Burning Up

It was an affair to remember as 400 alumni, family and friends gathered in the GC Ballrooms at University Park for the 7th Annual Torch Awards Gala on March 8.

Per tradition, the FIU Alumni Association hosted the gala to salute the accomplishments of the university’s alumni. Among this year’s honorees were an attorney, a circuit court judge, and the vice president of a global ad agency.

Francisco Ramos, Jr. Esq. ’93, a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, was honored with the Charles E. Perry Young Alumni Visionary Award. An attorney and partner at Clarke Silvergate & Campbell, Ramos was happy to be back on campus to receive the award from Betty Perry ’74, FIU’s first First Lady.

“My wife and I are here all the time,” he said. “We bring our kids – they’re 9 and 6 years old – to games and to campus (we’re hoping they’ll go here). But tonight’s different. It’s exciting.”

A highlight of the evening came early in the program when Perry went on stage and pledged a $10,000 challenge gift toward a new Alumni Center.

Several alumni and friends rose up to the occasion, each pledging $10,000 for a record $90,000 donated in one evening.

They are: Stewart Appelrouth MS ’80, Jorge Gonzalez ’88, Michael Mendez ’03, Angel Medina, Jr. ’92, Jose Perez de Corcho ’93, Justo Pozo ’80, Jose Sotomayor ’93 and Ralph Gazitua.

A few days later, Monte Kane and Albert Maury ’96 added themselves to the list of the people who pledged $10,000 toward the Alumni Center, bringing the total to $110,000.

“This year’s Torch Awards far exceeded my expectations,” said Bill Draughon, executive director of the Alumni Association. “The fact that all these people stepped up was a tremendous show of Golden Panther pride. It was a great night for FIU.”

Also honored at the awards were Seth Bramson MS ’92 (Community Leadership Award), Angel Medina, Jr. ’92 (Community Leadership Award) and Mark Szuchman, professor and chairperson of the Department of History (Outstanding Faculty Award).

Distinguished Alumni Award recipients included:

• Adina Aaron ’93 (College of Architecture + the Arts)
• Henry Rodriguez ’ 86, MS ’88 (College of Arts and Sciences)
• Joseph Caruncho Esq. ’81 (College of Business Administration)
• Justo Pozo ’80 (College of Business Administration)
• Victor Sikah MS ’92, Ed.D. ’00 (College of Education)
• Emilio Vega ’92 (College of Engineering and Computing)
• Jose Perdomo JD ’06 (College of Law),
• Jose Sotomayor ’93 (College of Nursing and Health Sciences),
• Carmen Louis Morano Ph.D. ’99 (College of Social Work, Justice, and Public Affairs - School of Social Work)
• Judge Israel Reyes ’92 (College of Social Work, Justice, and Public Affairs - School of Social Work)
• Rep. David Rivera ’86, MPA ’94 (College of Social Work, Justice, and Public Affairs - School of Social Work)
• Garth Graham ’97 (Honors College)
• Charles Bray MS ’77 (School of Hospitality and Tourism Management)
• Phoebe Moll ’00 (School of Journalism and Mass Communication)
• Miguel Cruz MPH ’97 (Robert Stempel School of Public Health)

The event featured a special performance by alumna Alejandra Alberti, a 2007 Latin Grammy Award nominee in the Best New Artist category. Alberti performed her latest single, “Dignidad de Mujer,” and “Dentro de Ti,” which she dedicated to the evening’s honorees, “who know about hard work.”

Golden Panther Getaways head to Mediterranean, China

The Alumni Association is offering three exciting Golden Panther Getaways in 2008: An Ionian Inspiration on Oceania Cruises, an all-inclusive tour of Italy’s magnificent lake district, and a trip to China.

The 12-day Ionian Inspiration aboard Oceania’s Insignia departs on July 11 and takes alumni, family and friends on a voyage from Rome to Venice. Their host will be FIU Vice President of Student Affairs Rosa Jones.

The Insignia will make overnight stops in Venice, Dubrovnik, Croatia and Sorrento and visit other classic seaports. This trip also calls on tiny Cinque Terre, Italy – an area so unspoiled and picturesque that it is both a national park and a UNESCO protected territory.

Participants will travel in luxury, enjoying some of the finest cuisine at sea inspired by Oceania’s Executive Culinary Director Jacques Pepin. Through the Alumni Association, travelers receive free air and 2-for-1 cruise fares, as well as an exclusive $200 shipboard credit per stateroom. Spots are limited. For more information, call Oceania Cruises at 1-800-404-6313 or visit www.oceaniacruises.com.

In September, alumni can take a 13-day trip to China to see marvels including the Great Wall of China, Beijing’s Imperial Palace and Tiananmen Square. The Sept. 24-Oct. 6 trip includes a Yangtze River cruise and a three-night visit to the cosmopolitan city of Shanghai.

