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Charles E. Perry Visionary Award
Francisco Ramos ’93, College of Arts and Sciences,
Attorney and Partner, Clarke Silverglate & Campbell
Francisco Ramos, Jr., graduated from FIU summa cum laude with a bachelor’s in political science. As a freshman, he was part of FIU’s inaugural honors program. Ramos subsequently attended law school at the University of Miami where he served on the law review and graduated magna cum laude. Since passing the bar, Ramos has served on several boards, including Parent to Parent of Miami and Legal Services of Miami. He has assumed several leadership roles, including that of inaugural chair of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Historical Society and president-elect of the Florida Defense Lawyers Association. Ramos has edited and written extensively in several legal publications and published the book From Law School to Litigator. He is a partner at the law firm of Clarke Silverglate & Campbell. In addition to his litigation practice, Ramos is certified as a circuit and county court mediator. He is AV rated by Martindale Hubbell and has been found to be a legal up-and-comer by both the South Florida Legal Guide and Florida Trend Magazine.
Distinguished Alumni Awards
Adina Aaron ’93, College of Arts & Architecture
Soprano and Founder and Executive Director of Ritual Theatre Company
After graduating from FIU with a bachelor’s in vocal performance, Adina Aaron attended the prestigious Boston Conservatory of Music where she earned her master’s degree. Aaron was then accepted as an apprentice in the Santa Fe Opera and Seattle’s Young Artists program. She has received many vocal-performance awards, including first place in the National Association of Teachers of Singing in 1997 and the Monte Carlo Voice Masters Vocal Competition in 2005. An accomplished concert soloist, she has appeared in numerous operas worldwide. Recently, Aaron performed the title role in Italian film director Franco Zeffirelli’s production of the Verdi opera, Aida. She has also performed with the Syracuse Opera, Festival de Mont Sainte Victoire, Teatre Colon de Bogotá, and Teatre Teresa Carreno. Aaron has given back to the community by founding a non-profit theatre group in New York City, Ritual Theatre Company. Never forgetting FIU, Aaron has returned several times to teach graduate classes and to mentor vocal majors in the School of Music.
Dr. Henry Rodriguez ’86 MS ’88, College of Arts & Sciences
Director, Clinical Proteomic Technologies for Cancer
Dr. Rodriguez serves as the director of Clinical Proteomic Technologies at the National Cancer Institute (NCI). He oversees world leaders in clinical and basic research, proteomic discovery and technology development/assessment programs, including academic institutes, industrial partners and other organizations. Rodriguez is an internationally recognized expert on advanced molecular-based cancer technologies and an advocate of personalized medicine. Prior to the NCI, he worked at the National Institute of Standards and Technology where he developed the Cell & Tissue Measurements Group (programs in genomics, proteomics, imaging/nanotechnology and bioinformatics), a tissue-engineering program and pioneered new methodologies in mass spectrometry for applications in cancer diagnostics. Rodriguez began his career as a fellow at The Scripps Research Institute followed by the City of Hope National Medical Cancer Center. He is the recipient of domestic and international achievement awards. Rodriguez received his bachelor’s and master’s degrees in biology from FIU, a doctorate in cell and molecular biology from Boston University, and an MBA from Johns Hopkins University School of Business.
Joseph L. Caruncho, Esq. ‘81, College of Business Administration
CEO and Co-founder, Preferred Care Partners
As co-founder and CEO of Preferred Care Partners (PCP), a leading Medicare Advantage Health Plan in Florida, Joseph L. Caruncho has revolutionized the managed-care industry in South Florida. The health plan is today one of the largest privately owned Medicare Advantage plans in Florida. In 2007, INC 500 recognized the company as one of the fastest growing in America. Prior to co-founding PCP, Caruncho was a corporate health care attorney for 13 years, representing clients in the health care industry. Caruncho holds a business degree in finance from FIU and a law degree from Nova Southeastern University. He is chairman of the College of Business Administration’s Deans Council and is vice chair of the FIU Foundation Board of Directors. In 2006, South Florida Business Journal named Caruncho Ultimate CEO. Hispanic Magazine named him one of the most influential Hispanics in the country. In addition, he was the 2005 Florida Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” in the health care category.
Justo L. Pozo ’80, College of Business Administration,
Co-founder of Preferred Care Partners
Justo Pozo is president and co-founder of the revolutionary Preferred Care Partners (PCP). PCP is based on a new managed care model called the Provider Sponsored Organization, which offers all the benefits traditionally offered by HMOs while eliminating the unnecessary restrictions and bureaucracy that have alienated physicians and patients in the past. In 2006, the company had an annual revenue figure of $340 million. Pozo holds a business degree in accounting from FIU and is a licensed, board-certified public accountant in Florida. He serves on the board of directors of both FIU’s Foundation and Athletic Board. Pozo has also received numerous recognitions, including induction into the College of Business Administration’s Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame (along with Joseph Caruncho), receiving FIU’s distinguished service medallion award and being named by the South Florida Business Journal as a “Heavy Hitter in Health Care.” Prior to co-founding PCP, Pozo practiced for 18 years as a CPA and financial advisor, representing clients in diversified industries including health care.
