P u b l i s h e d i n c o o p e r a t i o n w i t h T h e M i a m i B e a c h C h a m b e r o f C o m m e r c e –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– C o n n e c t i n g L o c a l B u s i n e s s e s s i n c e 1 9 5 8
OCTOBER 5, 2011
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www.communitynewspapers.com
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Sobol-Perry Fashion Productions announces World Class Bridal Event
B
eth Sobol, the Founder, President and Executive Producer of Miami Beach International Fashion Week, recognized as one of the world’s top five fashion events, along with her business partner Aaron Perry, continue building on the Fashion Week brand with the 2011 debut of Miami Beach International Bridal Week. Unlike other bridal events in the country, Miami Beach International Bridal Week is a two-day luxury lifestyle consumer trade show featuring the ultimate in wedding day suppliers and providers. Exhibitors are juried and participation is by invitation only. At Bridal Week, affluent brides and grooms from the US, Europe, Middle East, Asia and Latin America will be immersed into a fantasy fairytale wedding scene in white and crystals with thousands of exotic flowers from around the world as they personally meet with some of the world’s top
‘Visit Miami Beach’ hosts grand opening
Aaron Perry, Immediate Past Chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber; Bob Balsam, General Manager of the Miami Beach Convention Center; Jason Loeb, Board Chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce; Steven Haas, Board Chairman of the GMCVB; Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower; Alan Lips Chair-elect of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce; William Talbert III, President & CEO for the GMCVB; Elsie Howard, Chairman of the VCA; Jacque Hertz, Board Member of the VCA –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
BY CHARLOTTE LIBOV
C
Beth Sobol, Founder & Executive Producer of Miami Beach International Fashion Week –––––––––––––––––– See
SOBOL-PERRY, page 4
ity officials, business leaders, tourist experts, and members of the community all flocked to the Miami Beach Convention Center recently for the grand opening of “Visit Miami Beach,” the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s relocated and newly expanded tourism information center. “What a grand night this is! The center is located right here in the convention center, and will be a place that will offer guidance to visitors and also provide them with information. We’ve got all the good stuff right here now,” said Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower, who was among the
crowd that flocked to the Sept. 20 event. The event marked the center’s official opening. It had moved to the site a few months before, marking the first time the city has had a full-service visitor’s center located in the Miami Beach Convention Center. “This is a very exciting day for the whole community. We are proud that this is the face that will welcome visitors. This center will be the personality and smile that greets them,” said Jerry Libbin, Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce President and CEO noting that the new center represents a historic partnership between the Chamber, the City of Miami ––––––––––––––––––––
See
OPENING, page 4
Phone: 305-669-7355
Letter from the Chair BY JASON LOEB Chairman, Miami Beach Chamber
With millions of visitors a year, I’d like to think of Miami Beach as a welcoming city. Helping us to connect even further with this very important market was the recent Grand Re-Opening of Visit Miami Beach visitor’s center now located in the Miami Beach Convention Center. What began as a collaboration between the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce, the City of Miami Beach, The Miami Beach Visitors and Convention Authority. The Miami Dade Tourist Development Council and the Greater Miami Convention and Visitors Bureau as a facility to educate and serve our visitors has now expanded into a full-service concierge and retail outlet. We are here to provide service to the attendees and visitors of the Miami Beach Convention Center and make sure they have a pleasurable experience. Since 2002, the original Visitor’s Center has effectively served more than 50,000 people annually with multilingual information and amenities. However, I commend Bob Balsam, General Manager of the Convention Center, for his vision to expand the service to rival major cities San Diego, Chicago and Houston, all benchmarks for their own visitor centers. Our facility’s new home allows us to not only reach tourists, but also conventioneers, who no longer have to venture far from their business at the Convention Center to obtain information. In addition to a wealth of information and literature, guests receive personal insight and recommendations from Dona Zemo, Monique Beadut, Matthew Perl and Sarabeth Beitchman, who with a combined 30 years of experience make a seasoned team in making our visitors feel at home. Sunblock, aspirin and cold medicine, as well as a complete line of travel necessities, while the neighboring –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– See
LETTER, page 4
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COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM
October 6 - 19, 2011
October 6 - 19, 2011
COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM
LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT Attorney David Sacks Installed as Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Pillar Trustee Chair David Sacks, a well-respected South Florida attorney, has been installed as Pillar Trustee Chair of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s Pillar Trustee Board of Directors for 2011-2012. Sacks assumes his new role after spending the past year as the board’s vice-chair. “We’re fortunate to have one of the bestof-the-best,” said Jason Loeb, Chairman of the Board of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce. “David has shown tremendous leadership within the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce and throughout the community. He’s positioned-well to lead the Pillar Trustees.” Sacks succeeds Michael Goldberg of Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust. Said Sacks, “I’m following in the steps of a gifted leader who gave his all during his year as chair. I’m truly honored to take his lead. Our goal is to leverage and capitalize on the past 18 months. The Chamber is currently booming with increased Pillar membership and with increased business being conducted between Pillar members. Continuing to add value for Pillar members shall remain a priority for the upcoming year.” Sacks is a partner with the Miami-based law firm of Pathman Lewis. His practice areas include real estate, land use, and zoning. As a standout attorney, Sacks was named a “Top Lawyer” in 2011 by The South Florida Legal Guide. The Legal Guide recognized Sacks as one of “South Florida’s Up and Comers” in 2007 and 2008. “I have that passion to help people with a common cause,” said Sacks who was recently named to the Young Founders
DAVID SACKS
Board of Mount Sinai Medical Center Foundation. “I view my new role as Pillar Trustee Chair as an opportunity to lead a fantastic group of professionals as we embark in a new chapter.” Sacks earned his law degree from the University of Miami Law School, his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida, and an MBA from Florida International University, where he serves as adjunct professor teaching the legal environment of Business. “It’s my vision as Pillar Trustee Chair to draw from our dedicated board and help take our great 90 year old Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce to a new level.”