All stays will be in China's best Western-style hotels. There are limited spaces for this trip. To learn more, visit the AHI Travel Web site for FIU alumni at http://fiu.ahitravel.com or call 1-800-323-7373.

In October, alumni can take part in an exclusive educational and travel experience to Italy’s magnificent lake district. Highlights of this group trip from October 7-15 include: seven-night, lake-view accommodations at Lido Palace Hotel on Lake Maggiore, private boat tours of the great lakes of Italy and visits to Milan, the Borromean Islands and to stunning Lake Orta in the mountains.

Offered through the Alumni Campus Abroad program of premier tour operator AHI Travel, the trip provides security, ease and flexibility in travel. For travel prices and arrangements, visit http://fiu.ahitravel.com or call 1-800-323-7373.

Information on all of the above Golden Panther Getaways can also be seen on the FIU Alumni Association web page under the travel section at www.fiualumni.com.

D.C. Chapter hosts “Salsa” event

The second annual “D.C. Salsa Night” was held on Feb. 23 by FIU’s D.C. alumni chapter, The FIU Capital Panthers.

The event was held jointly with the University of Miami’s D.C. alumni chapter, the DC Canes, at Havana Village in Washington D.C.’s Adam’s Morgan neighborhood.

The celebration started with a dinner of Cuban cuisine and later moved on to the dance floor where everyone showed off their best salsa moves. Dance lessons also were given to those unfamiliar with the concept of salsa or to those who just wanted to brush up on their skills.

Everyone had a great time whether they were beginners or the most experienced salsa dancers. This successful night is just the first of many to come within the D.C. area in upcoming months.

The Capital Panthers is led by Ricardo Lasso ’92, as he enters his second year as president. The event consisted of about 20 participants, including some of FIU’s own alumni: Candice Mothersille ’97 (pictured above in the pink blazer) and Oscar Ona ’00, who also coordinated the event.

For more information on the Capital Panthers, click here.

Odebrecht Construction, Inc. hosts FIU Alumni Day

Odebrecht Construction, Inc. recently hosted an FIU Alumni Day breakfast reception for their FIU alumni employees, FIU faculty/staff and students and alumni from the College of Engineering and Computing.

The reception was to be held inside of the new football stadium at University Park, but due to inclement weather the event was moved to a trailer on site.

Gilberto Neves, CEO of the Miami-based construction company Odebrecht, opened the program with information about the soon-to-be-completed stadium.

Pete Garcia, the university’s athletic director, is confident in this year’s athletes and encouraged everyone to come out and support the team at its first home game on Saturday, Sept. 20, against the University of South Florida.

College of Engineering and Computing Interim Dean Amir Mirmiran also gave a few remarks about the school’s achievements, and Duane Wiles, assistant executive director of Alumni Relations, closed the program by updating everyone on future upcoming events and raffling several items.

FIU hosts first Valentine’s Day tradition

LA new Valentine’s Day tradition was established at FIU in February: a Cupid and Cupette Contest.

The two-hour event took place at the Kissing Bridge and Pond behind the Ryder Business Building on Valentine’s Day. More than 50 people attended and enjoyed the free giveaways, candy and music in the Student Alumni Association tent.

Six contestants participated in the event and strutted down the red carpet for a chance to win the title of Cupid and Cupette. Each was asked a few trivia questions about the history of FIU and while a few were caught off guard, the majority passed on to the next round. In the end. only two contestants won over the crowd with their charisma and style: Zeino Zaioud (Sigma Phi Epsilon) and Giselle Gutierrez (Delta Phi Epsilon).

“This was a great turnout for our new tradition and we look forward to seeing more students from a variety of organizations next year,” said Dianne Cordova, the Alumni Association’s new SAA advisor. “The remaining 2008 tradition keepers will be chosen at our upcoming SAA events: Finals Traditions (April and December), Trail of the Torch (August), and Ghost Tours (October).”

Alumni Relations co-hosts Entrepreneur Happy Hour

The university’s Eugenio Pino and Family Global Entrepreneurship Center and Alumni Relations recently partnered for an Entrepreneur Happy Hour celebration of our "I'm Also an Entrepreneur" 2008 alumni entrepreneur campaign.

About 75 attendees were at the Chispa Restaurant in Doral for the occasion, which also served as the unveiling of all of the new banners in this year's campaign.

The banner’s unveiling is part of the Pino Center’s participation in the national initiative: Entrepreneurship Week USA, a celebration of the power of entrepreneurship and a call to the nation’s consciousness about the importance of being entrepreneurial. One of Entrepreneurship Week USA’s goals is to encourage the next generation of entrepreneurs.

For more information about Entrepreneurship Week USA, click here.

