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Ready for Memorial Day Weekend P r o t e c t i n g P u b l i c S a f e t y a n d R e s i d e nt s ’ Q u a l i t y o f L i f e BY COMMISSIONER DEEDE WEITHORN
For the past twelve years, an estimated 250,000 tourists from around the world, including visitors from South Florida, enter South Beach’s entertainment district for Memorial Day Weekend, popularly known as Urban Beach Weekend. While club promoters and venues organize private events during Memorial Day Weekend, the City of Miami Beach takes the appropriate steps to protect the safety of its residents and visitors as it does whenever such major events take place. As a result, a Major Events Plan (MEP) is created with the assistance of the Greater Miami Visitors and Conventions Bureau, the Hotel
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MEMORIAL, page 4
MEMORIAL DAY WEEKEND 2013, TRAFFIC PLAN FROM 5TH ST TO 18 ST, SOUTH BEACH
Michael Aller Receives Beach High Diploma
es, Michael Aller went to high school and received a diploma in Detroit, where he is originally from. However, he will be receiving an honorary diploma from Miami Beach Senior High as part of the City National Bank Hi-Tides Outstanding Achievement Award being presented at the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s 91st Annual Dinner Gala on June 1st, 2013 for his contribution to the school’s Academy of Hospitality and Tourism and the Miami Beach community. Michael Aller or as most know him, “Mr.
Miami Beach,” has devoted the last few decades to promoting tourism in Miami Beach. The love affair with Miami Beach dates to his childhood, when the Detroit native spent six months out of the year in Miami Beach at the Fontainebleau with his snowbird parents. He still remembers his first impression-which never fails to dazzle him even now. “Every time I come over the Julia Tuttle [bridge] and I get to the top of the crest, it is thrilling to see the skyline of Miami Beach, the ocean, the bay, the hotels,” he says.
MICHAEL ALLER
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ALLER, page 4
Phone: 305-669-7355
Letter from the Chair BY ALAN A. LIPS
What is significant about the year 2000 to everyone in Miami Beach? That is the year that the City began focusing on the fact that something had to be done to improve our convention center. Since that time, the City has had multiple studies performed by experts in the convention center industry and the overriding result has been consistent. If we want to attract the best and most desirable conventions to Miami Beach, the center must be improved, starting with a ballroom and an on-site convention center hotel. Let me tell you loud and clear that this is not about politics. I know that we have many races going on currently for the mayor and commission seats in November and that is exciting! However, our convention center is not a political issue! It is an economic issue to every person that works, lives and plays in Miami Beach. Convention centers are designed to attract a lot of highquality people from all over the country and world to come and promote the economic well-being of their area. And our Miami Beach Convention Center has done just that for many years. However, too many great conventions have been declining the Miami Beach option for too long. Why? We must update the convention center by adding a ballroom and an on-site hotel. And these great conventions will not come back until it happens. Even worse, more conventions will decline our option in the future. The time has arrived. We have the opportunity to get it done! Imagine
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LEADERSHIP SPOTLIGHT ALEX FERNANDEZ Alex Fernandez is part of stances, and therefore many have made one of their great a new generation of leaderaims in life the improvement ship emerging in the Miami of man’s external conditions Beach political scene. — his society,” reads a quote Passionate about public within Ethics, Problem service, Fernandez works in Solving, and Discourse on the Miami Beach Office of Living which lays on top of the Mayor & Commission Fernandez’s desk at City as a Deputy to Hall. Commissioner Deede “I believe that public servWeithorn. Recently he was ice is a vocation,” Fernandez appointed by Weithorn to asserts, “I was born with the serve on the Miami Beach desire to serve others and Charter Review Board, thus this job is not merely a which convenes every ten ALEX FERNANDEZ job, it is a passion.” years tasked to review and As of late, he has been propose revisions to the burning the midnight oil City’s governing document. As Weithorn’s right hand man, studying Miami Beach’s Charter, comparFernandez enjoys employing his talents to ing it to the governing documents of other help residents solve their City-related prob- cities and bringing forth recommendations lems, using his creativity to propose leg- pertaining to ethics, citizens’ rights, and islative initiatives to the Commissioner, zoning improvements to the Charter and applying his knowledge of municipal Review Board. “I never shy away from working,” says and county government to serve as Weithorn’s representative on boards such Fernandez, “as a matter of fact, I’m always as the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, the seeking ways to perform my public service duties as I go about my daily life.” League of Cities, and others. Prior to working for the City of Miami “There is no other job I’d rather be doing,” says Fernandez, “It’s a privilege to Beach, Fernandez was a Spanish radio and be Commissioner Weithorn’s partner in television political affairs commentator. He has hosted programs on Univision Radio public service.” Fernandez has been active in public Network, Azteca America, Telemiami, service for well over a decade. Miami- PAXCC, WDNA 88.9 FM, among others. His interest and experience in communiDade County Commission Chairwoman Rebeca Sosa gave him his first job in pub- cations and government affairs led him to lic service. He quickly caught the attention help spearhead the Chamber Gazette, the of County Commissioners Joe A. Martinez official newspaper of the County and Bruno Barreiro for whom Fernandez Commission published in English, subsequently worked for as the Spanish, and Creole with distribution Coordinator of the County Commission’s throughout the thirteen districts in MiamiDade. office of Media and Protocol. Fernandez believes that his early Passionate about Miami Beach’s future, Fernandez ran for the City Commission in involvement in media and journalism have 2009 after working for Miami Beach assisted him in being a better public servant. Mayor Matti Herrera Bower. “To properly perform the expected As Weithorn’s representative on the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, Fernandez duties one must be honest and properly encouraged the Trust to pursue a memoran- prepared with exhaustive research,” says dum of understanding with Mount Sinai to Fernandez in comparing public service to offer homeless patients free assistance journalism. Though he does not aspire to run for within the continuum of care before being discharged and released onto the street. public office again, Fernandez sees public Recently, he was successful in encouraging service as part of his future and through his Miami Beach to join a committee which dedicated service to the City of Miami seeks to end on-street feeding of homeless Beach and its residents he hopes to skew the judgment of those skeptical about their individuals. “Men are largely affected by circum- government.
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ALLER, from page 1
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Aller started his career path in the nursing home industry, establishing his lengthy track record of community service. When he “retired,” he made the permanent move to Florida and proceeded to try on a variety of hats. Longtime residents might remember him running a Polo shop in the Miami Beach Burdines department store or his mid-‘80s stint as the star performer of Michael Aller’s Floating Piano Bar, a 60foot catamaran based across from the Fontainebleau. But it was his round-theclock dedication to the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce that prompted the city to make its stars-aligning job offer; volunteering as membership director, newsletter founder and editor, Business expo chairman and networking chair. Devoting himself full-time to the city made sense for its No. 1 fan. “It’s not a job,” says Aller. “This is a passion.” Aller became Tourism Director and Chief of Protocol for the City of Miami Beach in 1991 and has greeted presidents of the United States, more than 40 other
LETTER, from page 1
heads of state and countless celebrities. He was nicknamed “Mr. Miami Beach” because, as Mayor Matti Herra Bower noted, “If anything is going to happen anywhere in Miami Beach, it is Michael Aller who can make it happen.” His cell phone doubles as the Miami Beach tourism hotline and fields questions from visitors at all hours, 365 days a year. Aller considers it his greatest contribution. “We have a hotline that’s 24 hours, seven days a week, answered by a person, not a machine. I hate when you call, and they say, ‘Now press 1.’ The City of Miami Beach shows that we care for our residents.” Michael’s dedication and passion for Miami Beach have resulted in numerous accolades, from the South Florida Tourism Professional of the Year in 2005 by the Academy of Hospitality and Tourism to the Twelve Good Men of Miami Award in 2008 by the Ronald McDonald House. The Chamber annually awards a scholarship in his name to an Academy of Hospitality and Tourism student. This year, he will be honored with the City National Bank Hi-Tides Outstanding Achievement Award at the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s 91st Annual Dinner Gala.