Miamii Beach h News
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SOBOL-PERRY, from page 1 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
bridal gown designers and retailers, sit down with wedding supply experts and consult with some of the top planners in the industry. They will also have the opportunity to join in educational seminars and learn about the planning process, budgeting, time lines and more from Style Networks TV Host and Celebrity Wedding Planner, Ana Cruz. Additional seminars will provide expert advice and tips on planning your financial future as a married couple, family counseling, life coaching and marriage equality & ceremony trends for LGBT couples. Taking Bridal Week to the next level, there will be specialty areas with elaborately decorated cultural pavilions hosting experts and suppliers on all types of wedding day needs not only for the traditional wedding but for Jewish weddings, Indian /South Asian weddings and Commitment Ceremonies. The event will offer a variety of food and drink samplings as well as live music. Attending male guests will have the opportunity to relax and indulge in the Groom’s Lounge. Bridal Week will take place November 26th and 27th at the Eden Roc Renaissance Resort. The all inclusive
LETTER, from page 1
Miami Beach luxury hotel’s $200 million renovation brings spacious guest rooms & suites, incredible on-site dining, four swimming pools, and features fitness center facilities along with spa services at the new ELLE Spa. One lucky couple will receive a complimentary rehearsal dinner, luxury hotel suite and spa package for a five day honeymoon stay at the hotel. Bridal Week’s media partners include The Knot, Wedding Channel, Brides Magazine, Latina Magazine, Vanidades Magazine, WTVJ-TV 6 Non-Stop Miami, RCN TV Colombia, Glitz TV Latin America and TV Asia USA providing Bridal Week with over 250 million media impressions worldwide. The heart of Bridal Week will be the spectacular runway fashion shows. Sobol and her entire production team from Miami Beach International Fashion Week will produce full scale bridal and eveningwear, men’s formal wear and bridal lingerie fashion shows during the two-day event. For additional event information and to participate as a sponsor, exhibitor or to purchase tickets, please visit www.miamibridalweek.com or contact Beth Sobol at beth@sobolperry.com
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retail outlet carries souvenirs from our professional sports teams, books about Miami Beach, cards, posters, clothing and other sundry items. The Center is the sole distributor of the Miami Beach InCard, and “Go Miami” discount tourism programs that allow visitors to enjoy special pricing on the goods and services of more than 400 participating businesses. The implementation of user-friendly, interactive touch screen terminals providing additional information about tours, dining, attractions, hotels, cultural venues and activities are in the works. The visitor’s center is located in Hall C of the Convention Center and is open 10a.m.-4p.m. daily, but will remain open
late on select evenings, as well as offers satellite services in other center halls during conventions. The re-launch of this state-ofthe-art facility is key in helping us communicate the incredible history, attractions and recreation our city has to offer. It aims to provide an enjoyable service to our visitors, helping them to make the most of their time in Miami Beach and hopefully confirming our city as their preferred vacation/business spot for years to come. As a businessman, I also recognize it as a prime opportunity for exposure. If you haven’t already, I encourage you to provide your information for distribution and get to know the incredible concierge team over there.
See us online at:
www.communitynewspapers.com
OPENING, from page 1
October 6 - 19, 2011
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Beach, the Miami Beach Convention Center (GMCVB) and the Miami Beach Convention and Visitors Bureau. “It’s important to make our visitors and our tourists feel welcome in our world class city and Visit Miami Beach fulfills that mission,” added Jason Loeb, chairman of the Chamber. The center also marks the coming together of various segments of the tourism community, speakers noted at the event. “This is an historic first. We’ve had the convention center here since 1956, and this is the first time we’ve had a full-service convention center here. We are an investor in this project and we are very proud of it,” said William D. Talbert III, president and CEO of the GMCVB. “This is a great facility for a five-star city,” agreed Bob Balsam, Miami Beach Convention Center’s general manager, saying that the move to expand the center had been overdue, but will now help the city keep pace with similar services offered by other top destinations. And, even in today’s technological age, the personal touch that the center provides has become even more important, noted Steve Haas, chairman of the GMCVB and the owner of City Hall the Restaurant in Miami. “The Visit Miami Beach center is extremely important. Many people research destinations beforehand on the Internet, but many also come and look for us in person, to tell them about places to go and interesting things to do,” he noted. His view was echoed by local businessman and former Miami Beach Commissioner Saul Gross, who said, “I wish Dona Zemo and her team the best in opening this center that will provide a great service to the community.” In fact, the idea of locating “Visit Miami Beach” in the convention center is already paying off, said Dona Zemo, the center’s director. “Our major objective was not only to serve the leisure traveler, but the business traveler as well. Now, people who attend conventions are coming to us for everything. We are providing a service to tourists, and a service to people using the convention center,” she said, adding, “We’ve added a whole new group of travelers—the business traveler.” She also noted that the center is ideally situated to augment the other tourist information facilities in town, which are the Miami Beach Latin Chamber of Commerce and the M i a m i Design and Preservation League’s cen–––––––– Segway Tours rode around the event.
Grand Opening of ‘Visit Miami Beach’ ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
ters, located on Lincoln Road and Ocean Drive respectively. The center’s staff includes Dona Zemo and Monique Beaudet, the assistant director who, between them, have more than 30 years of experience serving Miami Beach visitors. Other staff members include Visitor Specialists Matthew Perl and Sarabeth Beitchman, along with interns from Miami Beach High School’s Tourism Academy and the Florida International University’s School of Hospitality. The center also will carry a full line of traveler’s necessities, including retail items, like souvenirs, cards by local artists, posters, t-shirts, guidebooks, maps, event brochures, as well as sundry items. In addition, the center is the sole distributor of the Miami Beach InCard, and “Go Miami,” a discount tourism program. Many businesses and organizations also displayed their wares or distributed material at the event. Lucky Tattoo showed off its body painted model and also bedecked guests with the Visit Miami Beach logo, the Deco Bike bike sharing exhibited one of their bikes, Segway Tours rode around the event, and representatives from Costco passed out food samples. In addition, representatives of Ability Explosion were on hand to publicize their upcoming event later this month and Jungle Island delighted crowds with their baby chimp and alligator. , Centerplate provided appetizers and Schnebly Redland Winery poured a variety of fruit wines for the attendees to sample. DJ Jeff Greene of 84 West Studios provided the music. The center is located in Hall C of the convention center and is open 10 a.m.-4 p.m. daily, seven days a week, but will remain open late into the evening, and also offer satellite services in other center halls during conventions.
Text and photos by Charlotte Libov and Henry Perez of Sobe Fabulous. Charlotte Libov, whose work has appeared in Ocean Drive magazine, American Airline’s magazine “American way,” Florida Travel + Life, and many other publications, can be reached at char@libov.com. Henry Perez provides photographic services to corporate clients, as well as covering public events, private parties, portrait and nightlife photography. Contact Henry Perez Photography at 305-908-2768 or via e-mail at henry1dj@bellsouth.net.
