April 2011, Volume 15, Number 2

Making Their Mark

Hall of Fame to Induct Stellar Alumni

Each spring, Miami Dade College celebrates the accomplishments of its outstanding alumni by inducting new members into its prestigious Hall of Fame. Honorees at this year’s event, which will be held May 10 at the Treetop Ballroom at Jungle Island, will include an impressive array of stellar achievers from diverse fields, ranging from architecture and finance to public safety and opera.

Each year, the Hall of Fame celebration helps raise funds for scholarships for MDC students. Among the more than two dozen alumni who will be inducted this year are:

  • Architecture: James W. Piersol, MC Harry & Associates Principal
  • Engineering: Gustavo F. Pego, Florida Department of Transportation District 6 Secretary
  • Entrepreneurship: Benjamín Fernández, President and CEO of LAAD (The Latin American Agribusiness Development Corporation)
  • Finance: Gerald C. Grant Jr., AXA Advisors Vice President
  • Health Care: Marcio Cabrera, MBF Healthcare Partners’ Managing Director
  • Interior Design: Tessi García, Tessi García Interior Design Principal
  • Journalism: Myriam Márquez, Miami Herald Editorial Page Editor
  • Law: José E. Sirven, Holland & Knight Partner
  • Medicine: Orlando Rodríguez, Doctor of Internal Medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital
  • Music: Elizabeth Caballero, Opera Singer
  • Non-Profit: Diana Campoamor, Hispanics in Philanthropy President
  • Public Safety: Rafael P. Hernández Jr., North Miami Beach Chief of Police
  • Public Safety: Walter R. Reed, Coral Gables Fire Chief
  • Technology: Alberto Dosal, Compuquip Technologies, President and CEO
  • Urban Development: Luis García, Adonel Concrete President
  • Visual Arts: Michael Vásquez, Visual Artist

Past MDC Alumni Hall of Fame inductees have included U.S. Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen; former Miami Mayor Manny Díaz; Carnival Cruise Lines CEO Micky Arison, who is also the majority owner of the Miami Heat basketball team; CEO of U.S. Century Bank Octavio Hernández; and Miami Beach Chief of Police Carlos Noriega.

Honorees from the world of sports and entertainment include former Miami Dolphins wide receiver Nat Moore; former baseball star Bucky Dent; actor Andy García; music industry mogul Emilio Estefan; and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Nilo Cruz.

MDC President Dr. Eduardo J. Padrón, himself an MDC alumnus, praises all of the College’s Hall of Fame inductees for the exemplary models they offer to students and the community.

“These deserving alumni are proof that a solid education opens doors and creates great career opportunities,” Padrón said.

To find out more about the event, please visit www.mdcalumni.com.

— WV


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