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getting groups like Microsoft back to Miami Beach every year. They would occupy our hotels, shop in our stores, dine in our restaurants and drive greater revenue to the City. This provides more benefits, resources and possibilities to all of us who enjoy this great world class city! Just a quick reminder that June 1st is our Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce’s 91st Annual Dinner Gala where we will honor Michael Aller, Alberto Carvalho, Phil Goldfarb and
Phillip and Patricia Frost. How fitting that the theme is Miami Beach…where the world meets! Louis Aguirre from Deco Drive will be there to emcee the event. This is shaping up to be our grandest gala ever! For tickets to the event, call the Chamber at 305-6741300 and come experience the power of membership. At your service, Alan A. Lips
Miami Beach News
6769 S.W. 62 Avenue, South Miami, FL 33143 • Phone (305) 669-7355, Fax (305) 662-6980
www.communitynewspapers.com
PUBLISHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Grant and Michael Miller ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Amy Donner WRITERS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Linda Rodriguez-Bernfeld, Gary Alan Ruse ADVERTISING ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Albie Barnes, Roberta Bergman, Beatriz Brandfon, Celia Canabate, Diane Chasin, Henry Chau, Lori Cohen, Diane Maddox, Denzel Miles, Ann Robbins-Udel, Fara Sax, Diane Sedona Schiller, Georgia Tait, Walter White PROOF DEPARTMENT . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Isabel Vavrek PRODUCTION GRAPHIC ARTISTS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Denise Cebrero, Isabel Ortega, Cristian Ortiz PUBLISHER EMERITUS . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Ron Miller Aventura News, Biscayne Bay Tribune, Coral Gables News, Cutler Bay News, Doral Tribune, Kendall Gazette, Miami Beach News, Miami Gardens Tribune, Palmetto Bay News, Opa Locka News, Pinecrest Tribune, South Miami News, Sunny Isles Beach Sun, West Park News. We will not return solicited or unsolicited editorial material including stories, columns and or photographs. Please make sure that you have duplicate copies of the material.
MEMORIAL, from page 1
May 16 - 29, 2013
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Association, the Community Relations Services Agency of the Department of Justice, in addition to the input from local businesses and community leaders. The goal of our MEP is to address the impact that is expected with the increased population during any major event period including Memorial Day Weekend – this includes crowd management, pedestrian safety, and vehicular traffic flow. While focus is given to public safety, it is also the intent of the City’s MEP to reduce the impact that events, such as Memorial Day Weekend, have on the quality of life of Miami Beach residents. To keep the Memorial Day Weekend activities from overflowing into the residential neighborhoods and contained within the entertainment district, the City of Miami Beach will be implementing, for the second consecutive year, a traffic loop which was greatly applauded by Miami Beach residents for its success last year. Beginning on Friday, May 24th and ending on Monday, May 27th, as of 7:00 pm daily, east bound traffic from the MacArthur Causeway will be directed towards Collins Avenue where vehicles may go north to 23rd Street. At 23rd Street, vehicles may head west to Washington Avenue where traffic will flow south towards 5th Street and westbound onto the MacArthur Causeway. License plate readers will be deployed on the MacArthur Causeway and at other areas of the City to identify license tags with outstanding warrants, cars reported as stolen, expired registrations, and other potential violations. In addition, DUI checkpoints will be stationed just east of the entrances to Palm and Hibiscus Islands. The South of Fifth neighborhood will be barricaded between Alton Road and Washington Avenue, directing non-local traffic to Collins Avenue and Washington Avenue. Residents of the South of Fifth neighborhood are encouraged to utilize Alton Road as their entry point. Access to the Flamingo Park neighborhood will also be limited to only residents between 5th Street and 17th Street and between Alton Road and Washington Avenue. While traffic will clearly be impacted during Memorial Day Weekend, residents are encouraged to use the Venetian Causeway to enter and exit the City. Enhanced staffing by the Miami Beach Police Department includes coverage for North Beach and Mid Beach - where access to residential neighborhoods which provide shortcuts to South Beach via southbound roads between Alton Road and Indian Creek on 41st Street will be
barricaded for local traffic. Eastbound traffic on 41st Street will be directed to Indian Creek where vehicles may travel north or south. Northbound entry to the Bayshore neighborhood from Dade Boulevard between Meridian Avenue and Pine Tree Drive will be limited to residents. Entry to neighborhoods to the west of Alton Road between 34th Street and Michigan Avenue will too be limited to local traffic. With public safety as its top priority during Memorial Day Weekend, the Miami Beach Police Department will shut down clubs and businesses which jeopardize the safety of its patrons, citizens, and officers. In addition, Security Alliance will continue its normal patrol and G4S Security will provide enhanced assistance for barricades and crowd control. While accidents are unpredictable, the City of Miami Beach has taken every possible step to protect visitors and residents from danger. Following last year’s model, augmented lighting will be provided for Ocean Drive, Lummus Park, and the beach west of the dunes from the south up to 21st Street. If at any point the entertainment district in South Beach becomes congested and overcrowded, vehicular access to Miami Beach from the MacArthur and Julia Tuttle Causeway will be limited. As in years past, Ocean Drive will remain open only for pedestrians during Memorial Day Weekend. Over 200 Good Will Ambassadors will be deployed to provide information to visitors and advice patrons of Miami Beach’s no Styrofoam and no open container policies. With data from past years, the City is able to focus its resources to control and enforce code violations intrinsic to Memorial Day Weekend such as short term rentals, operations of unlicensed businesses, illegal special events, noise, illegal distribution of handbills, among other prohibited activities. Please visit www.miamibeachfl.gov for more information on traffic, bus routes, parking, and other important issues relating to Memorial Day Weekend. You may also call my office at 305-673-7105 or email me at deede@miamibeachfl.gov. As Memorial Day quickly approaches, please keep in your thoughts the men and women who died while serving in the United States Armed Forces. In Miami Beach and throughout our great country, Memorial Day shall forever remain a tribute to the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedom. The Miami Beach Police Department contributed to this article.
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The $outh Florida Gaming Report
Dolphins and Marlins
BY ISADORE HAVENICK
Most politically savvy South Floridians were slightly shocked that the bill to allow a bed tax increase to fund Dolphin Stadium improvements never made it to a vote in the Florida Legislature. Some call it the “Marlin” effect as certainly the voters in Miami-Dade County were stung by the one-sided business deal engineered by Marlins’ owner Jeffrey Loria. That faux pas has left a very bad taste in the mouth of residents and local politicians alike. Somehow you felt that
the dynamic duo of Dan Marino and Don Shula campaigning in Tallahassee could overcome almost anything. After all this was going to bring Super Bowls to South Florida. The organization asking for the vote was the tried and true Miami Dolphins, not the carpet bagging Florida turned Miami Marlins. The TV ads had already started, and an “opportunity” fair as opposed to a job fair was in the works. Some of us are still shaking our heads in disbelief. This is a sign of the times. Once bitten, twice shy. Get ready South Florida for the 2014 legislative session as the Vegas and Malaysian gaming teams head back into town for one more run at resort casinos. This should be fun to watch.
www.communitynewspapers.com
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How to Effectively Use Chamber to Increase Your Network
BY KELLY FISHER
“How do I get the most out of my Chamber membership”? Business professionals often ask this and can usually be interpreted to mean, “How do I increase my business from being a Chamber member”? Business people primarily join Chambers to try to increase their visibility and increase their business. After a while however, many are frustrated by their inability to drive more word of mouth and customers to their business. They end up quitting and then saying, “Chamber doesn’t work.” The answer is usually the same, if you want Chamber to work for you, you have to WORK it. The same answer for anything that you do to increase your business, it takes time and effort. The opportunities are there, all around you really, but you have to know what it takes. Here are the 4 main things you need to do to make your Chamber membership work for you. BECOME INVOLVED. Join one of the many councils that are available at Chambers. Find out which ones you are interested in, or suits your business, and become a part of that council. Be genuinely interested in what they are doing and what you can do to help. Not only does this give you more opportunity to meet people, but when people see you willing to devote time and energy to something other than yourself, it raises your credibility in their eyes. By and large, people trust a giver, they don’t trust a taker. ATTEND EVENTS.
