community Foundation Andria Hanley Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce 305.446.1657
www.coralgableschamber.org | CHAMBER CONNECTION | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012
PRESIDENT’S PERSPECTIVE: Happy New Year! Mark A. Trowbridge, President & CEO Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce mtrowbridge@coralgableschamber.org
Thank you for your confidence and commitment to our Chamber. Come grow with us!
H
appy New Year Chamber members! September 1st marks the beginning of our new fiscal year, as well as the opportunity to welcome our new Chair of the Board, Darla Thompson and her leadership team, to the helm of our Chamber. Darla has served in a variety of capacities in the Chamber over the past year on her pathway to the Chairmanship, most notably on our Board of Directors, Diplomat Corps and as our Treasurer. Darla and her Board will be sworn-in officially at the September 20th Good Morning Coral Gables breakfast, where Mayor Cason will give his annual State of the City Beautiful address. You will not want to miss the amazing breakfast – always a highlight in our diverse cadre of programming during the year. These are exciting times in our Chamber, with our leadership and volunteers engaged in numerous activities that will impact our business community significantly over the next year. From permitting assistance to producing the Burgerliscious! event, our Chamber has something for everyone!
Past Chairs (Left to Right): Marc Berenfeld, Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, LLP; Carolina Rendeiro, Right Space Management; John O’Rourke, Montica Jewelry; Chair Darla Thompson, Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, LLP; Sergio Barrera, Travel Leaders - Business Travel Advisors; Gayle Bainbridge, Global Risk, LLC and Drew Kern, EWM.
After four long years, we truly believe we are on a road to economic recovery – now we need our business community to respond by adding jobs as consumer confidence returns. With a refined focus on local, state and federal issues affecting businesses of all sizes, to events that explore our real estate, green and international markets, the Chamber is committed to our membership’s needs, most importantly helping you grow your businesses. Even in a rebounding economy filled with tenuous uncertainty, the Chamber is the one constant – growing and strengthening relationships that will lead to new business, new partnerships, and even new friendships. Now is the time to renew your membership, get more strongly engaged, and find the right spot in the Chamber that will help you grow!
The 2012-2013 Board of Directors of your Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce
Our new Chair has focused her year on helping you grow your business alongside ours, with our members squarely at the top of our organization chart. It is our goal each day to be responsive to our members, our community, and our businesses. This requires a total team effort, each of us excelling in our respective roles and committing fully to developing business and building community. As I begin my seventh year as your president, I am constantly reminded how fortunate I am to lead a Chamber that is truly dynamic and diversified, committed and communityoriented, responsive and relevant, as well as in-touch and insync with the needs of our members. We know that people join our Chamber…because of the companies we keep.
Chamber Chair Darla Thompson and Chamber President Mark Trowbridge (beside an Abe Lincoln image). Photo by Betty Alvarez
www.coralgableschamber.org | CHAMBER CONNECTION | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012
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TRUSTEE TALK
J. Dustin Symes, City National Bank & Trustee Council Chair dustin.symes@citynational.com
I am honored to serve as your new Trustee Council Chair. I’m also honored to be a part of City National Bank, which has been a Trustee Member of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce for more than two decades and is also the Chamber’s banking relationship. City National Bank has been serving the Coral Gables community for close to 56 years. We are proud to continue to serve this wonderful community and partner with a great organization like the Gables Chamber.
Like the Chamber, CNB takes pride in its community. Community is a vital part of what we do and we are very proud and honored to be the South Florida Business Journal’s Community Bank of the Year. I fully support the Chamber’s continuing mission to build business and develop community in Coral Gables. I look forward to furthering this mission as Chair of the Trustee Council. I would also like to add my thanks to outgoing Chair Linda Knudsen of Baptist Health South Florida. Linda, you did an outstanding job. You will truly be a tough act to follow.
Luncheon this past month…well, you missed a great event! With a sold-out crowd in attendance, Chef Alex Kuk of Pao Town wowed the participants with his master craft and delicious bites, including a filet mignon Korean bun, guiltless breast of chicken with Pao Town quinoa, and a delightful poached pear with ginger ice cream. Amazing! Mark your calendars for several upcoming Trustee events, including our first Trustee Reception of the year, hosted by past Chamber Chair Carolina Rendeiro at her new Right Space 2 Meet location at 100 Miracle Mile. Receptions are a terrific way to meet other Trustees and get more engaged in the Chamber. Plus, admission is complimentary and part of your annual member benefit. Next month, we will be hosted at the brand new Riviera Health Resort in the South Gables. Finally, to kick-off the year, we have a very special treat for our Trustees. The Luncheon on September 27th (please note the date change due to Yom Kippur), will feature famed physician to the star athletes Dr. Harlan Selesnick from Doctors Hospital. He will be joined in an intimate conversation by two very special guests from the world-champion Miami Heat. Trust me, you do not want to miss an unforgettable luncheon event that promises to help you Get Back to What You Love!