October 6 - 19, 2011
COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM
COMMISSIONER ’S CORNER
Commission votes to lower your taxes BY COMMISSIONER JERRY LIBBIN
One of the most important jobs of a City Commissioner is to make the difficult decisions on how to continue to provide outstanding service and value to our residents for their tax dollars. At our initial budget hearing on September 14th, I proposed that we reduce the 6% franchise fee everyone pays on their electric bill to 5.29%, which will provide in the aggregate, a $1 million savings to all of those folks that pay an electric bill. My fellow Commissioners readily agreed to pass this savings on to our residents, business owners, and renters that all must pay for their electricity. I am also proud to tell you that at our final budget hearing on September, 27th after much discussion on how we might find a way to lower the millage rate for our taxpayers, I made a motion to freeze several vacant positions, which would save $268,599 and to reduce the Police overtime budget by $300,000, as well as to increase the amount of resort tax dollars that we will use to supplement our General Fund next year by $500,000. Identifying this additional $1,068,599 along with the $1,000,000 reduction in the amount that will be charged on your electric bills this year, means that we were able to provide relief of over $2 million in taxes and fees for the coming year. This motion was passed unanimously by Mayor Bower and the other 3 Commissioners present, Exposito, Tobin, and Weithorn. (Commissioners Gongora and Wolfson were absent.) The net effect was that we were able to pass a budget with an operating millage of 6.1655 rather than the advertised 6.2155 and we were able to lower the Voted Debt Service from the advertised rate of 6.5039 mills to 6.4539 mills. The process of developing a budget takes many months as we spend time reviewing each department’s budget along with the requested additional service items that they want to provide to the communi-
ty. I am proud of the actions that we took over the past two weeks in finally approving our budget for 2011-2012. The Commission has been meeting since May, when we had our Commission Retreat where we built consensus on the issues that we felt were most important to the community. The Administration then took that feedback to the various departments and they shaped their budgets to include these priorities. The Finance Committee, Chaired this past year by Deede Weithorn, then held a series of budget meetings over the summer to refine each department’s budget in an effort to once again build consensus amongst the Commission on a balanced budget that provides the greatest value to all of our residents. As a team, we produced a balanced budget that will provide more direct value for tax dollars paid than many other taxing jurisdictions. For example, in FY 2009/10, the owner of an average value homesteaded property would have paid approximately $1,700 in property taxes to the City of Miami Beach; as compared to approximately $4,000 to the County, the school board and other local taxing jurisdictions; approximately $2,400 in sales taxes to the state; and approximately $7,000 in income taxes to the federal government. Although this is an excellent accomplishment, there is much work still to be done over the coming year as we must deal with our single largest issue, that of Pension Reform. As you have been undoubtedly reading in the news for the past year or so, the rapid increase in the cost of maintaining our pension obligations has become a financial burden that must addressed in the coming year as we begin to negotiate new Union Contracts. Cities across the Country find themselves in similar situations and every day the news is filled with stories about how Unions are faced with concessions, or the reality of layoffs. Miami Beach must step up and deal with this issue head on in the coming year in order to protect the future of our beautiful city and ensure that future Commissions can continue to pass budgets that provide excellent service and true value for the tax dollar spent.
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October 6 - 19, 2011
October 6 - 19, 2011
COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM
The $outh Florida Gaming Report Where have you gone Mr. Slot Machine BY ISADORE HAVENICK
Gambling on Miami Beach was a way of life for so many years but has been forgotten by so many. M i a m i Beach’s history is steeped in the intrigue and allure of gaming. In the late 1800’s Henry Flagler had gambling at all his hotels and resorts. Miami Beach was the gambling Mecca of the United States in the 1930’s and 1940’s. Casinos helped build the city into one of the world’s premier tourist locations. Places like the Clay Hotel, Cap’s Place and the Cinema Casino fueled the local economy. In 1931 the nation’s first greyhound track opened on First Street, a short stroll away from Joe’s Stone Crab Restaurant, where South Pointe Park sits. A 1923 grand jury report states “in much of the city, residents and tourists alike could find numerous street machines, punch boards, and other gambling devices that even little children may play” (please note I am not advocating children gam-
bling). In 1942 Winston Churchill even met with Franklin Delano Roosevelt secretly at one of Miami Beaches Casinos. In 1935 Florida legalized slot machines for the first time and they were a mainstay for 38 years until a repeal in 1973. Gambling referendums have appeared before the voters several times, all with Miami Beach at the focal point. In 2004 the voters of Florida finally allowed for slot machines at South Florida’s seven pari-mutuel facilities based on county referendums. Upon county approval in 2008 they were finally legalized again in Miami-Dade with over 60 percent of Beach voters in favor of the proposal. Now casinos companies from all over the world have their sights set on huge destination resorts in Downtown Miami. The Beach needs to remember the glory of a bygone era in the city’s history and, at the very least, study the potential impacts.
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October 6 - 19, 2011
ECOMB: One-Stop Shop Recycling Drop-Off Station For Electronic Waste, Batteries, Compact Fluorescent Light Bulbs and all other recyclables. WHAT: ECOMB HAS JUST MADE IT A LOT EASIER FOR EVERYONE TO RECYCLE! The Environmental Coalition of Miami & the Beaches, ECOMB, in partnership with the City of Miami Beach, eTronic eWaste (www.etronicewaste.com), EcoBatt (www.ecobatt.net) and Smart At Bulbs (www.smartatbulbs.com) is pleased to announce the opening of Miami-Dade County’s first One-Stop Shop Recycling Drop-Off Station for all types of electronic waste, batteries and compact fluorescent light bulbs at its new Miami Beach Center for the Environment. The Center also accepts all other types of Single Stream Recyclables - glass, plastic, metal, paper, cardboard, magazines, junk mail, phone books, etc - for those businesses and residents that do not have a recycling program, thanks to an agreement established between the City of Miami Beach and our local waste haulers: Choice Recycling, General Hauling, Waste Management and WSI. With ECOMB in the “hood”, it’s now easy to be part of the green movement. All you have to do is call ECOMB’s office or stop by to visit us. WHY: Because the average American throws out seven and a half pounds of trash each day! And it all ends up at the landfills, where it just sits, compacted, buried, taking up space ... forever. Recycling is important because it helps keep our resources plentiful, not only for us but for our future generations: our children, grandchildren, and so on ...
WHERE: Miami Beach Center for the Environment 210 Second Street and Collins Court (alley between Washington & Collins Ave.) Miami Beach, Fl 33139 TIME: • GENERAL RECYCLABLES = SINGLE STREAM (glass, plastic, metal, paper, etc): 24 HOURS A DAY BATTERIES, • ELECTRONICS, CFLs: from 10 am to 5 pm, but call first to make arrangements. About ECOMB: ECOMB, a 501 (c) (3) founded in 1994, is dedicated to the promotion of environmental sustainability and the preservation of our community’s ecology. ECOMB’s Executive Director Luiz Rodrigues · Phone: 305-534-3825 · luiz@ecomb.org ECOMB’s Board of Trustees President Jeffrey Forster · jeff@ecomb.org
Educating People. Engaging our Community. Effecting Environmental Change.