Assuming that
you have a higher level membership, such as a Pillar or Trustee membership, there are usually many events to take advantage of. You must be there however, in order to take advantage of them. Networking is a CONTACT sport. Before you go, check the RSVP list and find out who is going to be there that you want to meet. Use your time wisely and meet the people most likely to help you. Use the Chamber ambassadors at the event to introduce people to you that you need to meet. DON’T TRY TO SELL. While attending these events, don’t try to close deals. People don’t typically attend Chamber events hoping to buy something. Meet the right people, if they are worth spending more time with, set an appointment for later in the week to meet with them. If they like you and see that you are interested in helping them as well, they will likely use you if they need your product or service. Networking is about using our collaborative efforts to help EACH OTHER. FOLLOW UP. Nothing you do, no matter what you do, will work if you fail to follow up. The number one failure in networking is the failure to follow up. Have a good system and don’t just throw the business cards in a drawer or fish bowl. Have a specific time during the next couple of days that you spend contacting those that you have met. Try to remember something they said that seemed to interest them that you can comment on. Then they will know you were truly listening. Chamber will work if you work it. Remember to catch the Referral Institutes next class at the MBCC offices on May 23rd. This is where you will truly learn how to increase your network. Until next time, Happy Networking!
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Epicure with Love
BY MICHAEL LOVE
Specialty Chef Epicure Gourmet Market & Café TWO DELICIOUS DINNERS UNDER 20 MINUTES Delicious food doesn’t have to take hours to prepare, nor do you have to have a culinary degree to pull it off. I have always said that if you start with fresh ingredients, use simple effective cooking techniques and layer your flavors, anyone can cook delicious dishes. Layering flavor means cooking with more than just salt and pepper. It means creating a flavor profile that includes a combination of things that satisfy your palate. Many examples can be found in your favorite drinks and cocktails. Lime with beer, rum and Coke, etc. Contrasting flavors in combination, work together to form a flavor profile which appeals to many people. A classic example that I love to use to illustrate unique “flavor profiles” is McDonald’s Big Mac sandwich. Does this sound like fast food or a gourmet dish? Soft buttery bread with toasted sesame seeds, juicy savory meat, strong bite of onion, cool crisp lettuce and soft sweet tomato, mayo-based creamy sauce with a tang that brings out the vinegar in the pickles, all in one gigantic 3dimensional bite. When you can identify what flavors you love, you can learn to combine them in a way that enhances the main ingredient. I like to create my own spice blends and use them in my cooking. Below is my “Love Rub” spice blend with a Spanish kick. This is a great way to create a base flavor profile. The following dish (which will be featured on my new food blog www.lovecancook.com) will tantalize your palate and take no more than 20 minutes from start to finish. Feel free to substitute ingredients if one or more of them is not to your liking. STEAMED LITTLENECK CLAMS IN A CHORIZO GINGER BROTH (SERVES 2) 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil 1/2 teaspoon red chili flake 1/2 cup chorizo, sliced 2 garlic cloves 1 small onion, diced 1 celery stalk, sliced 1 inch ginger root, sliced 1 tablespoon Spanish Spice Blend
(plus one teaspoon for finishing the dish) 1 cup white wine 1 dozen Littleneck clams 6 scallops 1/4 cup parsley, chopped 6 leaves of bok choy, white and green parts, rough chopped In a saucepan, heat olive oil over a medium heat. Add chili flake and chorizo and cook for 2 minutes as the fat begins to render from the chorizo. Add garlic, onions, celery, ginger and 2 teaspoons of spice blend. Cook for another 3 minutes to soften the vegetables. Add white wine, clams, scallops and white wine. Sprinkle with another teaspoon of spice blend, give the pan a gentle shake, cover and simmer until clams open. Add bok choy, and sprinkle with another teaspoon of spice blend. Cover and take off heat for 5 minutes to steam the bok choy. Discard any unopened clams and using a slotted spoon, scoop out the opened clams, scallops, bok choy and chorizo and arrange in serving bowls. Carefully pour broth over the seafood, sprinkle with fresh chopped parsley and one final dusting of spice blend. SPANISH SPICE BLEND This spice blend is my signature blend and is affectionately called “Love Rub.” It’s the base flavor for my Steamed Clams dish. Use it on eggs, salads, roasted vegetables, fish, chicken, pasta, rice, and even popcorn. Makes just over half a cup of spice blend. 2 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 2 Tbsp 1 Tbsp 1 Tsp
Powdered garlic Powdered onion Ground cumin Sweet paprika Smoked paprika Dried thyme Dried oregano Kosher salt Fresh ground black pepper Cayenne pepper
Michael Love is the Specialty Chef at Epicure Gourmet Market and Café and the creator of “Epicure with Love,” an all-natural gourmet line of food including soups, prepared entrées, Giant cookies, and Xtreme brownies. Michael is also available for private and group cooking instruction and can be hired for dinner parties and events. Contact: Michael@epicuremarket.com.
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Tech in the City: Miami Beach invests in technology to improve lives of resident and visitors
The Miami Beach Visitor and Convention Authority (MBVCA) is taking technology to new heights and levels with its purchase of a next-generation content management system to serve as an application (App) interface to foster development of Miami Beach-based mobile apps. The Application Programming Interface, or API, allows app developers to take advantage of existing Miami Beach data to create applications that focus on shopping, dining, arts and entertainment, nightlife, sports, music, transportation and other areas. The platform will support third-party mobile application development for iOS (Apple), Android and Blackberry devices by giving programmers access to data directly from Miami Beach through an interactive API. The resulting Apps will increase tourism by making it easier to find real time information and plan trips to Miami Beach. Residents will benefit by learning about new and exciting locations and special offers. Complete development and installation of the API platform is expected later this fall. The MBVCA API was developed by Orlando-based Just Program LLC d/b/a Solodev, a leading provider of content management software that enables enterprises to easily build native mobile applica-
tions and interactive websites and manage content across a growing list of online channels, including mobile, social, e-commerce and B2B. Additionally, the City of Miami Beach is using technology to connect with, and serve its residents. The City’s smart phone app, Report It, allows the public to report realtime neighborhood concerns such as graffiti, trash and potholes to the appropriate government department in a snap; ask a question, make a request/complaint or find answers with just a click. The reports can include a photo and GPS location that will automatically integrate with the City’s systematized and prioritized customer support center. The online citizen request and support system provides great, quick customer service to residents, visitors and businesses making them feel a part of the solution and relevant and important to city leaders. The app is available for free on iPhone, Blackberry, Windows and Android smart phones. Wireless Miami Beach provides free public access to all residents, visitors, and businesses across the City. While one key element of the WiFi Miami Beach system is to support public safety and other government uses, such as laptops in police cars, it also makes the entire city a hot zone for public internet access.
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Quarterly Pillar Breakfast with City Manager Jimmy Morales at the Alexander Hotel
Oliver Oberhauser and Paul Weimer
Justin Levy, Dennis Deblois, Sandra Osorio Mangini, Michael Grieco, Ronald Finvarb and Michael Marrero
Eric Mannis, Marc Hurwitz, Scott Indorf and Dimitry Shaposhnikov
Quarterly Pillar Breakfast Guest Speaker-City Manager of Miami Beach Jimmy Morales
Roy Weinfeld, Mirielle Enlow and Eric Johnson
Norma Ross and Jason Ross
Carter McDowell, City Manager of Miami Beach Jimmy Morales, Michael Marrero and Michael Larkin
Diana Mendez, Erin Hendrix and Leila Ripich Jason Loeb, Debora Diaz and David Sacks
SEE MORE PHOTOS NEXT PAGE
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Quarterly Pillar Breakfast with City Manager Jimmy Morales at the Alexander Hotel Chamber President & CEO Jerry Libbin, Peggy Benua, Gene Prescott and Aaron Perry
Baruch Jacobs, Lauren Romero, Olga Megrabian, Iris Rait and Joseph Landesman
Chamber Chairman Alan Lips, City Manager of Miami Beach Jimmy Morales and Michael Grieco
Dona Zemo, Joel Rosenthal and DeAnne Connolly Graham
Norma King, Seth Markowitz, Stephanie Ruiz and Shohab Virk
Raul Martinez, Andrea Gaughan , Alfred Karram, Edwin Melendez and Jorge Sanz
Chamber President & CEO Jerry Libbin, Wayne Pathman, Stephanie Ruiz, Chamber Chairman Alan Lips, Aaron Perry, Chamber COO & EVP Ceci Velasco, City Manager Jimmy Morales and Gene Prescott
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It’s Time to Share the Best Kept Secret in Miami Beach BY LAURIE KAYE DAVIS Miami Beach Senior High PTSA Co-President
Quality schools are essential to the fabric of any community. Miami Beach is a special place, unlike any other on earth, and our schools are very special places. Miami Beach is committed to supporting and investing in excellence in our public schools, yet many in our community know little or nothing about the quality of our Miami Beach Public Schools. Here are a few facts; all of our feeder pattern schools are either “A” or “B” schools. North Beach Elementary, South Pointe Elementary and Miami Beach Senior High have maintained “A” ratings over the last several years. Miami Beach Senior High moved from a “D” to an “A”. US News and World Reports just announced their new High School rankings and Miami Beach Senior High School was rated as #39 in the State of Florida among public, charter, and magnet schools. It was rated the #1 public high school in Miami-Dade County (excluding charter or magnet schools). All of our Miami Beach public schools offer the International Baccalaureate (IB)
continuum of education. Any school may become an IB World School if it meets the International Baccalaureate Organization (lBO) intense and extensive requirements. The IB model fosters a positive attitude to learning by supporting students to ask challenging questions, reflect critically, develop research skills and participate in community service. Take some time to better educate yourselves on what is available. All of our schools have websites. All of our schools have open houses and tours. All of our schools have very active PTA’s or PTSA’s, many with a wealth of information on their websites and newsletters that go out monthly or more. Miami Beach Senior High will share its bi-monthly e-newsletter with anyone that asks by sending an email to beachhighptsapres@gmail.com. North Beach will add you to their recipient list by emailing nbepta.president@gmail.com and Nautilus will share by contacting them at nautilusptsa@gmail.com. Now tell me why you wouldn’t want to save upwards of $35,000 after tax dollars by trying out one of our Miami Beach public schools?
