Born To Lead Gordon Eric Knowles

BORN TO LEAD

By: Sandy Walker

SOLID

There is a social media mainstay that asks you to describe something or someone in one word. As I thought of Eric, and because I limited myself to one word, the word “solid” came to mind. In my opinion solid describes someone who is dependable and straight forward. Once they tell you where they stand you don’t have to second guess it. Eric is solid

as a brick wall. In preparing for this publication we made contact with a number of people who know Gordon Eric Knowles much better than I do. The enthusiasm with which they spoke of him confirmed that we made an excellent choice in honoring Eric in this edition of Born to Lead!

As a publishing company we have consciously made the decision to

only publish positive news and information. Instead of no news is good news, how about our news is good news. It is in that light that we embarked on the journey of introducing you to the many facets of Gordon Eric Knowles.

- Blessings and best wishes to all.

CONGRATULATIONS! YOU ARE A... HUSBAND FATHER FRIEND BUSINESSMAN

MODEL/ACTOR

GENTLEMAN

GARDENER YOU ARE MIAMI’S RENAISSANCE MAN.

LOVE YOU! from your friends Bill Diggs and Dexter Bridgeman!

Eric Gordon Knowles: A True Renaissance Man

By: Zachary Rinkins

Gordon “Eric” Knowles is simultaneously a man about town and a man about his community. This duality aligns perfectly with the proud Bahamian descendant, business champion, and community leader. As president of the Miami-Dade Chamber of Commerce (M-DCC), his work combines his professional and personal passion.

“I have always enjoyed helping people and supporting Black-owned businesses,” Knowles declared.

M-DCC is dedicated to creating opportunities for economic and social transformation and envisioning a future where the diaspora of Black businesses thrive.

“I’ve been doing that since one of my very first jobs helping Black businesses along Grand Avenue in Coconut Grove, my community relations work with the Dolphins, or in my current role at the chamber,” Knowles said.

Before taking the helm of M-DCC, Knowles worked in community relations, business development, guest relations, and operations at some of the region’s most prominent organizations. He earned positions in the executive ranks of American Airlines, the Miami Dolphins, and Pro Player Stadium. He served on various host committees within the community and joined many civic groups. During his time as a board member, his peers elected him chairman of the board that governs M-DCC.

“Eric is well suited for his position because even when he was a board member and former chairman, he was always a major fundraiser,” said Bill Diggs, immediate past M-DCC president and Knowles’ friend of twenty years. “People support him and like him a lot because you never have to worry about him. He has the will to do what he says he will do.”

While serving as M-DCC president,

Diggs remembered an incident when he was doggedly advocating with an entity for a community benefits package that would include contracting opportunities for Black entrepreneurs. During the contentious negotiations, Diggs said the entity became aware that Knowles was an employee and the chamber’s board chairman—effectively Diggs’ boss. Diggs says the entity tried to pressure Knowles to encourage the then-M-DCC president to relent during the negotiations.

“At the time, Eric was the entity’s employee, so he was in a precarious situation. But he didn’t care. He told them, ‘I’m chairman of the board. But, the president is Bill Diggs. That’s who you will have to deal with. Don’t talk to me about this. Talk to him,’” Diggs recalled.

“He told the folks that he worked for, that he wouldn’t be the person standing in the way of progress. That was huge because it forced them to talk to me about the issues that we were having re-

garding Black participation. But, that’s how dedicated he was to our community.”

Diggs continued, “That is a testament of him choosing his community over his business interests.”

When asked about the incident, Knowles remarked, “This situation happened before COVID-19 and George Floyd, so we had to make sure that companies stepped up and supported Black businesses. That is my position, and it’s the right thing to do,” Knowles said.

Knowles assumed the chamber’s presidency in 2014. The role allowed him to leverage his career-long training and relationships for the benefit of Black enterprises.

“I met Eric when he worked with the Miami Dolphins. I was able to help build a Youth Center in Liberty City through money that we received from the National Football League,” said H.T. Smith, a famed attorney and community hero. “We hit up a friendship, and then we began to share information both ways in terms of business, community issues, community projects, and solutions for them.”

The legendary litigator and community champion is an M-DCC member and a former board member.

“I saw in Eric, a person who understood that for a membership organization, like M-DCC, the number one responsibility is to add measurable value to the members themselves, their businesses, and their employees,” Smith added.

“Eric has elevated the financial foundation of the organization because no matter how good your leadership or how good your plans, you need money to be able to execute those things,” Smith continued. “He has also further integrated the chamber into the greater business community.”

Knowles attributes a significant portion of his success to his values and mentors.

“I’ve enjoyed the wisdom and mentorship of people like Wayne Huizenga, the only man to take three companies to the Fortune 500, Larry Dillard, my first manager at Sears, David Alexander from the Coconut Grove Local Development Corporation, and Bob Kramm who was president of the stadium,” Knowles revealed.