If you did not attend our Trustee Invitational & Interactive
TRUSTEE INVITATIONAL & INTERACTIVE LUNCHEON - AUGUST 24, 2012
ALBERTO ROMEU | ALBERTO ROMEU PHOTOGRAPHY Top Left: Coral Gables High School Culinary Arts Program students and Chefs. Top Right: Carlos Larcarda, Sushi Maki; Chef Alex Kuk, Pao Town; Alex Rey, Credomatic Merchant Services and Nelson Penalver, Logistical Outsourcing, Inc. Bottom Left: Carolina Rendeiro, Right Space Management; Anabella Smith, Zyscovich Architects; Chamber president Mark A. Trowbridge; Annette Reizburg, Right Space Management; Linda Knudsen, Baptist Health South Florida and Chairman Drew Kern, EWM. Bottom Right: Chairman Drew Kern, EWM; Abe Ng, Sushi Maki and Chamber president Mark A. Trowbridge .
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www.coralgableschamber.org | CHAMBER CONNECTION | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012
FALL FEATURED FESTIVITIES September 27th Trustee Luncheon
October 11th Arts On Aragon Avenue
featuring Harlan Selesnick, M.D., Miami HEAT team physician with “special guests” from your Miami HEAT!
October 12th Residential Real Estate Outlook Luncheon
Time: 6pm-8pm
Time: 11:30am-1:30pm
Once again, our Chamber celebrates the vast arts and culture community in Coral Gables with our annual Arts On Aragon Avenue program.
The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce (CGCC), in conjunction with the Miami Association of Realtors (MIAMI), and in partnership with Miami Today, will once again host a residential real estate panel discussion that provides a platform for business leaders to discuss the state of the residential real estate market in our South Florida region. This year, the focus of the luncheon program will be on the latest trends in the market, including lending, cash as king, technology, inventory, international investors, pricing and how the current economic climate will affect the market in 2013. This is the fifth year that this luncheon has been presented in partnership with Miami Today and the Miami Association of Realtors, the largest real estate association in the world.
Known as the arts epicenter of The City Beautiful, Aragon Avenue boasts such important cultural icons as the Coral Gables Art Cinema, Books & Books and the Coral Gables Museum. This event, sponsored by Gibraltar Bank & Trust, will conclude at our new Museum, featuring its latest exhibition, Design for a Living World, presented by The Nature Conservancy. The evening will begin at 6pm and include a leisurely stroll along Aragon Avenue. For more information and registration, please visit www.coralgableschamber.org
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IT’S BACK!!! GET YOUR TICKETS NOW FOR BURGERLISCIOUS!...THE SECOND COURSE!
www.coralgableschamber.org | CHAMBER CONNECTION | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012
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SAVE THESE IMPORTANT DATES! SEPTEMBER 11th
OCTOBER 11th
TRUSTEE RECEPTION- 5:30 PM Right Space 2 Meet 100 Miracle Mile, Suite 200, Coral Gables
ARTS ON ARAGON AVENUE - 6:00 PM Coral Gables Art Cinema 250 Aragon Avenue, Coral Gables
SEPTEMBER 14th
OCTOBER 12th
CHAMBER 101- 9:00 AM Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce
RESIDENTIAL REAL ESTATE- 11:30 AM Biltmore Hotel 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables
224 Catalonia Avenue, Coral Gables
SEPTEMBER 18th WOMEN’S BUSINESS NETWORK LUNCHEON - 11:30 AM Sponsor: 1st United Bank Hyatt Regency Coral Gables 50 Alhambra Plaza, Coral Gables
OCTOBER 16th WOMEN’S BUSINESS NETWORK LUNCHEON - 11:30 AM Hyatt Regency Coral Gables 50 Alhambra Plaza, Coral Gables
SEPTEMBER 20th
GOOD MORNING CORAL GABLES - 7:30 AM Featuring the installation of the 2012/2013 Board of Directors and Mayor Jim Cason’s annual State of the City Beautiful Address Biltmore Hotel 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables
OCTOBER 18th GOOD MORNING CORAL GABLES BREAKFAST - 7:30 AM Biltmore Hotel 1200 Anastasia Avenue, Coral Gables
SEPTEMBER 27th (note date change)
TRUSTEE LUNCHEON- 11:45 AM Hyatt Regency Coral Gables 50 Alhambra, Coral Gables Speaker: Harlan Selesnick, M.D., Miami HEAT team physician Spomsor: Doctors Hospital & Baptist Health South Florida
OCTOBER 24th TRUSTEE LUNCHEON - 11:45 AM Hyatt Regency Coral Gables 50 Alhambra Plaza, Coral Gables
MEMBERSHIP HIGHLIGHTS WELCOME TO OUR NEWEST CHAMBER MEMBERS! Bala Vinyasa Yoga Catalyst Miami Christy’s Restaurant Cohen | Ruiz P.A. Fortius Financial Advisors Frameworks GableStage Gourmet Table Hammer Construction Corp. Katz Barron Squitero & Faust Klara Chavarria Contemporary Art Law Office of Deborah A. Antoni, P.A. Law Offices of Ena T. Diaz, P.A. Leomar Painting Inc. Lisdaws Timepieces & Eyewear Boutique Mercy Hospital Miami Art Museum Michael Jaspan Consulting The Murray Dranoff Foundation Pan-American Life Private Client PURE Environment Maintenance Resorts World Miami Seraphic Fire Service Master Restoration Services Sheraton Miami Airport Hotel Sonshine Communications Trust Technology Solutions, Inc. Vortex Communications Zubi Advertising Services, Inc.
