PRESS RELEASE: June 20, 2012 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Joshua Jones, Communications Manager
PHONE: 305-446-1657
EMAIL: jjones@coralgableschamber.org
CORAL GABLES CHAMBER OF COMMERCE HOSTS ANNUAL GOALS CONFERENCE
It’s Our Business to Grow Your Business
CORAL GABLES, FL – The 2012 Goals Conference begins on Thursday, June 21 with the fifth annual George E. Merrick Award of Excellence Dinner. This prestigious award will be bestowed upon a community leader who has served the City Beautiful in a meaningful and lasting way. The distinguished honorees for this prestigious award are:
- Ambassador Charles Cobb
- Arthur H. Hertz
- George Kakouris
- Mary Young
- Former Mayor Dorothy Thomson
Each year, five iconic individuals from the Coral Gables community are singled out and recognized as distinguished honorees, with one leader earning the most esteemed award. Past winners include: Arva Parks McCabe; Chairman of the Coral Gables Museum; Betsey Adams of the Coral Gables Garden Club; Former Commissioner James Barker and Former Commissioner Wayne “Chip” Withers, Jr.
The Conference continues on Friday, June 22 with our Good Morning Coral Gables breakfast featuring Patrick Geraghty, CEO of Florida Blue. Mr. Geraghty will share his thoughts on the state of health care in Florida, the new Florida Blue brand, and his vision for Florida Blue’s future in our community and beyond. City Manager Pat Salerno will also offer remarks on the latest happenings in the City of Coral Gables during breakfast. Incoming Chair Darla Thompson will introduce her leadership team, as well as share her goals for the upcoming year. Good Morning Coral Gables is sponsored by Florida Blue and Mercantil Commercebank.
Throughout the day, participants will have an opportunity to share in various goals-setting sessions, which will help to solidify measurable and attainable action plans for the upcoming Chamber year. The highly anticipated Goals Conference luncheon is sponsored by COMCAST Business Services and will feature keynote speaker Steve Cone of Bloomberg TV and author of Steal These Ideas!
Participants will also engage in an interactive session with the Beacon Council on the outcomes of their One Community One Goal program. OCOG seeks to better define and map out how we are going to build our economy of the future through targeted industries. Co-Chairs Alex Villoch and Adolfo Henriques will present the findings, including those industries that are the focal point for business recruitment, retention and growth. This program is presented by Becker & Poliakoff, Gibraltar Bank and The Miami Herald.
The day will conclude with a closing session on “Why We Love the Gables,” presented by historian Dr. Paul George and a cocktail reception, sponsored by Credomatic Merchant Services.
Sponsors for this annual planning conference include Corporate Sponsors: The Allen Morris Company, Bay Plumbing Company, City National Bank, Cherry Bekaert & Holland, LLP, COMCAST Business Services, Community Newspapers, Credomatic Merchant Services, Florida Blue, Home Financing Center, Mercantil Commercebank, and the University of Miami. Event Sponsors: Baptist Health South Florida, Becker & Poliakoff, PA, Esslinger, Wooten Maxwell Realtors, Montica Jewelry, Park One, Right Space Management, and US Century Bank. Participating Sponsors: AJP Ventures Corp, Albion Staffing Solutions, Inc., Apollo Bank, Barakat Law, PA, East Coast Public Adjusters, Inc., Eliptek Technology Group, Florida International University, Gibraltar Private Bank & Trust, Gulliver Schools, Intermedia Touch, Jack Lowell, Flagler, Laura L. Russo, Esq., Logistical Outsourcing, Inc., Northern Trust, Park One, Smiles & Sonrisas, Vine Communications, Waste Management, and Zyscovich Architects. In-kind Sponsors: Bacardi USA, Gallo Winery, The Miami Herald, Photo Offset and Tarpon Bend Raw Bar & Grill.
For more information on sponsorship, please contact Senior Events Manager, Erica Dominguez at 305.446.1657 or email edominguez@coralgableschamber.org.
To register to attend this event, please visit www.coralgableschamber.org.
About The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce
The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce is a 1,500 member, not-for-profit business association whose mission is to foster and enhance the economic interests and quality of life in the Coral Gables community. For more information on The Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce, visit www.coralgableschamber.org.
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