Powerhouse Group Of 100 South Florida Caribbean-american Achievers To Be Honored At ‘ICABA Salutes’ Event June 29, 2012

In the first event of its kind, ICABA Media Holdings, LLC, (ICABA) will celebrate some of South Florida’s most accomplished professionals and entrepreneurs with heritage spanning fourteen (14) different Caribbean nations. One hundred corporate executives, educators, entrepreneurs, entertainers and community leaders will be honored at the ICABA Salutes South Florida’s 100 Most Accomplished Caribbean Americans program, Friday, June 29, 2012, at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts: 201 Southwest 5th Avenue in Ft. Lauderdale. The black-tie event will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Amaturo Theatre with the recognition program and will be followed by a post-reception and Fete. Aimed at showcasing their diverse accomplishments, the signature ICABA coffee table book will be unveiled at the event and include the honorees’ bios, features and advertorials from a noted list of corporate sponsors including Duty Free Americas, JM Family Enterprises, BB&T, Comcast, The South Florida Times and MetLife.

“As our nation’s gateway to the Caribbean, South Florida has long-been a cultivator of successful migrants and talented natives,” said Jerome Hutchinson, Jr., president & CEO of ICABA Media Holdings, LLC. “The contribution Caribbean-Americans have made to our region is extraordinary, and I am thrilled that ICABA will be the first entity to celebrate their excellence in such a unified way.”

ICABA identified the 100 honorees through public nominations, recommendations from the steering and host committee and editorial research. A distinguished list of forty (40) well-known South Florida business and civic leaders with Caribbean heritage signed on to support the effort, including Miami-Dade County Chair, Miguel Southwell, deputy director at Miami-Dade County International Airport, Broward County Chair, Dr. Germaine Smith-Baugh, president of the Broward Urban League, and Palm Beach County Chair, Carlton “Ricky” Wade, a McDonald’s franchisee in Palm Beach. Marlon Hill, Esq., managing partner at delancyhill, P.A., wrote the foreword for the publication. Hill has set an example for community service to South Florida, and hopes the publication will inspire other locals. “The Caribbean American community, a vibrant and emerging South Florida multicultural market, represents an important demographic. Our languages, accents, culinary, musical, religious traditions and entrepreneurial spirit are undeniably present in every aspect of life in South Florida. It is timely that we celebrate and share our community’s accomplishments, locally, and internationally”, shared Hill.

The Salute will also include official recognitions from the White House, offices of Florida Governor Rick Scott, Florida Lieutenant Governor Jennifer Carroll, U.S. Congressman Alcee Hastings, U.S. Congresswoman Frederica Wilson, along with Miami-Dade and Broward County Mayors. The list of honorees spans multiple professional categories including health care, law, media and spiritual leaders. Notables include Pauline Grant, chief executive officer at North Broward Medical Center (Jamaica), Dr. Rudolph Moise, medical director at Comprehensive Health Center, LLC (Haiti), Yolanda Cash Jackson, shareholder at Becker & Poliakoff (Bahamas), Joseph Bernadel (US. Army, Ret. Major), founder, Toussaint L’Ouverture High School (Haiti), Garth Reeves, founder of the Miami Times (Bahamas), and Bishop Henry Fernandez, founder and senior pastor of The Faith Center (Jamaica). Additionally, there will be special sections featuring South Florida’s elected officials from the federal, state and county governments and local Caribbean Consuls General. “This will be a very special and historic ICABA Salute!” said Antonia Williams-Gary, ICABA South Florida publisher. “On the heels of our immensely successful ICABA Honors South Florida’s ‘Most Accomplished Black Executives, Professionals and Academicians’ last fall, we are solidifying our role as the top identifier and connector of accomplished blacks in the community. Celebrating achievement is important to developing success, and I hope we’ll all unite in recognizing these outstanding leaders.”

Tickets are $125 for the general public and $100 for ICABA members (membership in ICABA is open and free) and can be purchased at ICABAWorld.com through June 27th.