October 6 - 19, 2011
COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM
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October 6 - 19, 2011
BY WILLIAM D. TALBERT III, CDME
HOW’S BUSINESS Demand for travel to Greater Miami and the Beaches remains strong. During the first eight months of 2011, Greater Miami and the Beaches showed increases vs. 2010, ranking #3 in Revenue Per Available Room (RevPar) at $119.55, #3 in Average Daily Room rate (ADR) at $155.32 and #4 in Hotel Room Occupancy at 77.0% among the Top 25 U.S. Markets as reported by Smith Travel Research. Employment in the hospitality industry continues to be robust. Greater Miami’s Leisure and Hospitality Industry jobs reached a record high for August with an increase of +1.7% in August 2011 compared to the same period in 2010. This is the 15th consecutive month of increased employment in Greater Miami’s Leisure and Hospitality industry. In August 2011, a record 107,500 people were employed in Greater Miami’s Leisure and Hospitality sector compared to 105,700 for August 2010. GMCVB’s fall calendar heats up with the return of many favorite programs for both visitors and residents such as Miami Attractions Month in October and Miami Live Music Month in November. For details on these and other money saving promotions, visit online at www.MiamiTemptations.com. RECENT & UPCOMING MEETINGS… Meeting: American Society for Radiology & Oncology (ASTRO) Annual Meeting Date: October 2-5, 2011 Venue: Miami Beach Convention Center Attendance: 16,200 Meeting: Goldwell Color Zoom Event
Date: October 15-18, 2011 Venue: Miami Beach Convention Center Attendance: 3,000 Meeting: America Society for Periodontology Date: November 13-15, 2011 Venue: Miami Beach Convention Center Attendance: 5,500 MIAMI AND BEACHES APP NOW AVAILABLE FOR ANDROID! GMCVB’s “Miami and Beaches” app is now available for Android phones. Helpful for visitors as well as locals, the application is a mini travel guide to our destination, providing information on hotels, dining, shopping, transportation and more in Greater Miami and the Beaches. Highlights include a Guided Walking Tour of the Art Deco District, special money-saving offers, and detailed listings and maps for Miami’s beaches, golf courses and shopping malls. SAVE THE DATE The GMCVB’s Annual Meeting will take place on Mondaa y, October 24, 2011 at the New World Center (home of the New World Symphony) on Lincoln Road in Miami Beach. This year marks the 25th anniversary of the GMCVB so it will be an extraordinary event! For more information, contact Sandra Daley-Francois at 305-539-3076. MIAMI ATTRACTIONS MONTH Miami The GMCVB’s annual Attractions Month has amazing offers October 1-31, 2011 — when Everyone’s a Kid! Now is a great time for visitors and residents to experience Greater Miami and the Beaches’ many unique and exciting attractions while enjoying special attraction offers and coupons. For a list of participating attractions and more details on amazing attraction offers, visit www.EveryonesAKid.com.
See us online at:
www.communitynewspapers
October 6 - 19, 2011
COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM
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Call 828-682-4522 Jackie - cell 828-284-2473 thurstonassociates.com or Charlie - owner at 703-561-8001
October 6 - 19, 2011
October 6 - 19, 2011
COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM
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COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM
October 6 - 19, 2011
Delivering an Experience
Local Businessman Jason Loeb shares his insights on how to capture and retain customer satisfaction It’s a tough consumer crowd out there. A recent report by Harris Interactive found that 86% of consumers quit doing business with a company because of a bad experience, up from 59% just four years ago. And in today’s society, word travels fast. A unhappy consumer will tell between 9 and 15 people about their experience, with 13% of these dissatisfied parties telling more than 20 people, according to the White House Office of Consumer Affairs. The key word in these two telling statistics is “experience.” Many businesses are finding that it’s no longer enough to provide a good product, or even good service. Jason Loeb, Founder and President of Sudsies Dry Cleaners & Laundry and Rugsies Carpet and Drapery, is among the local examples of the success attributed to complete customer focus. “There are a ton of factors to consider when creating the customer experience,” says Loeb. “Customers aren’t going to want to do business with us if we’re jerks, nor are they going to choose us if we’re nice, but can’t deliver a clean product. Furthermore, our customers are time-sensitive, so we need to make our services convenient.” Taking on the client mindset, Loeb inserts an array of nuances and refinements to his businesses. He first established Sudsies as a quality dry cleaner in 1996 with several retail locations across the Miami area; however, really began to see growth five years later when he added complimentary pick-up and delivery service. He found an overwhelming positive customer response and a 30% immediate increase in retention and usage. The dry cleaner picks up and delivers from any home, office, even yacht within
Miami-Dade and Broward counties and recently expanded into select cities in Palm Beach county. Adding further convenience is web-based service, whereby customers can schedule individual or reoccurring pickup/deliver times and the dry cleaner is currently working on an iPhone app as an additional service option. Sister company Rugsies provides home cleaning services. Still honing in on the convenience factor, Rugsies services require no furniture rearrangements, take-down of window treatments, and instant drying times for all newly cleaned carpets and fabrics. To Loeb, the experience depends upon the small details as well. Both companies have gone green, not only appealing to his ecoconscious clientele, but simultaneously providing them peace-of-mind with products and processes that are kid and pet friendly. Loeb stresses that employee engagement is the main driver to customer engagement and relies on them to deliver the quality product and service associated with the two brands. “You can’t just hand out an employee handbook and expect to have a strong company culture,” Loeb says. “It’s about being a team and looking out for their best interests, so that they are equipped, empowered and motivated to best serve our clients.” This includes in-depth training, up to 90 days before hitting the floor, as well as ongoing continued education and designations covering everything from specialty care of Hunter Douglas window treatments to developing management skills. At the core of this culture is a S.M.I.L.E. philosophy promoting openness and positivity. However, above all, Loeb stresses consistency with all parties within the company network. “You have to have a solid relationship with your employees, suppliers and community,” he elaborates. “Exceeding their expectations enables you to exceed your customer’s expectations.”
Barbara Buxton, J.D., LL.M. Florida Attorney
Nursing Home Medicaid • Elder Law & Estate Planning Florida Medicaid Planning & Eligibility Asset Protection • Wills, Trusts, Living Wills Powers of Attorney • Guardianships Probate: Estate Administration
Serving Dade, Broward & Palm Beach Counties Tel.: 305.932.2293 Miami-Dade County 954.760.7077 Broward County www.buxtonlaw.com
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Don’t Overemphasize the US News College Rankings
BY PETER RATZAN
Recently the US News & World Report, the most famous and influential of the national college ranking services, released their 2012 rankings. This magazine doesn’t even have a print edition anymore, but they make a fortune each year selling their rankings issue, which sits on bookstore shelves year around. While lucrative for US News and for the top schools on the list (whose bond ratings can be affected by their rank), I wouldn’t become too dazzled by this or any other subjective ranking system. Don’t get me wrong, there is some valuable information about the schools contained in the report, and it does provide insight into some important metrics (like graduation rates and financial aid awarded) to consider when evaluating colleges. But ultimately the methodology that determines why one school is ranked higher than another, and is therefore perceived as “better”, is only minimally based on educational quality. Rather, ‘reputation’ — measured by feedback from other administrators — is one of the most significant factors in the rankings. Guess what? They often vote for each other’s schools. Though the rankings might contribute to a school’s prestige, they have little bearing on your child’s success in school and in life. That’s more about a student’s ambition, talent and hard work once they get to college, and ‘brand name’ graduates do not have a monopoly on those traits. Many lesser-known and thus lowerranked schools have outstanding programs
and great reputations among employers and graduate schools. So, unless your child defines success as getting accepted to a highly ranked college, your best strategy is to apply to colleges that fit your student’s academic and career aspirations, inspire them socially and will be affordable so that they can finish without handcuffing their future with debilitating debt. Unfortunately, the rankings can have great influence over the admissions process, causing needless stress and forcing parents and students into sometimes irrational decisions. My best prescription for rankings-induced agita is to take a look at the report if you wish, and use the information provided to inform but not to direct your selection. With the rising sticker price of college, practicality (school generosity, study options, career direction)– not some subjective perception — should reign supreme. If you’d like to understand how the whole college system – admissions, need, and non-need based financial aid — works; and more importantly, how you can make it work for your family; you should register for one of my free classes. If you are the parent of an 11th or 12th grader, or care about someone who is, I highly recommend you check out my class. For more information, visit www.LearnCollegeFunding.com.