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Virtual Assistant Service Provides Crucial Emergency Communication Service for Business Owners Intelligent Office of Miami, a virtual and ation. “Intelligent Office’s Intelligent professionally staffed office concept that Assistants came to the rescue when our provides concierge-style business and back office phone system stopped working,” said office services, has rolled out a new virtual Ms. Polo. “All I had to do was call Intelligent assistant service designed to help businesses Office and explain the situation. Within a few with their communication needs during minutes, our phone lines were transferred to emergency situations. their system, and our new Many businesses have emergency virtual assisI n t e l l i g e n t O ff i c e o f experienced a down phone tants were there to answer M i a m i ’s h i g h l y t r a i n e d all of our calls. They system, flooded office, building evacuation or even a answered our phones for Intelligent Assistants receptionist that has called in six full business days sick at the last minute. These before we were able to get can ease the woes of interruptions can halt normal back up and running. I a b u s i n e s s e m e r g e n c y don’t know what we business operations and cost money. Intelligent Office’s would have done without by temporarily Intelligent Assistant service them.” handling phone calls, can come to the rescue in dire Prices and service plans situations like these. for Intelligent Office’s e m a i l s a n d o t h e r v i t a l emergency virtual assistants Intelligent Office of Miami’s highly trained Intelligent are uniquely tailored for administrative tasks Assistants can ease the woes of every situation and budget. w h i l e b u s i n e s s e s d e a l For more information about a business emergency by temporarily handling phone calls, Intelligent Office of virtual with getting their emails and other vital adminisassistant service and cusoperations back trative tasks while businesses tomizable packages, please deal with getting their operacontact Richard Rey at on track. tions back on track. Intelligent (305) 777-1300. Assistants are local and professionally trained virtual receptionists and assis- ABOUT INTELLIGENT OFFICE MIAMI: tants who can handle a wide array of other Intelligent Office Miami is a virtual and administrative services. professionally staffed office suite concept Intelligent Assistants can be hired tem- that provides virtual assistants, conciergeporarily to mitigate the effects of many emer- style business and back office services, gency situations like disabled or down phone located in the heart of Downtown Miami systems, power outages, last minute recep- on the 37th floor of One Biscayne Tower. tionist absences, unforeseen office closures, The location features private office space, hurricane or storm closures, building evacua- two conference suites, a kitchen, and pritions, and any other business emergency that vate, locked mailboxes, all of which are calls for extra manpower. available 24/7. You can rent office space Recently, one of Intelligent Office of by the hour, day, week or month. For more Miami’s clients, Gina Polo, who runs a busy information, please visit http://www.intellaw firm, experienced the benefits of using ligentoffice.com/locations/florida/miami/ an Intelligent Assistant in an emergency situ- miami-downtown.aspx
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ECOMB:
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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 SIR International (www.sirinternational.com), makes it easy for Miami Beach residents to recycle electronic waste, batteries and compact fluorescent light bulbs at its 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 in place. This has been made possible thanks to an agreement established between the City of Miami Beach and our local waste haulers: 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 • ELECTRONICS, BATTERIES, CFLs: from 10 am to 5 pm. Must call first to make drop-off 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. • Phone: 305-534-3825 · ecomb@ecomb.org or Miguel@ecomb.org Educating People. Engaging our Community. Effecting Environmental Change.
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Mount Sinai Foundation Society Members Enjoy Private Evening with Saks Fifth Avenue CEO
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Steve Sonenreich, president and CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center with Deborah Slack, vice president and general manager of Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour, and Steve Sadove, president and CEO of Saks Fifth Avenue. ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
Members of the Society of Mount Sinai enjoyed a private audience with Steve Sadove, Chairman and CEO of Saks Incorporated. Hosted by the St. Regis Bal Harbour and its parent company the Starwood Group, along with Southern Wine & Spirits of South Florida. The event took place in the hotel’s Astor Ballroom on Friday, April 26. Steven D. Sonenreich, President and CEO of Mount Sinai Medical Center, and Wayne E. Chaplin, Chairman of the hospital’s Board of Trustees and Chairman and CEO of Southern Wine & Spirits, were among the speakers at the dinner. The gathering included more than 170 members and guests of the Society, representing the pinnacle of philanthropic support at the medical center. During his presentation titled, “The Role Culture Plays in an Organization,” Sadove offered his philosophy on business leadership. Noting that the role of a leader is to understand the culture of his company and clearly communicate his strategy and vision for moving the organization forward. He also stressed the importance of giving back to the community. Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour has been a gracious supporter of Mount Sinai through various fundraising initiatives. In October 2012, The Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center benefitted from Saks Bal Harbour’s Key to the Cure event, an initiative to help generate funds and awareness for breast cancer. In addi-
The Mount Sinai Comprehensive Cancer Center benefitted from Saks Bal Harbour’s Key to the Cure event, an initia tive to help generate funds and awareness f or breast cancer. tion, Saks Bal Harbour collaborated with Mount Sinai during, “Saks Loves Your Cause,” donating a percentage of purchases made with a Saks Fifth Avenue credit card to the hospital. The Society of Mount Sinai dinner included a special presentation to Harvey R. Chaplin, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Southern Wine & Spirits, and a longstanding supporter of the medical center. Marco Selva, general manager of the St. Regis, received a special gift in gratitude for co-hosting the event. At the end of the evening, dinner guests received their own parting gifts, including Saks Fifth Avenue Bal Harbour gift cards and a copy of “Bloody Mary,” a beautiful book of recipes for the signature drink from St. Regis hotels around the world. Entertainment was provided by Arthur Barron’s Jazz Trio and Art Poco’s Rat Pack Singers.