Victor Sikah MS ’92 Ed. D. ‘00, College of Education
Professor, Miami-Dade College
Victor Sikah is a professor of English as a second language (ESL) and Russian at Miami-Dade College. He graduated from the Byelorussian Institute of Mechanical Engineering in Minsk, Belarus, a former Soviet republic. Sikah also earned a master’s and a doctorate in education at FIU. For four years, Sikah taught FIU’s Foundations of Educational Research at the graduate level. At MDC, he designed and implemented a college entrance-test preparation course for the ESL program covering English language skills, reading comprehension and mathematics. He is currently working with Dr. Kingsley Banya in the College of Education on issues of higher education in sub-Saharan Africa.
Emilio R. Vega ’92, College of Engineering & Computing
CEO and President, Structural Prestressed Industries
Emilio R. Vega is founder, CEO and president of Structural Prestressed Industries (SPI), the world’s largest manufacturer of precast/prestressed concrete joists and soffit beams. Currently ranked among Hispanic Business Magazine’s 500 largest Hispanic-owned companies, SPI provides design, value engineering estimates, fabrication, transportation, hosting and erection services. It also installs quality prestressed concrete components such as double tees, inverted tee beams, hollow-core planks and precast columns for commercial, residential and government projects. While pursuing his bachelor’s in construction management from the College of Engineering, Vega worked at Prestress Decking. In 1991, he started his own company Prestress Concrete, Inc. He later sold his stock to further expand his company’s operations. Vega is now working with FIU’s Structures and Construction Testing Laboratory to develop advanced designed joists that will be more efficient and cost effective. He is proud of partnering with his alma mater and hopes to elevate FIU to the next tier of engineering excellence.
Jose Perdomo J.D. ’06, College of Law
Vice President, Ambulatory Services, Miami Children’s Hospital
For more than 20 years, Jose E. Perdomo has been at the forefront of pediatric health in South Florida, delivering and directing patient care. Before acquiring his bachelor’s at the University of Miami and master’s in health services at Barry University, Perdomo worked as a nurse at Miami Children’s Hospital in the intensive care unit and the emergency room. As an executive director, Perdomo was inducted into Miami Children’s Hall of Excellence and received an award for Clinical Excellence in Nursing. While fulfilling his responsibilities at Miami Children’s, Perdomo attended FIU’s College of Law as a member of the inaugural class. Today he is vice president of Miami Children’s Ambulatory Services and an attorney at the law offices of Brandy Gonzalez-Abreu. An engaged member of our community, he serves on the board of directors of the Health Council of South Florida. He is also a member of the Americas Advisory Board at FIU’s Latin American and Caribbean Center and a partner in Miami-Dade County Public Schools’ Executive PASS program.
Jose A. Sotomayor ’93, College of Nursing and Health Sciences
Founder and President, Infusion Technologies
Jose Sotomayor graduated from FIU with a bachelor’s in nursing. He is the founder and president of Infusion Technologies Health Services (ITHS), a Florida-based provider of specialty injectable pharmaceutical agents, quality home infusion and related home health care services. Early on, Sotomayor realized that the fear of going to the hospital or clinic was a real barrier for a great number of people who needed medical and nursing care, both young and old. Through his corporation, he has brought clinical nursing care into the homes of thousands of Floridians. He opened ITHS as a home-health nursing agency and branched out into home infusion. The company has evolved to provide wound care, arrange for at-home physical and occupational therapists and nursing aides, offer drug and medical product delivery, as well as provide medication and case management services for a wide variety of high-cost, chronic conditions such as multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis and cancer. After his success in Miami, Sotomayor expanded ITHS to facilities in Tampa and Jacksonville.
Carmen L. Morano, Ph.D. ’99, College of Social Work, Justice & Public Affairs – School of Social Work
Associate Professor of Social Work and Director of Education, Brookdale Center for Healthy Aging and Longevity, Hunter College
AAs owner and director of Florida Elder Watch, Dr. Morano discovered many new social workers lacked skills needed in geriatric care management. To address the problem, Morano decided to enroll in FIU’s Ph.D. program in social work; he obtained his degree in 1999. Until recently, he was a faculty member of the University of Maryland School of Social Work where he was chairperson of its Aging Specialization. In 2007, he was recruited by the Brookdale Center. He is the author of 12 articles and four book chapters. He has also been an active volunteer, serving on a number of community boards: the Broward Coalition on Aging, the American Parkinson’s Association, the Florida Health Care Social Workers Association and the Broward County Alzheimer’s Association. He now serves as co-director of the Pre-Dissertation Award Program in Geriatric Social Work for the John A. Hartford Foundation. He is also currently vice president of the Association for Gerontology Education in Social Work and treasurer of the New York State Society on Aging.