Peter Ratzan is president of College Funding Specialists, Inc., a Weston-based firm with offices in Coral Gables and Aventura. The firm helps families tackle the challenges of getting into and paying for college in today’s competitive environment. For more information, visit www.CollegePlanningAdvice.com.
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The Miami International Wine Fair, ‘The Best show ever’
BY MARTIN MENDIOLA
Mendiola@USGourmet.US On our way to the Miami International Wine Fair at the Miami Beach Convention Center the weekend of September 23rd to the 25th, we were a bit apprehensive as to the outcome since there are so many pending economic issues, but as we approached the Divino Imports booth, Nina Romo, president of the company, greeted us with a big smile and a simple comment “This is the best show ever”. Immediately all our concerns disappeared, for knowing Nina, I knew she meant sales were being made and without having to ask she said “We have written up more orders and signed more new accounts than ever before. This is GREAT!” At a time when trade shows are not doing necessarily well throughout the country, the Miami International Wine Fair is on its tenth year at the Miami Beach Convention Center and growing. Within a short period of time, it has become the leading wine trade expo in the country; the premier location for wine manufacturers, importers, distributors and retailers to get together and do business. Millions of wine dollars were negotiated during those three days. The Fair is also a great place to introduce new products and one of the main reasons I attend. Among the most exciting new products I found, was a 100% Tempranillo wine from Napa called Mundo Latino. The Tempranillo grape is originally from Spain and it is known as its “noble grape”; it is cultivated in Argentina and has been sporadically used for blending with other grapes in Napa, but I had never seen it
as the main grape variety in a Napa wine. The reason I found Mundo Latino interesting and exciting is because of its characteristics. We were able to detect the traditional color, aromas and flavors of the grape while the wine is rich, full body and heavier than most Rioja’s and Ribera del Duero we know. I found it even fuller than the wines from Toro and could not help but question if they are using a version of the ripasso method used to make the Italian Amarones. Some more knowledgeable Tempranillo connoisseurs like Miami’s Spanish food icon, Diego Lozano of Diego’s Andalucia Tapas Restaurant, disagreed with me and concluded that the difference is probably due to the California, Napa terroir. We also discussed the fact that the name Tempranillo is derived from the Spanish “temprano” which means “early” and was used to name this grape because it has the tendency of ripening earlier than most other grapes. This allows
José Luis García Estallo and Nina Romo –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
the winemaker to delay the picking of the grapes to give it more consistency and remain within the Napa harvest time frame. Even though we really did not think this is what happened, it still was a good topic for discussion. Whatever it is they are doing, besides the label, there is something very special about this wine and a call to the winemaker is in order and forthcoming. Another interesting concept we found at the Fair, were the wines from Green Griffin International, which markets its Millennial Wines as the “French Wine for the Generation Y”. They quote Thomas Jefferson when he said that “Every Generation needs a new revolution” and incite Generation Y members to join by letting them know that “The time has come for the French Wine Revolution” and even though “Tradition still has its place, now GGI proposes an innovative new way of seeing and drinking French Wine”. Green Griffin International most certainly has a Generation Y attitude that is reflected in the packaging and/or bottles they use, the names of their wines and the marketing concepts. Their portfolio includes Millennial Wines in a “rocket” type bottle, The French Paradox and Eternal Diamonds Champagne, where each bottle is dressed with rhinestones and as part of the marketing strategy, every 500th bottle sold will contain a certified 1 carat diamond. Matthew Wellman, originally from Palm Beach and currently living in France with his French wife, is the founder of this unusual and most innovative wine
company. We are sure to hear much more from them in the very near future. Brazil, not known for its wines was well represented at the Miami International Wine Fair by a company named Spirits do Brasil, where they introduced the wines with the Villaggio Grando label. I was impressed with their Villaggio Grando Chardonnay which has a crisp orange, honey, and mineral flavor making it distinct and certainly worth trying. Still, the most impressive Brazilian wine was the Villaggio’s Brut Rose. It is soft, smooth and elegant. Made with the Pinot Noir and Merlot grapes and while bubbly, it can be easily paired with many dishes. It quickly became one of my favorites. An innovative concept also found at the Fair, is Conelly The Cocktail Makers; two separate cans stacked on top of one another already measured in the right proportion for a consistent, perfect cocktail every time. One can contain the mixture of spirits and the other one the juices. All you do is open, pour in a shaker over ice, shake, serve and enjoy. It is most convenient without the hassle of having to carry the juice and liquor bottles or having to worry about glass bottles breaking on the boat or by the pool, and best of all… the mix is good. After touring the Fair, I went back to check and see how things were going with Nina Romo at the Divino Imports booth. While watching them taking orders and talking to new customers, it was not difficult to realize the reason for their success. Divino Imports Inc has an extensive product line with wines from all over the world at all price levels. The staff is friendly, knowledgeable and willing to accommodate customers’ needs. It was exciting to see how customers responded and how the staff promoted all their established brands while introducing new ones. Everyone was really excited about the latest addition to their portfolio, a wine from Tudela de Duero called Señorio de Monteviejo . This wine is made with the Tempranillo grape and aged in American oak barrels with the aroma of red fruit and spices. Customers heard how it is “ideally suited to the new tastes of the consumer”, were able to taste it and loved the most competitive price. In addition, if any questions, they could ask Jose Luis Garcia Estallo, the company’s representative who flew in from Valladolid just for the occasion. There is no secret to Nina Romo and Divino Imports’ success at the Miami International Wine Fair, all you had to do was stand by and watch them in action. With the right attitude, knowledgeable staff, excellent product line and competitive prices, everyone could have echoed Nina when she said “This is Great” it is “The best show ever.”
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School is back in session, and so is the unnerving task of driving in school zones. Do you know how to safely drive in school zones? Driving safely in school zones Let's face it, driving in school zones is a task that requires an extraordinary amount of patience. Sounds easy, but during those mornings when you're fifteen minutes late to an important meeting, it is a daunting task. Number one rule is patience, without it, accidents are bound to happen. 1. 2. 3. 4.