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Arts and Culture Council (PRE)view and (RE)view
The Preeminence of Latin American Art — from the Miami Art Museum to the Pérez Art Museum Miami
BY JUDY HOLM
The depth and breadth of Latin American art is as deep and broad as the land and cultures comprised in the massive territory. It is equally as complex as the varied terrain of its land. Ranging from Mexico and Cuba to Brazil, Colombia, Venezuela, Ecuador and Chile, the total genre represents the voices of over 600 million people and their countries’ respective heritage and history. From an art history perspective, the collective genre is emerging only recently in the past few decades, with most notable artists only being known to collectors in the 1970’s or even later. Despite the relative novelty of its discovery to international art circles, the works created by Latin American artists are rich in the centuries of tradition and heritage of its people. While some of the most renowned artists’ styles portray strong influence from the European masters (whether French or Spanish in particular), others derive their style predominantly from the ancient roots of their nation. For many, the evolution of their personal style demonstrates the transition from the European and American icons, back to the reverence, or perhaps personal connection with their rich roots. Jorge Pérez, donor of over one hundred works to the Museum (which will honor his gift of art and funds in the new Museum’s name, opening later this year as Pérez Art Museum Miami) shared his passion in collecting these
ABOVE: Zuniga, Pastorcillo (The Little Shepherd), 1976 BELOW: Alejandro Xul Solar, Proyecto fachada para el delta, 1954
works for over forty years at the vernissage of the new exhibition Frames of Reference: Latin American Art from the Jorge M. Pérez Collection. He also spoke about his lifelong interest in following the development of each artist, as his or her work progresses over time, with influences of life, culture, heritage and customs shifting in each tableau. “Eventually, they found their own form” he states. In referring to the artistic genre, Pérez ’ passion is infectious, and his interest is deeply personal. “It explains our time, our past, our future.” “Art is about telling a story… I want it to be about Latin America,” he mused. Frames of Reference: Latin American Art from the Jorge M. Pérez Collection. The latest exhibition in the Miami Art Museum (and the last in its present location), presents a wonderful selection of the Pérez collection. Organized by MAM Chief Curator Tobias Ostrander, the exhibition paints a vivid and diverse taste of Latin American cultures, and the beauty and color of their art over the past century. From early works of Diego Rivera to the progression toward contemporary abstraction, the exhibition creates a holistic overview of the history of 20th Century Latin American art. “The exhibition provides a singular opportunity to examine aesthetic and conceptual developments in the trajectory of Latin American Art, highlighting some of the best representations of work by influential mid-century artists from the region,” said Ostrander. Frames of Reference, on view through June 2, 2013, explores forty-three works of Latin American art in the collection through an art historical lens, emphasizing the tremendous creative and conceptual contributions of artists such as José Bedia, Beatriz González, Wifredo Lam, Roberto Matta Echaurren, Diego Rivera, and Joaquín Torres-Garcia, among others. Highlights from the exhibition, include: • Beatriz González’s Los Papagayos, 1987, which was painted on a long roll of heavy paper and subsequently cut and redistributed in multiple sections. The painting, which references the corruption and repression enacted by Colombian elected officials and military in recent history, depicts a line of men in military uniform interspersed with a recurring civilian figure dressed in suit and tie. • Wifredo Lam’s painting La Table Blanche, 1939, which features a severely flattened out perspective and nearly monotone palette of blues, grays, and blacks, is highly characteristic of the austere experimental visual language he embraced during his time in Paris following the Spanish Civil War. Lam is considered the most important modernist painter from Cuba, and is known for his embrace of disparate cultural and aesthetic traditions. • Crucifixión [or Crucifiction (CroixFiction)], 1938, by Roberto Matta Echaurren, is a work that marked the Chilean artist’s transition from drawing to oil and the start of what many scholars consider his most important creative period. Although references to the landscape can be faintly discerned, the work is markedly abstract and features a menacing, roiling darkness.
ABOVE: Beatriz González, Los papagayos, 1987 BELOW: Morales, Bodegón, 1981
José Bedia, Cuanto valio mi Coballende, 1994 ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– • Diego Rivera’s Naturaleza muerta, 1908, is an early example of the easel work that he was best known for before his adoption of the mural format. While the oil painting displays an affinity towards the composition and bold use of line of Paul Cézanne, it is notable for its clear rejection of more abstract tendencies. • Joaquin Torres-Garcia, a Uruguayan artist, is one of the most influential artists of the 20th century in his role of spreading geometric abstraction through Latin America. His work Construcción con dos máscaras, 1943, features one of his favorite recurring motifs, the mask, and is representative of his interest in Native American archeological artifacts.
The exhibition is the last in the Museum’s current space and marks the start of its transition to its new Herzog & de Meuron-designed facility in Museum Park. Miami Art Museum will reopen as Pérez Art Museum Miami in fall of 2013 in downtown Miami’s Museum Park. The primary mission of the Museum is to collect and exhibit international art of the 20th and 21st centuries with an emphasis on the cultures of the Atlantic Rim (the Americas, Europe and Africa), though perhaps its most important roles are to showcase the beauty and brilliance of Latin American art; and to educate a global audience on its indelible importance in the world of art and culture. (PHOTO CREDITS: MIAMI ART MUSEUM)
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Corporate Social Responsibility and Your Business BY K. DENAYE HINDS Director of Sustainability – OBM International
Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) takes on many forms and can be considered, developed and accomplished in a number of ways. But how does one evaluate the business case for CSR within your sustainability policy? Is it truly better for your business and how do you maintain the balance? In considering CSR, the key factor is understanding your responsibility as a company first to sustain your business model. In this respect, your responsibility to your stakeholders and employees must be met – through fiduciary responsibility and employee well being, productivity and diversity. It is my belief that people do business with people who they like, people who they trust and people where they see a good investment and track record of success; thus consumers of business services also seek these traits. CSR plays a role in the foremost reasons as to a potential business relationship and provides an opportunity to showcase the above to prospective consumers. Secondly in adopting your company CSR efforts, your contribution to the social considerations of sustainability emerge as an alignment between your company vision and goals
and your respective community missions. Ensuring the longevity of your business operations go hand in hand with ensuring your company’s contribution to enhancing the health of the economy in your surrounding community whether this be through job creation, capacity building or giving back. Establishing opportunities for engagement, as opposed to simply reporting or having policies in place, in community missions allows for CSR efforts to be developed, from this measurement and verification of your consumer response can be applied linking your business with accountability. Consumers like to understand the companies they receive services from, they appreciate transparency and disclosure along with avenues to identify with and connect to businesses they trust. CSR can have advantages for honest brand recognition as a business becomes linked with social endeavors, whether they be focused within your neighborhood, nationally or internationally, they have the opportunity to introduce a level of connection with a consumer which can then generate the most powerful tool in marketing – good old fashioned, word of mouth and referrals – which lead to more business and more informed business consumers.
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It’s Not Too Early to Start Planning Your Estate BY CURT HAGEDORN When you say Estate Planning, it causes a variety of reactions. Some people think it doesn’t really apply to them because they don’t have “a lot of money” or property. Others don’t want to think about what’s going to happen after they die, and still others think it’s something to start thinking about after retirement. Like most financial matters these day, however, estate planning is something to get into early, learn as much as you can about and revise and refine as you go along. Life is nothing if not full of random occurrences, and though you may be in your 30s with a new home, two new kids, a great career and a long life ahead of you, not anticipating what may be around the next corner is a gamble you and your family really shouldn’t take. Estate planning encompasses a number of things. Investments. If you want to make sure your family is taken care of when you’re gone, you need to begin investing in their future now. From real estate and mutual funds to items like art, antiques and collectibles, think about your estate as a litmus test for purchasing things that will maintain or increase their current value –
of thought and wisdom rather than impulse. Even something as simple as driving safely and maintaining your car is in some sense an exercise in estate planning – avoiding risk and maximizing value, be it financial or strictly utilitarian. In any case, estate planning is a matter of making long-term investments, of buying low and selling high to a certain extent, and of maintaining the value of your investments, whether they’re mutual funds or real estate. Insurance. In general, the younger you are when you begin paying into an insurance plan, the better the rate. So begin looking into insurance now – you’ll be surprised how much more your monthly bill for the same coverage will be ten years hence. Types of insurance to look into include, of course, homeowners, personal property and life insurance, as well as various types of disability and long term care insurance should you become incapacitated and unable to work. Make sure you understand the terms of your insurance – while more expensive, insurance policies that increase in value over time may be a better investment than those which, for example, expire when you’re 85. If, however, you’re starting late at getting insurance, such “term life” policies may be worth a gamble. Lawyers, accountants, investment planners. Finding a good lawyer, a good accounting and a good financial advisor in whatever combination can be worth its weight in gold, and it’s a good idea to start young. Checking your college alumni association, asking friends and colleagues
and reading financial publications, particularly local financial news, are all good ways of identifying potential professional help. Find people and companies you can trust and stay with them – these are, next to your immediate family and work, the most important relationships you’ll build over your lifetime. And be a tough customer – if you have a question, ask it and, just as you would with a doctor, if it’s a matter that you still don’t understand or even if you just have a gut feeling, get a second opinion. Wills, Powers of Attorney and other legal documents. Again, the earlier you make these arrangements the more protected and secure you, your family and your assets will be. Though there are often a lot of emotional issues around creating a will and contemplating your own or others mortality, try thinking of these things as constantly changeable documents – and treat them that way based upon changes in your own life, from buying property to getting a divorce to having another child. Making sure your will and other documents are up to date for you, your spouse, and your family is perhaps the simplest and least time consuming of all Estate Planning chores, and can greatly increase the sense of security that both you and your family have against unforeseen events. Exercise common sense. Planning your Estate is basically about caring for your loved ones, don’t complicate it by trying to use your Estate to resolve relationship conflicts or settle old scores – be fair and take the long view.