Judge Israel Reyes ‘92, College of Social Work, Justice & Public Affairs – School of Criminal Justice
Circuit Court Judge, Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Miami-Dade County
Judge Israel Reyes is a circuit court judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Miami-Dade, currently assigned to the Criminal Division. He has also served temporarily as an associate judge on the Fourth District Court of Appeal. He was appointed recently to the Florida Supreme Court Commission on Professionalism and was rated “exceptionally qualified” in a Cuban-American Bar Association Judicial Poll. Before taking the bench, Judge Reyes was an assistant state attorney prosecuting racketeering/organized crime and specializing in the litigation of civil forfeitures with a concentration on illegal drug money laundering cases. Judge Reyes was one of the principal drafters of the revised state money-laundering bill signed into law by Governor Bush. He is a member of the Florida Bar, Federal Bar (Southern District of Florida) and the Cuban American Bar Association. Prior to entering the legal profession, Reyes was a police officer/detective with the Metro-Dade Police Department for 15 years. He graduated from FIU with high honors with a bachelor’s in criminal justice.
Rep. David Rivera ’86, MPA ‘94, College of Social Work, Justice & Public Affairs – School of Public Administration
State Representative, District 112, Miami-Dade County
Rep. David Rivera graduated with honors from FIU, obtaining a bachelor’s in political science and a master’s in public administration. Faithful to his alma mater, Rivera has taught in FIU’s School of Policy and Management. His articles on U.S.-Cuba relations have been published in The Miami Herald and El Nuevo Herald. Early in his career, Rivera served as a researcher with the Washington, D.C., offices of the Cuban American National Foundation. In 2002, Rivera was elected to the Florida House of Representatives from Miami-Dade County representing District 112, a position to which he has subsequently been re-elected twice. Currently, Rivera serves as chairman of the House Rules and Calendar Committee. He is the director of National Political Affairs, director of Hispanic Outreach for the Republican Party of Florida and national committeeman and national vice chairman of the Republican National Hispanic Assembly of Florida. Rivera is a member of several additional civic, community and professional organizations, including the Association of Hispanic Public Administrators.
Dr. Garth N. Graham ’93, Honors College
Deputy Assistant Secretary for Minority Health, Department of Health and Human Services
Dr. Garth N. Graham is the deputy assistant secretary for minority health in the Department of Health and Human Services. He was appointed previously as a White House Fellow and special assistant to former Secretary Tommy G. Thompson. Dr. Garth is currently a faculty member at the Harvard School of Medicine and serves as a visiting scientist at the Harvard School of Public Health. He has authored numerous scientific articles and presentations on cardiovascular disease, HIV/AIDS and community medicine. Dr. Graham received his bachelor’s in biology from FIU in 1996. He then earned an M.D. from the Yale School of Medicine, where he graduated cum laude. He also obtained a master’s in public health from the Yale School of Epidemiology and Public Health with a focus in health policy administration. He has received numerous accolades for his leadership and service in promoting health, including the 2002 American Medical Association Leadership Award and the Miriam Kathleen Dasey Award from Yale Medical School. The Business Network Journal named him one of its Forty Leaders Under Forty.
Charles A. Bray ’77, School of Hospitality & Tourism Management
Founder & Owner, Ocean Waters Management
Charles Bray currently serves as chairman of Ocean Waters Investments and Ocean Waters Management, a company that owns 67 properties and 100-plus acres of oceanfront land in Florida. This portfolio has been valued at billions of dollars by some of the top Wall Street investment banks. During the peak tourist season, Ocean Waters and its affiliates employ approximately 3,000 employees and are one of the largest employers and tax payers in Volusia County. Bray has successfully managed and owned numerous hotels throughout the country and has had a direct equity interest in more than $1.5 billion of hospitality assets. Prior to forming Ocean Waters, Bray was the owner and chairman of the hotel and management investment banking group of Lodging Specialties, Inc., in Atlanta. He earned a bachelor’s degree in business administration from the University of Maryland and a master’s degree in hotel and food administration from FIU, where he graduated with highest honors. Bray currently serves on the Volusia County Tourism Development Council.
Phoebe L. Moll ’00, School of Journalism & Mass Communications
Vice President and Account Director, BBDO New York
Phoebe L. Moll is a vice president and account director at BBDO New York. Her professional experience encompasses global brand-building and integrated marketing communications.