Tips for driving in school zones DON'T assume anything: children can run across the street at any second, be prepared. Know your surroundings: It's easier to anticipate what will happen next, if you observe where the kids and parents are around you. Obey all laws: Don't travel over 15 miles per hour, and travel slower if there are a lot of children around. Don't get distracted: Put down the coffee, cell phone, and keep both hands on the wheel. Remember! Be careful, attentive, and most important-patient! “Serving Our Community For More Than 20 Years”
ATTORNEYS AT LAW
305-662-6178 6950 N. Kendall Drive Miami, Florida 33156 Telefax: (305) 662-9472 • 1-800-PANTERLAW www.panterlaw.com
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MAGIC CITY CASINO CELEBRATION SLATED FOR OCTOBER 15 ON SATURDAY OCTOBER 15TH THE MAGIC CITY CASINO PLANS AN ALL DAY CELEBRATION TO MARK EIGHTY YEARS OF DOG RACING ALONG WITH ITS SECOND ANNIVERSARY OF CASINO OPERATIONS. THE FESTIVITIES BEGIN AT 10:00AM WHEN GIFTS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED TO CASINO PLAYERS. THE POKER ROOM OPENS AT NOON AND THE FIRST 100 SEATED PLAYERS WILL RECEIVE SPECIAL VIP GIFT PACKS. CASH AND PRIZES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED ON THE CASINO FLOOR THROUGHOUT THE DAY. LIVE DOG RACING BEGINS AT 1PM. AT 5PM THE FACILITY WILL HOST A WHEELIN DEALIN FOOD FEST FEATURING OVER TWENTY OF MIAMI’S FINEST GOURMET FOOD TRUCKS. THE LIVE ENTERTAINMENT CONTINUES LATE INTO THE NIGHT WHEN THE CHIRINO SISTERS PERFORM TWO SHOWS IN SECADAS LOUNGE AT 9:30PM AND 11:00PM WITH A FIRE SHOW IN BETWEEN PERFORMANCES.THE MAGIC CITY CASINO IS LOCATED ON 37TH AVENUE [DOUGLAS ROAD] AND 7TH STREET IN MIAMI. FOR DIRECTIONS AND INFORMATION PLEASE CALL 305-649-3000 OR VISIT THEM ON THE WEB AT WWW.MAGICCITYCASINO.COM
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Hurricane Season? DON’T BE CAUGHT UNPREPARED!! Sanchez Arango has your safety in mind and provides Pre-Storm preparation by pruning branches to minimize storm damage, secure, store or remove loose items. Also After-Storm services to recover, rebuild and clean-up structures, remove debris, salvage and replace landscaping.
305.592.9252 • www.sanchezarango.com
October 6 - 19, 2011
COMMUNITYNEWSPAPERS.COM
Google Learning Workshops at the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce The Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce is offering a one hour Google Adwords Basic Training every 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of every month at 11am. The cost per member is $30 and $50 for nonmembers. At the end of the course, you will receive $100 Coupon to apply to your budget. There is no minimum budget and no obligations. Here is a chance for your business to learn a new and valuable advertising tactic. This is a $300 value! Google AdWords is Google’s main advertising product and main source of revenue. AdWords offers pay-per-click (PPC) advertising, cost-per-thousand (CPM) advertising, and site-targeted advertising for text, banner, and rich-media ads. The AdWords program includes local, national, and international distribution. Google’s text advertisements are short, consisting of one headline with 25 characters and two additional text lines inclusive of 35 characters each. Advertisers select the words that should trigger their ads and the maximum amount
they will pay per click. When a user searches on Google, ads (also known as creatives by Google) for relevant words are shown as “sponsored links” on the right side of the screen, and sometimes above the main search results. Click-through rates (CTR) for the ads are about 8% for the first ad, 5% for the second one, and 2.5% for the third one. The ordering of the paid-for listings depends on other advertisers’ bids (PPC) and the “quality score” of all ads shown for a given search. The quality score is calculated by historical click-through rates, relevance of an advertiser’s ad text and keywords. In addition to, advertiser’s account history, and other relevance factors as determined by Google. The quality score is also used by Google to set the minimum bids for an advertiser’s keywords. Please call the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce at (305) 674-1300 or email Daniel@miamibeachchamber.com.You can also register on calendar of events at www.miamibeachchamber.com
HIT THE GREEN FOR EDUCATION 3RD ANNUAL GOLF TOURNAMENT The Foundation for New Education Initiatives, Inc. presents its 3rd annual “Hit the Green for Education” golf tournament and invites you to join Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho in supporting innovative programs for the students of Miami-Dade County Public Schools. This exciting event will be held on October 18, 2011 from 8 a.m. at the Doral Golf Resort & Spa, located at 4400 N.W. 87th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33178. Registration opens at 7 a.m. This year, prices have been reduced for participants and sponsors. A special rate for a group of four includes unlimited free practice range from 7 a.m. to t-time at 8 a.m., continental breakfast, shirt, towel, golf balls and bag, and awards. All golfers receive complimentary lunch and gift bag. The title sponsor, Rick Case Automotive Group, will be offering an opportunity to win one of five Rick Case vehicles for a hole-in-one.
Come join the host of sponsors and participants and enjoy a day on the links for a good cause. The sponsorship application and golfer registration form can be downloaded at www.GiveOurStudentsTheWorld.org. For more information on sponsorship opportunities, rates and golfer registration, call 305-995-1756.
Never Pay Another Expensive Repair Again
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MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER WELCOMES AKSHAY BHANDARI, M.D.
Have a unique experience at
Savor our wide variety of meats and wines
The best Brazilian steakhouse in Brickell
Monday thru Thursday our Happy Hour is 2 for 1 drinks from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm Friday Happy Hour: 5 pm to 10 pm Live DJ from 5 pm to 11 pm Free Appetizers Complimentary Wine & Caipirinha tasting Your first Caipirinha or House wine is on us, after that it’s 2 x 1
Mary Brickell Village 901 Brickell Plaza Miami, FL 33130 www.grimpa.com Two rooms available for private Events 305 455 4757 Call now to book your private event
Mount Sinai Medical Center has appointed Dr. Akshay Bhandari as the new director of robotic urology and assistant professor for the Mount Sinai Columbia University Division of Urology. Dr. Bhandari has performed more than 500 robotic procedures, including radical prostatectomy, nephrectomy, partial nephrectomy, radical cystectomy and other complex robotic urologic procedures. Dr. Bhandari is Mount Sinai’s newest specialist for the treatment of all renal conditions including kidney tumors, stones and cancer as well as robotic urological surgery. Dr. Bhandari completed his residency in urology and a fellowship in minimally invasive robotic surgery at the Vattikuti Urology Institute at Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, where he was also a member of the founding robotic surgery team. During his training, Dr. Bhandari was an integral member of the teams that developed techniques to perform robotic-assisted kidney and pediatric urologic procedures. Dr. Bhandari has written more than 40 peer-reviewed publications that have been published in various national and international journals. He is also a member of the American Urological Association, American Association of Clinical Urologists and the Endourological Society. Dr. Bhandari is fluent in both English and Hindi. For more information or to contact Dr. Akshay Bhandari, call 305-674-CARE (305674-2273) or visit www.msmc.com or www.miami-urology.com.