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Plan for ‘financial longevity’ BY BARI AUERBACH
How can my stock investments work with the rest of my investment portfolio?” Beyond stocks and investmentproducts, discussions with financial advisors may also encompass the merits of annuities, bonds, CDs, exchange-traded funds, futures and commodities, IRAs, market linked investments, mutual funds and unit investment trusts.
At 95, Nola Ochs became the oldest college graduate; skydiver Mary Armstrong celebrated her 90th birthday with a 12,000 foot jump; and at 93, Bert Kilbride was still scuba diving…Today, “80 and older” is the fastest growing segment of the total U.S. population. Dramatic growth in life expectancies and energetic lifestyles are now enabling us to live 20 to 25% of our lives in active retirement. Recognizing Americans are living longer than ever before, many financial advisors and tax professionals have created niche specialties focusing on creating highly personalized financial longevity strategies you can start implementing at any age to plan for the future - today. ‘Ready for Retirement?’ Virtually every week on The Today Show, Willard Scott congratulates centenarians celebrating long lives – but he doesn’t address serious concerns like “Did you save enough for such a long retirement horizon?” and “How is inflation eroding your purchasing power?” Considering a myriad of variables can impact retirement income, working with a financial advisor to develop a personalized portfolio can help you reap the benefits of services such as in-depth analysis of current economic outlooks; and vigilant monitoring of international conditions influencing optimal ways to take advantage of global market trends. So you can be the “master of your own destiny,” financial advisors can also help devise master financial plans determining how a good asset allocation strategy can help manage investment opportunities and risks. A trusted financial advisor can help you set realistic goals and develop a financial plan to meet them; live within your means; gain a basic education about investments, taxes,
insurance, estate and retirement planning; and suggest ways you can diversify so you don’t have too many eggs in one basket. Ric Edelman, heralded as the nation’s #1 independent financial advisor, hosts a radio talk show routinely featuring segments on how to prepare for retirement. Primary considerations he recommends include: Determining how much money you’ll spend monthly; anticipating the cost of health care; purchasing long-term care insurance; refinancing your mortgage; boosting cash reserves; evaluating sources of income; revising investment
strategies to keep pace with the rising cost of living; and reviewing your estate plan. ‘Take Stock of Options’ If you’re investing in stocks, your financial advisor should provide you with a wide range of stock investing services such as developing personal asset allocation strategies; selecting individual stocks; assisting with decisions about when to buy and sell stocks; and frequently providing stock portfolio reviews. Potential investors need to explore questions such as “What are my investment goals? How much risk am I willing to take? and
‘Go With the Pros’ At 70, Roger Alsopp swam the English Channel and Yuichiro Miura climbed Mt. Everest; at 98, Keiko Fukuda earned her tenth degree black belt; and at 102, “born to be wild” Bess Tancrelle was still riding her motorcycle…Vitality, compounded by uncertain economic times, makes consulting with a financial advisor even more of a vital necessity when it comes to developing effective, long-term financial solutions. Today, many public accounting firms are taking a comprehensive approach to helping clients attain financial security in an ever-changing environment. Smart tax and financial planning is practical in any environment, but in light of recent legislation passed to avoid the “fiscal cliff,” now is an especially prudent time to reevaluate business and personal plans. CPAs can help devise tax strategies such as deferred compensation IRA’s; and they often work with personal investment advisors to help ensure financial security goals are attained. Plans can always be periodically revised to accommodate changing market and tax laws as well as evolving life circumstances. ‘Plan for the Future - Today’ At over 90-years-young, comedienne Betty White is still “Hot in Cleveland”; also still quite vital at 90, Nahu Ram Jogi fathered his 21st child…Through every stage of investment planning, financial advisors can help you plan for the future - today so you can enjoy singing the praises of retirement tomorrow…somewhat like the world’s oldest woman, Jeanne Calment, who released a rap album when she turned 121!
THE DONOWAY CENTER FOR CANCER TREATMENT AND PREVENTION Surgical Oncology Associates of South Florida Robert B. Donoway, M.D., F.A.C.S., F.S.S.O. Surgical Oncology & Breast Surgical Oncology Practice Specializing in Cancer of Breast, Pancreas, Liver, GI Tract, Melanoma, Sarcoma, Thyroid and Parathyroid, Cancer Prevention and Risk Assessment, Surgical Oncology, Breast Surgical Oncology, Endocrine, and Laparoscopic Surgery, Minimally Invasive Image Guided Tumor Surgery, Genetic Cancer Counseling
ROBERT B. DONOWAY, M.D. Medical Director Institute for Breast Cancer Prevention
21110 Biscayne Boulevard • Suite 400 • Aventura, FL 33180 3800 Johnson Street • Suite 400 • Hollywood, FL 33021 17884 N.W. 2nd Street • Pembroke Pines, FL 33029
Phone: 954.986.6366 • 305.682.4993 • Fax 954.986.4355 www.TheDonowayCenter.com
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Florida Healthcare Plus’ focus on quality customer service BY DONNA SHELLEY
One topic that is uppermost in the minds of most Americans ages 65 and older is the availability of quality healthcare. Among companies offering managed care in the state the people at Florida Healthcare Plus (FHCP) believe that their focus on quality customer service and cost-effectiveness make them the obvious choice for Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries. FHCP started out in 2004 as a pre-paid health clinic plan, addressing the needs of lower income families. Today, its is a licensed Florida HMO (health maintenance organization) with branches in Miami, West Palm Beach, Orlando and Tampa. Focused on serving the needs of its members, FHCP’s community-based operations offer Prepaid, Medicare and Medicaid managed care programs. Placing service and concern for each individual member at the forefront of its corporate model, FHCP’s director of marketing, Abram Rodriguez, explained that the company is focused on preventative healthcare methods as a way to cut high medical costs. “We bring a lot of innovative benefits to Medicare, based on our motto that service
Pictured in the Coral Gables office of Florida Healthcare Plus are Abram Rodriguez, director of marketing, (left) and Peter Hernandez, chief operating officer. –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
comes first,” Rodriguez said from the company’s Coral Gables office. One such feature is the over-the-counter debit card that is recharged in $100 increments every month. The member can use the card at Walgreens, CVS, Family Dollar and Dollar General to purchase 25,000 health-related products, from aspirin to blood pressure cuffs. Another is FHCP’s unlimited van service for members, offered free of charge for doctor appointments, trips to the gym and even grocery-shopping outings. The company has purchased its own fleet of comfortable Mercedes-Benz Sprinter vans, operated by drivers trained and employed by FHCP. Free gym membership is offered to all
members and dieticians are available to accompany members on van-assisted grocery shopping trips to provide guidance for those who need advice on the best food products for their particular health issues. Other plans such as dental and eye health programs are available. FHCP’s coverage is worldwide and accompanies the member wherever he or she goes. By limiting costs and practicing prevention, FHCP, a relatively small company, can invest the savings into benefits instead of rewarding a large group of stockholders, as is done by larger HMOs. The doctors who are providers with FHCP are incentivized to keep people in good health and receive assistance from FHCP to help cover the costs of implementing and maintaining electronic health records of members. FHCP also prides itself on the strength of its Social Services Department. It is ready to courteously and efficiently assist members with any service that is offered by the DCF, such as Medicare and Medicaid information, food stamps and home delivered meals and phone assistance. A hallmark of FHCP’s company is its concern to educate members on the services available to them. New member orientation takes place at local restaurants where benefits are explained in a relaxed, friendly environment, and staff is on hand throughout the year to assist the members and to help them navigate their way through the Medicare and Medicaid systems. Providing a community-based, clientcentric managed care service is at the heart of what FHCP offers. “What I like about my job is seeing people happy. We are sensitive to the needs of our members and our providers. We give true preventative care and pass the savings along in more benefits for our members,” said Peter Hernandez, chief operating officer. To learn more about FHCP, call 305888-2210 or visit the website at <www.floridahealthcareplus>.
