Community Leaders Begin Two-year Terms
(Miami, FL) – Jan.19, 2017 – Penny Shaffer Ph.D., Market President of Florida Blue; and Maria C. Alonso, Senior Vice President, Market Manager Enterprise Business & Community Engagement for Bank of America; have been selected as the new co-chairs representing the private sector for the Miami-Dade Beacon Council’s One Community One Goal (OCOG) initiative for 2016-2018.
“OCOG has accomplished a great deal in the past few years, with substantial target-industry growth that adds high-paying jobs to our world-class community,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos A. Gimenez, who has served as OCOG co-chair since 2010, representing the public sector. “I look forward to working with Penny and Maria to continue to work on initiatives that improve our local economy and overall quality of life for all Miamians.”
The new co-chairs succeed Chief Executive Officer of Doctors Hospital Baptist Health South Florida Nelson Lazo, who is currently serving as Miami-Dade Beacon Council Chair-Elect, and Knight Foundation Miami Program Director Matt Haggman. They served as co-chairs from 2014 to 2016.
“We are fortunate to have two well-known and highly respected community leaders step into the role as private sector co-chairs of OCOG during this phase of the program’s existence,” said Miami-Dade Beacon Council Chair Jaret L. Davis, Greenberg Traurig Miami Co-Managing Shareholder. “Their leadership experience will help guide the community-wide strategic plan for sustainable economic development into the future.”
OCOG’s mission is to rally the community around a unified vision to create a better quality of life for Miami-Dade residents. This is being accomplished through the implementation of the OCOG strategic plan to create a business environment that promotes significant, higher-skilled and higher-paying job creation in target industries. The plan also aligns our businesses with our educational institutions to create a trained workforce for the jobs of tomorrow.
The new co-chairs have plans for greater collaboration with a continued focus on innovation and adaptation to changes in the economy.
“Miami’s business ecosystem and community continues to grow and change, and our priorities will reflect these trends,” Shaffer said. “During the next two years, Penny and I will be working closely with our community to create an enhanced strategic plan for One Community One Goal,” Alonso said.
Towards that end, OCOG is launching new access events that will allow greater participation. The first event to be held Feb. 14 at the Miami-Dade Beacon Council will be focused on education and paid internships.
Shaffer is responsible for Florida Blue’s business operations in Broward, Indian River, Martin, Miami-Dade, Monroe, Palm Beach, Okeechobee and St. Lucie counties. She serves on the Miami-Dade Beacon Council Executive Committee and as Board Member of the United Way of Miami-Dade County. She is a member of the Orange Bowl Committee, former Secretary of Miami Foundation and is past Chairman of the Miami Dade College Foundation, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and Greater Ft Lauderdale Alliance giving her broad regional expertise.
Alonso leads Bank of America’s philanthropic and community engagement strategy in Miami-Dade County, responsible for charitable giving, sponsorships and volunteerism. She is past Chairman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and New World School of the Arts, where she continues to serve on the Executive Committee. Alonso is a Board member of the Miami Dade College Foundation, the United Way of Miami-Dade and the Advisory Council for Teach for America Miami.
About The Miami-Dade Beacon Council
The Miami-Dade Beacon Council is the County’s official economic development partnership. The not-for-profit public-private organization focuses on job creation and economic growth. Since 1985, the organization has assisted more than 1,000 businesses that have created nearly 67,000 direct jobs and added more than $4.3 billion in new capital investments. It accomplishes this by marketing Miami-Dade as a world-class business location, growing local companies and shaping the local economy’s future. For more information, visit www.beaconcouncil.com