Community leaders meet at FIU to discuss challenges, opportunities for the Magic City


South Florida community leaders speak candidly about how to move Miami forward at FIU’s Center for Leadership

Like most major metropolitan areas in the United States, Miami-Dade County faces serious challenges as a result of the economic downturn of the past few years. Unemployment is hovering at 10 percent. The real estate market is flooded with foreclosure filings. And international trade is hurting as the world’s economic growth decelerates.

Nearly 100 of Miami leaders, including Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Gimenez, met May 8 at Modesto A. Maidique Campus to discuss the road ahead for South Florida and its residents as well as to answer the question “How can leaders make a difference?”

The summit, the brainchild of President Emeritus Modesto A. Maidique who is now the executive director of FIU’s Center for Leadership, is a follow-up to the first Miami Leadership Summit held Jan. 17 where the group expressed a need for a diverse forum to address the challenges and opportunities in the community.

“Your commitment to improving our community is an example for others to follow,” said Maidique to participants.

The three-hour, candid conversation centered on education, entrepreneurship and public-private partnership. Speakers included Alberto Ibarguen, president and CEO of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation; Rosabeth Moss Kanter of the Harvard Business School; Professor James Honan of Harvard Graduate School of Education; and Frank Nero of the Beacon Council who presented the findings of the One Community One Goal report.

One Community One Goal

In 1996, the Beacon Council, Miami’s economic development agency, developed a strategic plan to address double-digit unemployment rates and the need to diversify the economy. The plan was on track until 2007. In less than a year, the county lost 50,000 jobs.

Nero said, “It became clear, while we had diversified our economy, we had not insulated ourselves from global pressure.”

When the Council decided to revisit the One Community One Goal project last year, President Mark B. Rosenberg suggested they link education right from the beginning.

In FIU’s response to the One Community One Goal study, Rosenberg said, “FIU is in a unique position to prepare Miami-Dade County’s workforce. Our Worlds Ahead strategic plan focuses on globalization, health, the environment and the arts… the industries and sectors that the Beacon Council has targeted for Miami-Dade’s future economic growth efforts.”

Mark Sweeney from McCallum Sweeney Consulting, one of the economic development consulting agencies that conducted the research for One Community One Goal, reported that people consider Miami to be a great place to visit but not necessarily a great place to do business. But, he argued, the opportunities to do business here are broad. “This is a more small business, entrepreneurial town than we expected. The entrepreneurial foundation is quite strong.”

The consulting firm recommended Miami develop a global brand in order to market itself around the world. The global marketing campaign would costs $15 million over 5 years.

Big ideas

Called one of the most influential women in the world by President Emeritus Modesto A. Maidique, presenter Rosabeth Moss Kanter of the Harvard Business School discussed with the community leaders Miami’s strengths and weaknesses. Kanter identified three archetypal ways global economies can thrive, being incubators of thinkers, makers and/or traders.

Miami, she said, is in the trader category because it has many Latin American headquarters of global organizations and a wealth of assets on which to build. “U.S. prosperity is good for the world. Countries count on us. What you are doing here has significance beyond your own region,” she said.

Kanter suggested four tactics for building a great community: translate ideas to enterprises; connect small and large businesses; teach skills that can lead to jobs; and create public-private partnerships.

In today’s economy, she said, cities need to think outside the box. “Visionary mayors are my new heroes.”

Mayor Gimenez suggested partnering with Israel. “It’s a natural fit,” he said. “They are willing to come here. We just need the capital.” Kanter argued the key to bringing capital to South Florida was nurturing entrepreneurs and keeping young people.

Leaders wrapped up the session by sharing ideas on how to move Miami forward as well as what would it take to accomplish those initiatives. They will meet again Oct. 18 to continue the dialogue and outline action steps to implement some of the initiatives suggested by participants.