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Cool Jobs for Seniors BY CURT HAGEDORN
More and more seniors are entering or re-entering the work force these days and for a variety of reasons ranging from financial need to just plain wanting to get out of the house. We’ve all seen the ads with octogenarians waiting on counter at the local fast food restaurant or greeting customers at WalMart, but there are many other options out there for seniors that can allow them to supplement their income or just continue to contribute their knowledge and life-long wisdom to their communities. Consulting. Depending upon your skills and prior occupation, many savvy seniors are finding that the rise of home computing has allowed them to keep a presence in the workforce even after retirement. Accounting, tax preparation, real estate sales, financial advising and business planning are all avenues where seniors can apply their lifelong experience to assisting individuals and small businesses on a consulting basis. For seniors who don’t need the additional income, many locales also have mentor programs whereby qualified former executives and other professionals can volunteer to assist small businesses and non-profits as expert advisors. Volunteering. Whether it’s for your local church, soup kitchen, animal shelter or
wildlife conservancy, seniors often have the time, the energy and the creativity to make a real difference in supporting these various community programs. Any not for profit or community organization that is not making adequate use of the tremendous assets of seniors in their community should seriously consider reaching out to them, and seniors should most definitely consider volunteering their efforts to assist with or create programs to support local philanthropic organizations. Starting a Home Business. In just about any group of seniors, there’s enough combined work and life experience to establish any number of viable small businesses. From marketing baked goods to local restaurants and gourmet stores to creating any number of decorative items to turning a basement carpenter’s shop into a wooden toy factory, the limits are pretty much only imagination and stamina. While you might not want to put your life savings at
risk, starting a home business on a small scale can often be managed without too much expense and can provide an outlet for skills and dreams which you might have foregone for your entire working life. Mentoring and Teaching. Many other cultures revered their senior citizens for the accumulated experience and wisdom of their years, and Americans are slowly learning to do the same. If you’re an expert in a certain field or even if you’re just an acknowledged master at something like sewing or crocheting, you may find a pool of willing students in your community who would like nothing better than for you to pass on your skill and knowledge to them. Try contacting your local community center, adult education outlet or college or university department of continuing education with a proposal that they help you pass your life-
long expertise down to the next generation. Caring for future generations. Depending upon health, level of mobility and stamina, seniors are often the go-to family members for child care – there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be paid for it. Though you may not be up to running a day care center for a large number of children, you may be surprised to find how much help you can be at an existing day care center, or simply providing a place to go for some neighborhood children for that difficult to schedule time period between after school and when their parents come home from work. If you’re considering any kind of child care, it’s important that you honestly assess your abilities and desires in this area – parents these days may be more specific or differ in their views on things like diet, activities, and punishment and you just want to make sure you’re an old dog that really wants to learn some new tricks. Finally, remember there’s safety in numbers. Ventures which you might not want to undertake on your own may suddenly become doable if you include a friend, or a group of friends. Keeping actively involved in life, in your community and with other people is often the key to making a semi-retired retirement the perfect blend of energizing activity and deserved rest and relaxation.
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Healthy elderly people with daytime sleepiness face higher risk of cardiovascular-related death Healthy elderly people with daytime sleepiness face higher risk of cardiovascular-related death American Heart Association rapid access journal report Study highlights: • Elderly people with regular or frequent excessive daytime sleepiness may have a higher risk of overall and heart-related death. • Excessive daytime sleepiness may be an important indicator of risk of death. • Researchers suggest physicians survey elderly patients about their sleep habits. Healthy elderly people who regularly feel very sleepy during the day had a significantly higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease, a study reported in Stroke: Journal of the American Heart Association. Elderly people who reported regularly feeling sleepy during the day had a 33 percent increase in relative risk of overall death compared to those who didn’t feel sleepy. Even after researchers adjusted for such other risk factors as age, gender, body mass index and previous cardiovascular disease, the sleepy people also had a 49 percent increase in relative risk of cardiovascular death.?Researchers conducted the Three-
City Study for six years in France, following 9,294 elderly people without evidence of existing cancer or cardiovascular disease and who did not live in nursing homes or other care facilities. “Complaints of excessive daytime sleepiness are very frequent in the elderly but there have been few studies relating daytime sleepiness and mortality in the elderly and those results were mixed,” said Jean-Philippe Empana, M.D., Ph.D., lead author of the study and a researcher at Inserm, the French Public Institute on Health and Medical Research. In Empana’s study, the average age of participants was 74 years old and 60 percent were women. At the onset of the study, participants completed a short questionnaire (derived from the Epworth sleepiness scale, a validated questionnaire to assess daytime sleepiness) to report whether they felt sleepy during the day: 14 percent said “regularly” and 4.7 percent “frequently.” After following the participants for six years, 762 had died. Of the deaths, 34 percent were because of cancer and 26 percent were from cardiovascular disease. Although the results point to an associ-
ation between excessive daytime sleepiness and an increased risk of cardiovascular death, Empana said, “we are far from having a clear explanation.” Two-thirds of the participants had an ultrasound exam of their carotid artery, and investigators found no association that an increase in carotid plaque would explain. “Also, we thought there might be an underlying sleep apnea syndrome, so we looked at snoring and obesity, but once we adjusted for that, we still have a significant association between excessive daytime sleepiness and cardiovascular disease death,” Empana said. Researchers are unclear on whether the sleep complaints are a symptom of an underlying disease or whether the sleepiness triggers or worsens a disease. Physicians should ask patients about their sleep habits and closely monitor elderly patients for signs of excessive daytime sleepiness, Empana said. “These data may have clinical implications adding to the body of evidence that excessive daytime sleepiness is not a benign but rather an important risk marker of death in community-dwelling elderly,” he said. “The main aim is to be aware of sleep complaints and to look for them routinely in the elderly, because it may be associated with the worse prognosis.” The Three-City Study is conducted under a partnership agreement between the Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM), the Victor Segalen–Bordeaux II University, and Sanofi-Aventis. The Fondation pour la Recherche Médicale funded the preparation
and initiation of the study. The 3C Study is also supported by the Caisse Nationale Maladie des Travailleurs Salariés, Direction Générale de la Santé, MGEN, Institut de la Longévité, Conseils Régionaux of Aquitaine and Bourgogne, Fondation de France, and Ministry of Research–INSERM Programme “Cohortes et collections de données biologiques.” Co-authors are: Y. Dauviliers, M.D., Ph.D.; J.F. Dartigues, M.D., Ph.D.; K. Ritchie Ph.D.; J. Gariepy, M.D.; X. Jouven, M.D., Ph.D.; C. Tzourio, M.D., Ph.D.; P. Amouyel, M.D., Ph.D.; A. Besset, Ph.D.; and P. Ducimetiere, Ph.D. Individual author disclosures can be found on the manuscript. Editor’s note: For more information on stroke, visit the American Stroke Association Web site: www.strokeassociation.org Statements and conclusions of study authors published in American Heart Association scientific journals are solely those of the study authors and do not necessarily reflect the association’s policy or position. The association makes no representation or guarantee as to their accuracy or reliability. The association receives funding primarily from individuals. Foundations and corporations (including pharmaceutical, device manufacturers and other companies) also make donations and fund specific association programs and events. The association has strict policies to prevent these relationships from influencing the science content. Revenues from pharmaceutical and device corporations are available at www.americanheart.org/corporatefunding.
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‘Ageless Fitness’ BY BARI AUERBACH
“Fitness is a fountain of youth!” A statement proven time and again by the exceptionally fit people often seen at gyms who look at least ten years younger than their actual age. The “no excuses” truth is, it’s possible to start exercising at any age – and long-term studies show being active can cut the risk of premature death by as much as 50 percent. One of the first steps to “defying gravity” and looking forever young is to learn more about what happens to our bodies as we age. After age 30, fitness levels can decline, leading to a tendency to put on weight. Bone and muscle loss begins around age 35. Flexibility and strength are also on the decline, as body fat levels and blood pressure are on the rise. A whopping 50% of these changes are a direct result of inactivity. With regular exercise you can take control of your life, delay and even reverse adverse effects associated with aging. Major fitness components that can have the greatest impact on preventing falls and prolonging independence include body composition, strength and power, aerobic capacity, flexibility, balance and mobility. Physical fitness can also help improve the ability to perform every day functional activities such as lifting and bending. So choose to move! Research shows that even people in their 90s have seen up to a 200% improvement in strength within a few weeks of starting an exercise program. “Looking and staying young is easier than you might think,” explains Delia Cicale, co-owner of Olympia Fitness Center. “I’ve been exercising since my twenties and now, I’ve been able to maintain my weight and look by best at 60. My husband, Pete, and I both follow a very diverse workout program incorporating strength training, flexibility and aerobic exercise.” Strength training is especially beneficial for developing lean muscle mass and increasing your body’s ability to burn calories – even while at rest. Studies have shown women who joined men incorporating strength training in their exercise program lost an average of 44% more fat than
those who didn’t. Stretching daily to enhance flexibility can also help maintain elasticity in muscles and reduce the risk of joint disease. Aerobic exercise bolsters immune function, lowers blood pressure and can keep your heart healthy while stimulating cell growth, enhancing mental condition and increasing brain function in older adults. Exercising also triggers the release of endorphins which can counteract depression. Proper diet is another critical key to finding the “fountain of youth.” An antiaging diet, rich in antioxidants, can prevent damage to the heart, arteries and other tissues. As a result of the natural aging process, men - and especially ladies lose lean muscle mass every year and replace it with fat. This is a primary reason why weight control and weight loss becomes so much more difficult then when you were 18. One pound of fat burns only about four calories per day, while one pound of muscle burns approximately 50 calories per day. Experts agree, being active and exercising regularly is probably the number one thing you can do to slow the aging process and improve vitality. “Exercise can be described as a real lifesaver,” the Cicales energetically proclaim. “It can help you reduce stress, feel revitalized, happy, stronger, more confident, young and alive!”