During her seven-year tenure at BBDO, one of the world’s largest global advertising agencies, Moll’s leadership skills and enthusiasm have been rewarded with inclusion in the BBDO Mentoring program and Omnicom University management development course. She has traveled extensively with the Oral-B account in Western Europe, Brazil, Mexico and Australia. Moll served as Membership Development chairperson for the NYC Associates Chapter of the International Advertising Association. Prior to joining BBDO in 2001, she was the marketing and public relations assistant at The Museum of Contemporary Art in North Miami. She holds a B.S. in advertising from FIU’s School of Journalism & Mass Communications, graduating summa cum laude. During her senior year, she earned both the “SJMC Advertising Student of the Year” and “Outstanding Sorority President of the Year” awards. She is an active alumna, participating in FIU’s ongoing Alumni Association expansion efforts in New York.
Miguel Cruz MPH ’97, Robert Stempel School of Public Health
Emergency Operations Officer, CDC’s Office of Terrorism and Preparedness and Emergency Response
Miguel Cruz is an emergency operations officer with the Office of Terrorism Preparedness and Emergency Response at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in Atlanta. Cruz graduated from FIU with a master’s in public health, concentrating on epidemiology. In the Office of Epidemiology, where Cruz started his career, he worked in disease surveillance, outbreak investigations and public health preparedness. During his tenure as a CDC officer, Cruz has assisted with several national and international responses, including national preparations for Y2K and as the designated CDC liaison during Tropical Storm Allison and the World Trade Center attacks. He was an emergency coordinator for the CDC’s response during the anthrax attacks of 2001 and during the 2002 outbreaks of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Monkey Pox Virus. In 2005, Cruz was one of the first federal assessment team members to enter coastal Mississippi in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina. He has also assisted in CDC international responses, including assignments with the ministries of health in Mexico, Angola, Guatemala, Honduras and Panama.
Community Leadership Award
Seth H. Bramson MBA ’00, College of Business Administration
Assistant Professor, College of Arts & Sciences
Known nationally as the foremost authority on the history of transportation in Florida, Seth Bramson has published 10 books, including Miami: The Magic City and Speedway to Sunshine, one of the most popular and in-demand railroad history titles ever published. He has shared his incredible collection of historical memorabilia and railroadiana, which is the largest in the nation, with the Historical Association of South Florida, the Greater North Miami Historical Association (of which he is a co-founder), the Dade Heritage Trust (which gave him its 2006 Person of the Year award) and The Wolfsonian-FIU Museum. One of only two official company historians of the Florida East Coast Railway, Bramson has been featured on A&E, the History Channel and Discovery’s program on historic railroads. As a faculty member at FIU, he teaches South Florida history. Bramson graduated from Cornell University’s prestigious School of Hotel and Restaurant Administration and possesses a master’s in health care administration from St. Thomas University and a master’s in business administration from FIU.
Community Leadership Award
Angel Medina, Jr. ’92, College of Business Administration
President-Southeast Florida Market, Regions Bank
Angel Medina, Jr., has served his community tirelessly by supporting children and families throughout South Florida. He is an active board member of the YMCA and Goodwill Industries as well as a member of the board of directors of Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Public Health Trust. Recently, March of Dimes honored Medina with its Humanitarian of the Year award. Medina is president of Region Bank’s Southeast Florida market, which includes Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties. It is the highest leadership position in Southeast Florida. In this capacity, Medina is directly accountable for the revenue growth, asset quality and management of a book of business in excess of $10 billion, 75 banking centers and an employee base of nearly 900. During his career at the bank, he has developed programs and models that have been adopted as company-wide best practices and standards. Medina graduated from FIU with a bachelor’s degree in finance in 1992.
Outstanding Faculty Award
Dr. Mark D. Szuchman, College of Arts & Sciences
Former Interim Dean, College of Arts & Sciences
Dr. Szuchman has been associated with FIU since 1976. During his tenure, he has chaired the History Department, served as associate dean for Faculty, Graduate Studies and Technology, and most recently acted as interim dean for the College of Arts & Sciences. He is the author of five books and dozens of academic articles and has produced one film, Hotel Cuba: A Historical Diary of the Pre-Castro Jewish Experience, which was awarded the Hubert Heming Prize for Best Film on Latin America. As the associate dean in charge of graduate studies, Szuchman worked to improve postgraduate education, successfully fighting for increases in stipends for graduate students and working with graduate faculty to improve the mentoring process. He instituted support for graduate students to attend and present at conferences as part of the job-hunting process. He has never stopped teaching, even while holding demanding administrative positions. All of Szuchman’s doctoral candidates have been awarded prestigious Fulbright Fellowships.
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