Alumni in the news

Chris Rosica ’89, CEO of Rosica Strategic Public Relations, recently released a new book, The Authentic Brand: How Today’s Top Entrepreneurs Connect With Customers, which takes a refreshing, real-world business look at leadership and marketing based upon the practical experiences of 12 highly successful and prominent entrepreneurs who founded and grew their companies from small businesses into iconic brands.

Sean L. Greene M.Acc. ’92 has been named vice president of CBIZ Accounting, Tax & Advisory Services and controller for of the company’s South Florida offices. Prior to joining CBIZ, Greene was a director in the internal audit practice of Price-WaterhouseCoopers.

Sandra Ferrera ’96 recently was promoted by the Cuban American Bar from partner to vice president in the law firm Meland Russin & Budwick Association. Ferrera has been an active member of the association’s board since 2002.

Ileana Castillo ’97 recently was promoted by the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau to associate vice president of convention sales. For the last two years, Castillo has been director of the bureau’s Meetings Express Department.

Erica Courtney EMBA ’97 recently took home a second-place win in the William James Foundation’s Socially Responsible Business Plan Competition. Courtney’s Biodiversity & Company is working to align commercial and conservation objectives to manage and protect the critically endangered Choco rainforest in Ecuador. She also secured first place in the specialty category for Sustainability Prizes, sponsored by the Foundation for a Sustainable Future.

Elizabeth Padrón MBA ’97 recently was promoted by Ocean Bank from assistant vice president to vice president in the commercial real estate department. Padrón credits her 15 years of banking experience to both Ocean Bank and Regions Bank, where she previously worked as an assistant vice president in the commercial real estate department.

Jorge L. Ruiz ’98 recently was hired by Douglass Wood & Associates, a structural engineering firm in Coral Gables, as a senior structural engineer. Ruiz has 10 years of experience in the engineering of low-rise, mid-rise and high-rise buildings.

Advertise in FIU Magazine

Alumni Association now can promote their business in the award winning FIU Magazine, the flagship publication of FIU published by the Division of External Relations in cooperation with the Office of Alumni Relations.

FIU Magazine is distributed free of charge to 120,000 alumni, faculty/staff, donors and friends of the university on a quarterly basis (January, April, August, October).

For more information and to access the ad rate sheet, click here.

Show Your Panther Spirit

Visit our Web site’s “Spirit Page” and get the latest FIU downloadable fight song, screensavers and wallpapers, order the latest FIU Gear and view alumni profiles and our events photo gallery.

Put on your Blue & Gold face today by visiting http://www.fiualumni.com/panther_spirit.htm.

Help us find our Lost Alumni

Are you a Lost Alumni?

Please help us find you so we may reconnect with you and help you stay in touch with your friends from FIU.

Check to see if your name is on the list and if so please fill out all the information on the address update form located at http://www.fiualumni.com/update_address.htm.

As a result, you will start receiving copies of our award-winning quarterly FIU Magazine and monthly NOW@FIU e-newsletter along with a host of other important news flashes from your Alumni Association.

For more information, call 1-800-FIU-ALUM or e-mail alumni@fiu.edu.

Get your Panther Gear

Alumni Association members, it is time to “Feel the Pride.”

You now can find a great variety of styles and sizes of Panther Gear at multiple locations throughout South Florida and online, including the Publix store located across from University Park, Aventura Mall (Champs and Lids stores); Broward Mall, Dolphin Mall and Sawgrass Mills Mall (Lids store); and Miami International Mall (Champs store).

Panther Gear also is available at Miami Lakes Sports Shop, on Main Street in Miami Lakes, as well as select Sports Authority locations.

If you are an online buyer, Lids.com, the No. 1 destination for online hats featuring all teams, all styles and all brands, recently added two new FIU Golden Panthers hats to its collection. Lids.com is now carrying eight different styles of FIU headwear. You can find the new items, which come in navy and white, by clicking here.

FootballFanatics.com recently added an FIU store to their site, which you can browse by clicking here.

Send in your Class Notes

Help build a strong community of FIU alumni by sharing your good news with your fellow Golden Panthers by filling out an online Class Notes form. (Please link “online Class Notes form” to www.fiualumni.com/classnotes.htm.) You may also send us your information by fax to 305-348-3636 (Attn: Class Notes).

Send us information on your recent career appointments, awards, hires, promotions, births and marriages.

Electronic photos may be submitted to alumni@fiu.edu in .JPEG or BITMAP formats to appear next to your entry as well. Remember to indicate in the e-mail with which class note the photo should appear, along with the full names and class years of all the individuals who appear in the photo.

Snap and share in Panther Sites

FIU alumni, remember to demonstrate your Panther Pride when you travel as you snap a picture of yourself and your family and friends wearing an FIU cap or T-shirt, waving an FIU flag or reading a copy of FIU Magazine – you may be chosen to appear in the Panther Sites section of the award-winning publication.

To be considered, send your high resolution (300 dpi) pictures with a complete description to alumni@fiu.edu.