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Finding Part Time Work to Supplement Your Income BY AMANDA KNOLES
In years past it was common to work at one company for an entire career and spend the retirement years traveling, playing golf, or pursuing hobbies. Today with increasing financial demands and changes in social security laws raising the retirement age above 65, many Baby Boomers expect to work at least part time during their retirement years. After decades of being on the fast track in the working world, some people find it hard to stop working abruptly at retirement and prefer to keep busy in another job at least part time. A skills-based resume is an effective way to highlight your experience and accomplishments without calling attention to your age. Try to list skills that can apply to a variety of positions such as supervising others, customer service, making sales calls, organizing databases, research, budget management, etc. Don’t forget to list any volunteer or management experience you may have even if it was in unpaid positions. When you begin your search for a part time job it’s a good idea to approach smaller businesses and nonprofit organizations that have a tendency to be more flexible in hiring older workers. If you enjoy working with kids, consider applying to work as a teacher’s assistant. There is a huge demand in private and public schools and many school systems allow on-the-job training. You may be able to transfer your business skills into a consultant position. Talk with past work contacts and associations within your industry for leads on part time financial, marketing, project management and other opportunities. Many mature workers who have spent years in office jobs enjoy expressing their
creativity in a part time job related to a favorite hobby. If you love antiques, you might consider working at an antique shop or helping a local dealer acquire and appraise new inventory. Gardening enthusiasts might work for a florist, a home and garden shop, or for a landscape designer. Even if you aren’t skilled at floral or garden design, many florists and nurseries need people to work part time making deliveries and taking orders especially during busy seasons like Valentine’s Day, Mother’s Day and Christmas. If you enjoy working with people, talk with your local bank about becoming
a new accounts representative, teller or financial consultant. Museums, amusement parks, casinos, resorts and restaurants are always in need of friendly people to work as tour guides, ticket takers, servers, etc. Avid readers or music fans are a natural for working in bookstores and music shops. Or put your knowledge as a movie buff to work at a video rental store. Many hotels, retail stores, apartment complexes and businesses hire seniors to work as security personnel or as information agents for a front lobby. Those with a background in security or police work
may find part time work as a security screener at the airport. Contact the Transportation Security Administration for more information or check with your local airport authority for details on positions that may be available. Travel enthusiasts may want to look into tour guide opportunities or even teaching English abroad. Many airlines also employ mature workers to work as airport reservationists, food preparation staff, baggage handlers, or to staff reservation call centers. If you worked for years in a construction job and no longer want to wield a hammer and saw, you may be able to transfer your years of experience on job sites to a new position involving project management or supervising inventory. It is important to convey how your years of experience in other industries can benefit a new company. Talk about transferable skills that relate to the job at hand. Be convincing about your ability to adapt to new situations and use your time in an interview to demonstrate your pleasant personality and willingness to work with others. Don’t forget to mention hobbies, interests and volunteer experience. For example raising funds for a charity is relevant if you are applying for a sales job. Be prepared to address employer comments that you are overqualified for a position. You might explain that you are looking to expand your knowledge by exploring a different field. It is against the law for employers to discriminate because of age but you may have to address subtle references to it. Let the employer know that you are enthusiastic, computer literate (if applicable) and open to learning new things. Be honest about explaining any gaps in your employment. If you took time off to care for a spouse, or you were laid off, explain the circumstances and emphasize that you are ready to return to work.
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Insuring Good Health for Retirees BY SARAH KOCH While there are a number of good things about getting older, obtaining adequate health insurance isn’t one of them. According to the Employee Benefit Research Institute (ERBI), only about 37 per cent of those retiring before age 65 will continue to have now former-employer-based health coverage, and only 27 per cent of those who retire at 65 or older will do so. Even if you’re thinking that retirement for you is a long way off, just know that, according to experts, Medicare will run out about 2030. Even if you fall into one of the above minorities, you’ll probably be required to pay full premiums, which can be a shocker. Still, though, you’ll be paying a group rate, not individual, and you’ll likely be getting broader coverage than you would with an individual policy. Even if you’re told that your — and your dependents’ — coverage will end on your last day with the firm, check to see if the federally based COBRA law applies. Under COBRA, certain businesses must offer their former employees insurance coverage, even if at full premium. Excuse me, but haven’t you ever heard of Medicare? Indeed I have, Smarty-pants. But Medicare, on the average, covers less than 50%
of a senior’s health costs. And that fact brings us to Medigap (Medicare Supplemental) that can be used to fill in some of the cracks. In order to get it with a minimum of fuss (i.e., no physical exam, or questions about your health) be sure to apply for it within six months following your 65th birthday. Medigap offers ten individual and varied plans, each with the same minimum benefits. If you think it’s likely you may need long-term health care (whether in-home or in a nursing home), be aware that Medicare covers only about 10% of such expenses in the US. That’s when you might turn to Medicaid. To qualify for this, though, you have to fall below the poverty line, which measurement varies from state to state. OK, grim though that this all may sound, buck up, Sparky! It’s not like there aren’t options. Options, did you say? Yep. To begin with, you could try putting aside enough to cover those possible health/long-term care expenses. Per the ERBI again, that would mean saving up about one million dollars to cover such potential costs over the remainder of your life following retirement. This amount, of course, doesn’t include what you’d need for your everyday expenses. Yes, I know – yipes! Well, thank heavens, that’s not the only choice.
So, if your former employer drops you altogether, you can look into private insurance policies (expensive) or a group insurance package, which would prove more economical. Then again, there may be more options. Such as: How do you feel about further education? You might be able to acquire health coverage by returning to school. Many junior colleges and universities offer relatively inexpensive insurance for their students, and you may only have to take a couple of courses a semester to qualify, just as long as you’re building towards a degree. Have you wanted to move? I ask because health insurance costs vary from state to state. (This is true for auto and home insurance as well.) The bright side here is that this is true, even for people who are already suffering from ill health. At that, there are countries in both Latin America and Europe with socialized health care, though there could be either a period of residency that must be met, or you may have to marry a native. Then again, that may not be such a sacrifice. Travel is so broadening . . . and would make you eligible for traveler’s health insurance. Then again, for those of you in the military, check out TRICARE. Also, have a thorough physical before your retirement date, and fully document any injury you received while serving, however minor. (What’s
trivial seeming now could develop into something more serious in the future.) In addition, to protect your chances of a successful later claim, also note any preexisting conditions that became aggravated during this period. If you don’t have such evidence, then you may be unable to make a successful claim later on. Even if you eventually pick up insurance from another employer, as a veteran, you may be qualified for special benefits, so investigate fully. At that, for those who retire too early to qualify for Medicare, there may be the possibility of “interim” insurance. In fact, depending on your given profession, and the state where you live, there may be special options open to you, so don’t fail to ask questions! A few last words . . . Before beginning your search for the most appropriate coverage, ask yourself the tough questions. “ What kind of health coverage might I need?” (There’s no need to pay for what you won’t likely use.) “What’s my family history like?” If heart problems, say, run in the family, then it would be smart to plan for that eventuality. As for advice, you’re not in this alone. Contact a trusted insurance agent, scour your Yellow Pages for a local agent, or call the American Association of Retired Persons, also listed in your phone book. Any of these folks can help steer you in the right direction, answering your questions, and even helping you to decide what questions to ask.
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