“I’ve also enjoyed friendships with people like Bill Diggs, Dexter Bridgeman, and so many of my other peers. The legendary Thelma Gibson and former Miami Herald Publisher David Lawrence have always been helpful to me as well.”

Knowles says those examples led him to extend friendship and mentorship to others. Thomas Eugene has enjoyed a mentor relationship with Knowles for nearly 15 years. Eugene recalled meeting Knowles at a networking event. After Knowles finished a speech, Eugene introduced himself to the then-Miami Dolphins executive and transitioned to a peculiar ice-breaker.

“I asked him a weird question,” Eugene remembered. “I said, Hey , if I dressed like this and walked into your office for an interview, would you hire me?”

Thomas said Knowles chuckled and responded, “I probably wouldn’t talk to you right away. You may want to put on a tie first.”

“That is how we broke the ice. Eric gave me his business card. We spoke a few more times, and then he submitted my resume internally to a couple of his colleagues, and the rest is history,” Eugene shared.

The University of Florida alumnus was hired by the Miami Dolphins as an account executive within the group sales organization in 2008. Eugene facilitated group tickets for football games and events like the NFL Pro Bowls, Super Bowls, and the Jazz in the Gardens festivals, among other events. He says he generated more than 9 million dollars during his 12-year tenure. Eugene revealed that he was ranked the top sales-

man in his arena for roughly nine of those years. He attributes a portion of his success to wisdom from his mentor.

“Eric taught me to value relationships. You have to get to know people as individuals. And understand your commonalities and see how you can help them. Because you are not only doing business with the people, you can eventually serve the people they know. That approach will benefit you in the long run,” Eugene shared.

In 2020, Eugene transitioned to a role as Director of Group Sales for the Florida Panthers, South Florida’s National Hockey League franchise. He currently serves as Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Multicultural Affairs.

“I’ve always looked up to Eric for guidance in my professional career and also in my personal life as well,” he added. “So he’s been, I would say, the starting point and the continuation of where I am today.

Despite his work responsibilities, community obligations, and burgeoning modeling and acting career, Knowles enjoys exercising new yoga poses and reading Robert Ludlum’s Bourne Identity novels. Knowles offers this advice to young professionals aspiring for success.

“You have to demonstrate a next-level attitude in your current role,” Knowles advised. “Not an attitude that communicates I am here, and I’m only going to do what I’m asked to do. You have to do more!”

“You have to show people that you can be responsible and show them you can manage and be trusted to be elevated to the next level.”

Log on to www.instagram.com/livelearnloveletgod/ for the latest information on Knowles.

The smiles say it all ' ‘

In a life full of adventure with a mixture of diverse interests and activities Eric's heart knew that something was still missing That void would be filled with the union of Gordon Eric Knowles and Michelle Benoit.

FACTS ABOUT ERIC

By Maegan Barber

- Eric the leader: Gordon Eric Knowles serves as the current and fifth sitting President and CEO of the Miami Dade Chamber of Commerce, a local organization that has the focus of advocating for black businesses, minorities, and women.

- Eric the activist: Eric is a founding member of the South Florida Black Prosperity Alliance, an organization born out of COVID and the death of George Floyd and was created to tackle the systemic issues that continue to affect the Black community.

- Eric with the green thumb: Eric began a landscaping business in college through word of mouth and would landscape for friends and family. Once he got out of the military and got his own house he began landscaping and gardening his own yard. He continued to garden and still does to this day, gardening for Eric is creating a place of solace and beauty. In addition to his abundant tropical plants in his landscaping, in Eric’s veggie garden you will find papaya, lemon grass, mint, oregano, thyme, carrots, collard greens, tomatoes, brussels sprouts, kale, peppers, and much more. He even hosts events and concerts on his lawn deemed The Great Lawn, where families and friends can bring lawn chairs, blankets, and food to enjoy a beautiful experience.

- Eric the seeker of peace: He is a yoga instructor and enthusiast who began his yoga journey about 10 years ago. For Eric, yoga goes far deeper than the physical movement, it is about spiritual awakening. It’s a spiritual journey that promotes being good and kind to one another, being good to your body physically and mentally.

- Eric the model and actor: There are people that know Eric for his modeling, a career he took interest in at 18. A friend in the army owned a clothing store and asked him to model for him, and he did. After leaving the military at 21 he moved to Miami. Eric’s guidance counselor recognized his talent and demeanor and suggested he get an agent. He began professionally acting and modeling and did so for 20 years, working on several campaigns that included Carnival Cruise Lines, McDonalds, and Heineken, until 1997 when he began working for the Miami Dolphins Stadium. Eric paused his modeling and acting for about 15 years to concentrate on his career in sports. He resumed his work in the talent industry in 2016 and has been seen on many TV commercials as quite a distinguished gentleman.