SPONSORSHIP/INVESTOR HALL OF FAME July 2012 through August 2012
$5,000 AND ABOVE
$2,500 - $4,999
The Allen Morris Company AXA Advisors, LLC Baptist Health South Florida The Biltmore Hotel Cherry, Bekaert & Holland, L.L.P. City of Coral Gables City National Bank Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell Realtors Florida Blue Florida Power & Light Home Financing Center, Inc. Hyatt Regency Coral Gables Mercantil Commercebank, N.A. Miami’s Community Newspapers Montica Jewelry TotalBank University of Miami
Bay Plumbing Company Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. Coastal Construction Group Comcast Business Class Credomatic Merchant Services Doctors Hospital Esslinger-Wooten-Maxwell Realtors Gulliver Schools Logistical Outsourcing, Inc. Photo Offset Right Space 2 Meet The Miami Herald
* BOLD denotes new Trustee member
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www.coralgableschamber.org | CHAMBER CONNECTION | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012
U.S. Century Bank USAA Realty Company/CBRE Wal-Mart Stores
EVENTS CALENDAR
SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2012 Monday
Wednesday
Tuesday
3
8:00 AM International Affairs Meeting
4
5
12:15 PM RE-Connect @ Anacapri on Ponce
17
11
5:30 PM Trustee Reception @ Right Space 2 Meet *Trustee Members Only
18
Women’s Business Network
12
8:00 AM Business & Government Affairs Committee Meeting
19
13
8:00 AM M-Team Committe Meeting
9:00 AM 20/30 Group Meeting @ Biltmore Hotel
2
26
12:15 PM RE-Connect Luncheon
5:30 PM Wind Down Wednesday @ Mixtura Restaurant
9
5:30 PM Trustee Reception
3
10 9:00 AM Cultural Affairs Committee Meeting
16
Boss’s Day 8:00 AM Green Committee Meeting
17
8:00 AM Small Business Committee Meeting
23
8/9
9:00 AM Chamber 101
14
15/16
21
22/23
27
8:00 AM Business & Education Committee Meeting 11:45 AM Trustee Luncheon @Hyatt Regency Coral Gables
28
29/30
8:00 AM Ambassador Meeting
4
5
6/7
12
13/14
19
20/21
26
27/28
8:30 AM Trow Knows CEO’s
9:00 AM WBN Steering Committee
8:00 AM M-Team Committee Meeting
11
11:30 AM Residential Real Estate Outlook @ Biltmore Hotel
6:00 PM Arts on Aragon Avenue
18
7:30 AM Good Morning Coral Gables
9:00 AM 20/30 Group Meeting
11:45 AM
24
Trustee Luncheon @ Hyatt Regency Coral Gables
30
7
8:30 AM Trow Knows...CEOs featuring Thom Collins, Director, Miami Art Museum
20
9:00 AM Cultural Affairs Committee Meeting
25
Saturday / Sunday
@ Village of Merrick Park
11:30 AM Women’s Business Network Luncheon
11:30 AM Women’s Business Network Luncheon
29
6:00 PM Fashion’s Night Out
7:30 AM Good Morning Coral Gables
8:00 AM International Affairs Meeting
22
Committee Meeting
8:00 AM Small Business Committee Meeting
1
15
6
Ambassador Meeting
8:00 AM Go Green Committee Meeting
24
8
8:00 AM 9:00 AM
5:30 PM Wind Down Wednesday @ Pao Town
10
Friday
Thursday
Halloween
31
8:00 AM Business & Government Affairs Meeting
25
Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce Day 8:00 AM Business & Education Committee Meeting
11:30 AM
1&8
Diamond Awards
@ Hyatt Regency Coral Gables 6:00 PM Burgerliscious! @ Fred B. Hartnett / Ponce Cirle Park
www.coralgableschamber.org | CHAMBER CONNECTION |SEPTEMBER-OCOTOBER 2012
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SPONSORSHIP RECOGNITION WIND DOWN WEDNESDAY JULY AUGUST
GOOD MORNING CORAL GABLES JULY AUGUST
WOMEN’S BUSINESS NETWORK LUNCH
CITY BEAUTIFUL AWARDS
JULY
AUGUST
TRUSTEE RECEPTION JULY
TRUSTEE INVITATIONAL & INTERACTIVE LUNCHEON
Chairman’s Reception
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www.coralgableschamber.org | CHAMBER CONNECTION | SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2012