DR. AKSHAY BHANDARI
ABOUT MOUNT SINAI MEDICAL CENTER Founded in 1949, Mount Sinai Medical Center is the largest independent, private, not-for-profit teaching hospital in South Florida. Mount Sinai’s Centers of Excellence combine technology, research and academics to provide innovative and comprehensive care throughout its various centers of excellence. One of only six statu-
tory teaching hospitals in the state, Mount Sinai is the hospital of choice for those who seek the level of expertise and care that only a teaching hospital can offer. The medical center’s commitment to quality has garnered prestigious recognition, including designation as one of America’s Top Hospitals for by U.S.News & World Report.
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THE STATE OF OUR SCHOOLS A FRANK CONVERSATION WITH TWO LEADING EDUCATION ADVOCATES BOB MARTINEZ — VICE CHAIR, FLORIDA BOARD OF EDUCATION DAN GELBER FORMER STATE SENATOR WEDNESDAY, OCT. 19 AT 6 PM MEDIA CENTER WE WELCOME AND ENCOURAGE ALL OF OUR FEEDER PATTERN PARENTS AND STUDENTS TO ATTEND Roberto Martinez is a lawyer and a partner at the law firm of Colson, Hicks, Eidson. Mr. Martinez was the United States Attorney for the Southern District of Florida in 19921993 where he served as the chief federal law enforcement officer in a district that extends from Key West to Ft. Pierce, Florida. Mr. Martinez also served on the Attorney General’s Advisory Committee of United States Attorneys. Earlier in his career he was an Assistant United States Attorney in the Southern District for a five-year period and was a tax accountant with the accounting firm of Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co. Mr. Martinez received his J.D. degree from the Georgetown University Law Center where he was on the Dean’s List. He holds a M.S. in Accounting and a B.S. in Economics from the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School of Business. Mr. Martinez has been an active civic and community leader, currently serving as Chairman of the Florida Federal Judicial Nominating Commission; Special Counsel to Attorney General Charlie Crist; and having served as Chairman of the District Board of Trustees of Miami Dade College; Chair of Attorney-Elect Charlie Crist’s transition; General Counsel to Governor Jeb Bush during the gubernatorial transition; Chairman of Senator Graham’s U.S. Marshal Selection Panel; Chairman of the City of Miami Beach’s Blue Ribbon Committee on Diversity; Vice-Chair for Governmental Affairs of the ABA Criminal Justice Section Council; Chairman of the Dade County Bar Association’s Federal Court Committee; General Counsel
to the Dade County Republican Party Executive Committee; Member of Governor Bush’s Public Corruption Study Commission; University of Miami’s School of Law Adjunct Faculty. He was honored with a Special Recognition Award from the United States Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, and has received the Supreme Court of the State of Florida Voluntary Bar Association Pro Bono Service Award for the Florida Bar. Dan Gelber grew up in Miami Beach, Florida (High Tide ’78). Gelber has a BA from Tufts University and a Juris Doctorate from University of Florida College of Law where he was a Harry S. Truman Scholar. When he was 24, he cofounded a summer camp for children with cancer where he volunteers every summer as a bunk counselor and provides support services for patients and their families. Gelber has been a Big Brother volunteer since 1985, and is a former President of the Board of Directors of Big Brothers Organization. Gelber’s career in public service started at the age of twenty-five, when he was appointed as one of the youngest federal prosecutors in the nation. After nearly a decade prosecuting public corruption and civil rights cases, Gelber was selected by United States Senator Sam Nunn to be Chief Counsel and Staff Director of the U.S. Senate’s Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations where he directed U.S. Senate investigations into global terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Gelber was first elected to the Florida House of Representatives in 2000 from District 106. As a member of the Florida Legislature, Gelber frequently sparred with former Governor Jeb Bush. The Wall Street Journal referred to Gelber as Bush’s “chief nemesis.” Nevertheless, Gelber earned the respect of the former Governor, who once told the St. Petersburg
Times that Gelber “would be a very well qualified Governor.” In 2005, Gelber took charge of the Florida House Democratic Caucus’ political operation. Under his leadership, despite the Democrats losing the Governor’s mansion, state house Democrats have picked up nine Republican seats, their first net gain in the lower chamber in sixteen years, his party’s best ever showing in a single cycle, and the fifth best overall gain in the nation. In 2008, Gelber was elected to the Florida Senate from the 35th District. Gelber has worked to increase fairness in the Florida tax code. In 2009, Gelber sponsored and helped pass a bill that closed a real estate loophole that allowed high end developers to evade taxes. He also worked to stop multi-state corporations from avoiding Florida taxes. Gelber is critical of recent budget cuts that leave Florida last in per student spending. He has fought spending cuts to the state university system. He is also a vocal critic of the FCAT, believing that “you shouldn’t have a school system where the ceiling is the floor”. Gelber has been active in cleaning up government. Sen. Gelber sponsored and had signed into law a bill that provides criminal penalties for official misconduct, criminal misuse of official position and bid tampering. Gelber ran in the 2010 Attorney General Campaign, but ultimately, lost the election to the Republican candidate. He continues to be an advocate for education.
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Upcoming Miami Beach VCA Funded Events BY MICKY ROSS STEINBERG Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority Board Member
The following is a list of wonderful events coming up in November: SLEEPLESS NIGHT MIAMI BEACH Saturday, November 5, 2011 - Sunday, November 6, 2011; sundown-to-sunrise This event is a result of a collaboration of all of the City’s major cultural institutions, theaters, galleries, and arts organizations. Events will include 300 participating artists featured in 150 performances, exhibitions, and installations at 80 locations citywide. Free shuttle buses will be available with onboard programming, connecting all 4 zones of activity. Through the partnership with Comcast, there will be an opportunity to appear on CNN Headline News Show: “Newsmakers” that will include promotional on-air mentions of the event.
THE LOCATIONS ARE AS FOLLOWS: North Beach (Zone 1): Bandshell., Byron Carlyle Theater, Normandy Fountain Stage, Lou’s Beer Garden Collins Park (Zone 2): Collins Park Lawn, Bass Museum reflecting pond, Bass Museum of Art, Collins Park Stages, Miami Beach Regional Library, Miami City Ballet, 21st Street Band Shell. Lincoln Road and City Center (Zone 3): Colony Theater, 111 Stage, Euclid Oval Stage, Lincoln Road, ExoStage at SoundScape, Civic Plaza (Corner of 17th Street and Meridian), Miami Beach Botanical Garden Ocean Drive to W ashington Avenue (Zone 4): Miami Beach Cinematheque, Washington Avenue, Wolfsonian/FIU, Jewish Museum of Florida, Art Deco Welcome Center, Ocean Drive Stage, Ocean Drive
Miami Beach International Bridal Week Saturday, November 26, 2011 - Sunday, November 27, 2011 This 2-day event at the Eden Roc, is expected to bring bridal and men’s formal wear designers from around the globe, luxury wedding services, and certified wedding professionals together to provide a comprehensive and sophisticated wedding showcase to affluent brides and grooms looking to make Miami/Miami Beach their destination wedding site. 27th Annual White Party W eek Wednesday, November 23, 2011 – Monday, November 28, 2011. White Party Week, celebrating its 27th anniversary, features cultural and musical events that attract between 10,000 and 15,000 attendees from around the world each year. A total of 14 events are expected to take place. NASCAR Championship Drive Thursday, November 17, 2011 - Friday, November 18, 2011 - Lummus Park, between 7th and 9th streets and Ocean Drive. The NASCAR Championship Drive is a fan-friendly program of events for fans to celebrate the end of the NASCAR season. Pan American Internationals – Friday, November 11, 2011 – Saturday, November 12, 2011 - Deauville Beach Resort This 2-day event is one of the largest and most prestigious sport martial arts events in the world today. The event was established in 1980 and has become one of the best sport karate tournaments in the world, attracting competitors from around the world. Competitions will take place in 3 different ballrooms within the host hotel with several match rings set up within each ballroom.