Knowles Transforms Trauma into Triumph With Mental Wellness

By: Zachary Rinkins

Gordon “Eric” Knowles is a second-generation military veteran committed to living his life to the fullest. For Knowles, that means being a good husband, being present in the lives of his two adult daughters, and serving his community. While it is not unusual to see the fashionable executive sporting a million-dollar smile adorned in splendid haberdashery, Knowles admits he is still contending with a devastating incident that changed his life forever.

“In 1967, when I was 13, my father came to my room and told me he was going away and never coming back,” Knowles recalled.

The younger Knowles woke up the following day, went to play with some friends, and received the news from another friend running in his direction.

“My friend told me, ‘Your father is dead, and he shot himself.”

His father did not die immediately. He did, however, succumb to the wound.

According to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, a teenaged Knowles was one of the 7,000 to 12,000 children under 18 who lose a parent to suicide each year.

“Back in the 1960s, being a Black kid and dealing with that,

you weren’t given the choice of going to a psychiatrist or anything like that. I was never given those resources,” Knowles disclosed. “So I would say living with that all my life has probably been my biggest challenge.”

“I will be 66 in November, and it remains something I’ve had to deal with my entire life. Up into my 50s, I could not talk about it without crying.”

He attributes his ability to manage that debilitating trauma to having a loving family that surrounded him with unconditional love.

“I was blessed with a stepmother and grandmother that loved me. I didn’t even know my stepmother was not my biological mother until I was in my teens,” Knowles shared. “I always knew and thought of her as my mother.”

“I was dropped into a family with cousins and other children my age, and nobody ever treated me like a stepchild. So, I did not go through that trauma.”

Additionally, Knowles learned to approach his challenges with perspective.

“We all have to confront situations where we have no control. Don’t get hung up on those things. At the end of the day,

you have to go through whatever processes to take care of it,” Knowles said. “Eventually, everything will take care of itself. You just can’t allow it to control you. Enjoy life. Don’t sweat the small stuff.”

He also found yoga to be a resource for personal empowerment.

“Yoga is not only physical. It is much more than that,” Knowles added. “It is a spiritual, physical, and healthy journey that helps you get centered.”

“When people are upset, you tell them to relax, slow down and breathe. That’s what yoga is about,” he said. “Relaxing and understanding that this too shall pass.”

On that fateful evening, Knowles’ father left his son a parting challenge: “I need you to promise me one thing, that you will be strong.”

Knowles uses his environment, positive affirmations, and

a personal image to build emotional wellness and mental strength.

Your Environment is Important: “Your environment affects your mental health. I am not a neat freak but, I am really into my yard and making it a place of serenity.”

Use Positive Affirmations: “Try to have a positive mindset. Try to stay away from negative people. We have a thing about beauty in our culture. If someone is always telling you that you are ugly all the time, you might start believing them. People know me for dressing, and I dress well because I like to dress well. I also know that I am going to get compliments, and I like the compliments.”

Having a Great Personal Image Improves Your Mood: “You have people who are anorexic or obese, and I am sure it bothers them to some degree. Understanding where you are physically and being happy with yourself physically is connected to how you feel and how you feel about yourself.”

To Gordon Eric Knowles for this well deserved recognition! Your continuous commitment to our community is greatly appreciated!

Eric Knowles aka Girl Dad

by Erica and Catherine Knowles

Most people in Miami know our dad as the CEO of the Miami Dade Chamber of Commerce, someone who serves and leads the community, the guy that ran Dolphins Stadium, the model, and the best friend. But we know him as Daddy, the dance competition winner, the conch salad and stewed conch chef, the hug giver, the person that reminds you of how strong you are, our trip buddy, and the golf expert.

We are proud of our dad and this honor from The Gospel Truth. But outside of the awards he has received, it’s an even better feeling when you meet someone and they say they know your dad and they tell you how great of a man he is, or how he has helped them in one way or another. We see him go to meetings and host fundraising events but it’s the things that he has done to directly impact various individuals and communities that makes him the amazing person that he is.

As a father he leads by example in a number of ways. We remember that trip to Turks and Caicos in 2018 when

he said he was going to give us a yoga class. It was horrible, there was no flow, and he was falling over. Fast forward a year later and he completed the yoga instructor course, he began teaching a class in the backyard, and held classes for the Circle of Brotherhood. He will never say he can’t do something he will learn how.

With everything that he is doing and involved in you would think he’s the guy that’s on his laptop all hours of the night, constantly working on the weekend, or taking business calls. But he’s somehow figured out how to shut everything down and watch a movie, garden, have family dinner, play Scrabble, and just be dad. We hope that we can be parents like this one day.

So whether you see him as the best dressed man in Miami, the guy that hosts the parties, the social media poet, the guy playing golf with Beebs and Khaled, or the person who helped your business; we see him as all of that, but most importantly we love him as our dad.