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The Perfect Storm
BY KAYLA RYNOR,
PTSA VP Advocacy Four years ago, in 2008, my oldest child entered into the public school system as a ninth grader at Miami Beach Senior High. Obama was elected President in November chanting the need for change, and by the end of the year the recession was in full swing. We joined the ranks of thousands of others, who during the last 75 years, passed through the hallowed halls of the great institution that is Miami Beach Senior High. We discovered a treasure. Under the leadership of Dr. Rosann Sidener, the school has taken great leaps in achievement since her tenure began the year before in 2007. We went from a D-rated school when she came to the school to receiving the invisible A. We had the numbers for an A but were knocked down to a B on a technicality. Things were going very well when the unfunded, class size amendment ax dropped last year. In 2002, the citizens of the State of Florida approved an amendment to the Florida Constitution that set limits on the number of students in the state’s public schools. Beginning with the 2010-2011 school year, the maximum number of students in each core class would be 25 to 1 for high school. All of that seemed like a worthy goal mandated by the majority of Florida voters, but the problem is that, although there was a mandate for funding by the state legislature, that in fact has never taken place. To add insult to injury, the state legislature last year slashed $540 per student funding bringing it to a new state and national low.
It was a perfect storm. Two monumental events converged - the recession and the class size amendment. Many critics will say that this would not have occurred had the legislature adequately funded the class size amendment when it was passed in 2002 when the state was flush with cash. But that didn’t happen and all of us are left with the ramifications of poor planning and politics. As a bandaid, last year, the legislature attempted to relieve class size restrictions by changing the definition of core classes to those that are specifically named graduation requirements or which have an end of course assessment, with the exception of AP, IB or dual enrollment classes. Miami Beach Senior High is still a treasure so long as we have patience. We have amazing teachers and amazing students. We also have amazing administrators who are dealing with the class size restrictions with less money than ever before. They have spent the last few weeks “leveling” classes, a term I had never heard of before last year. Now, to achieve class size mandates and to deal with budget cuts, the school must go through a series of scheduling shifts. So many things are affected. The good news is that the incredible teachers at Beach High have been rehired and have elected to stick it out. It is not a perfect world, but they are making the best of a perfect storm. Next time you communicate with your child’s teacher or an administrator at Beach High, let them know that you appreciate all they have done for us given the constraints they are under. They are the ultimate public servants - the guardians of our children.
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Grand Opening of ‘Visit Miami Beach’ Aaron Perry, Immediate Past Chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber; Bob Balsam, General Manager of the Miami Beach Convention Center; Jason Loeb, Board Chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce; Steven Haas, Board Chairman of the GMCVB; Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower; Alan Lips Chair-elect of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce; William Talbert III, President & CEO for the GMCVB; Elsie Howard, Chairman of the VCA and Jacque Hertz, Board Member of the VCA
Marie Hernandez and Ana Cecilia Velasco, COO of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce
David New and Paulina Casado
Richard Murray and Bridget Pietsch
Guests and vendors at the Grand Opening of Visit Miami Beach.
See more photos next page
Right: Saul Gross, Eric Mannis and Ana Cecilia Velasco, COO of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce.
Elsa Urquiza, Rey Adrian and Guest
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October 6 - 19, 2011
Grand Opening of ‘Visit Miami Beach’
Aaron Perry, Immediate Past Chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber; Ana Cecilia Velasco, COO of the Miami Beach Chamber and Bob Balsam, General Manager of the Miami Beach Convention Center.
Miami Beach Mayor Matti Herrera Bower
Ana Cecilia Velasco, COO of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce; Monique Beaudet, Assistant Director of Visit Miami Beach; William Talbert III, President & CEO for the GMCVB; Aaron Perry, Immediate Past Chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber; Jacque Hertz, Board Member of the VCA; Jerry Libbin, President & CEO of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce; Elsie Howard, Chairman of the VCA; Jason Loeb, Chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce Board; Alan Lips, Chair-elect of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce; Bob Balsam, General Manager of the Miami Beach Convention Center; Dona Zemo, Director of Visit Miami Beach.
George Neary, Vice President of Cultural Tourism GMCVB, William Talbert III, President & CEO for the GMCVB, and Ben Wagman, Consultant Goldstein Schechter Koch, CPA
Chantal Callen Gloor, Operations Coordinator of the Miami Beach Chamber and Guerby Mertil
Laura Jamieson, Steve Haas, Peggy Benua and Aaron Perry, Immediate Past Chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce.
Stewart B. Stewart and Dena Stewart
Left: Monique Beaudet, Assistant Director of Visit Miami Beach; Jason Loeb, Chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce Board and Dona Zemo, Director of Visit Miami Beach.
October 6 - 19, 2011
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Pillar Reception at City National Bank
David Sacks, Tiffany Loughery, Elizabeth Mont, Timothy Phelps, Carlo Harris Memo Margolis, Juan Rovira, Joel M. Rosenthal
Charles Citrin and guest.
Jerry Libbin, President & CEO of the Miami Beach Chamber; Olivia Symes and Dustin Symes
Michael Goldberg, Pillar Board Chairman; Wendy Unger; Iris Nieves
John Bennett; Ana Cecilia Velasco, COO of the Miami Beach Chamber; Michael Mandich
Jason Loeb, Chair of the Miami Beach Chamber Board; Carrie Schaffer; Sara Kleinman-Fried; Roger Baluja Jason Loeb, Chair of the Miami Beach Chamber Board; Luis Cornide, Ben Launerts; Michael Goldberg, Pillar Board Chairman; Jerry Libbin, President & CEO of the Miami Beach Chamber
See more photos next page
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October 6 - 19, 2011
Pillar Reception at City National Bank
Jonathan Katz, Carlos Padilla, Christian Fernandez Above: Steve Feiffer; Michael Goldberg, Pillar Board Chairman; David Sacks
Lft: Ana Cecilia Velasco, COO of the Miami Beach Chamber; Bella Oosthuizen, Anastasia Yecke
Right: Nicole Levy, Joshua Levy, Robert Pushkin
Michael Goldberg, Pillar Board Chairman and David Sacks
Reinaldo Borges and wife Alice Borges
Ana Cecilia Velasco, COO of the Miami Beach Chamber and Todd Paton
October 6 - 19, 2011
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October 6 - 19, 2011