Alumni Circle

Alfredo Cepero     Member as of May, 2003 
Audit Partner 
BDO Seidman

Alfredo Cepero is an audit partner with BDO Seidman, LLP in Miami. He serves clients in a variety of industries including distribution, manufacturing, technology and not-for-profit. He is responsible for generating business opportunities for the firm, and oversees the recruiting and various administrative functions of the Miami office.

Alfredo currently serves as the President of the Florida Institute of CPA’s Downtown Miami Chapter and is a United Way Young Leader. He has served as the Miami Chapter President and National Regional Director of the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting (ALPFA), and continued his association with ALPFA as its National President in 2005. ALPFA’s mission is to be the leading professional association dedicated to enhancing opportunities for CPAs, accountants, finance and related professionals and students, while expanding Latino leadership in the global workforce. Alfredo is also a member of the Cuban American CPA Association and American Institute of CPAs (AICPA).

Alfredo earned his Bachelor of Accounting and Masters of Accounting from Florida International University. Alfredo is married to Marlene and has two sons, Alfredo and Alejandro.

Christian Aitken     Member since September, 2005 
Managing Director
Tuthill Corporation Latin America

Aitken earned a Master of Business Administration (1997) from Florida International University. Aitken is responsible for Tuthill Latin American Region headquartered in Coral Gables, with offices in Mexico, Colombia, Brazil, and Buenos Aires in addition to a small factory in southern Argentina.  As Managing Director, Aitken reports directly to the Tuthill Corporation Chief International Officer and Board Member at the International head office in Brussels, Belgium. Aitken is responsible for the general management as well as identifying new business opportunities through alliances, acquisitions and partnerships for the company.  Tuthill Corporation is a $400 million dollar privately held company in industrial products manufacturer based in Chicago.  The company has over 3000 employees worldwide at 35 manufacturing locations including several join ventures in China. 

Daniel J. Alfonso, (BBA ’00, MSF ’01)
Member as of March, 2011 
Director, Management and Budget 
City of Miami

Daniel J. Alfonso is the Management and Budget Director at the City of Miami.  As the Director, and a senior member of the City’s management staff, he is charged with developing effective strategies for the allocation of resources.  Mr. Alfonso is also responsible for carrying out the policies and directives of the City Manager, and elected officials as it pertains to the budgetary practices at Miami Dade County’s largest municipality.  The Office of Management and Budget is responsible for guiding the yearly budget development process, monitoring departmental budget adherence, and ensuring that statutory requirements for budget practices are met.  The City of Miami serves a population of almost 400,000 residents; it employs 3,457 full time employees and has an operating budget of $694 million.

Prior to becoming the Management and Budget Director at the City in August of 2011, Mr. Alfonso was the Assistant Director (AD) at Miami Dade County’s General Services Administration Department (GSA).  As the AD, he assisted the Director in achieving the strategic and budgetary goals of a diverse organization with an annual operating budget of more than $300 million and nearly 800 employees.  At GSA he was charged with developing and implementing strategies for succession planning to deal with loss of key personnel; review of departmental human resource issues including employee recruitment, payroll, labor relations, safety, training, and recognition to maximize the effectiveness of these functions.  Mr. Alfonso provided leadership for departmental improvements in communication, employee morale, discipline, and performance evaluations across all GSA Divisions (Risk Management, Fleet Operations, Design and Construction Services, Facility Maintenance, Real Estate Development, and Administration and Business Services).
Mr. Alfonso was promoted to the position of AD at GSA in October of 2009, after working in the County’s Office Management and Budget (OMB) for more than five years including three budget cycles as the Operating Budget Coordinator for Miami-Dade County’s $4.9 billion operating budget.  As an analyst and Coordinator, Mr. Alfonso was instrumental in developing the County’s budget during a period of unprecedented fiscal challenges; like the 2007 statutory changes that mandated a reduction of nine percent to the property tax revenue, the doubling of the Homestead Property tax exemption in 2008, and the 13 percent property tax roll value loss of 2009.  
Prior to his service at OMB, Mr. Alfonso worked at Miami Dade Transit (MDT) for nearly ten years.  He began his tenure there as a Revenue Collector in 1994 and was promoted several times throughout the organization until he was assigned to the Management Services Division as an Administrative Office assisting in the preparation and monitoring of the MDT budget. 
In addition to the years of public service as a County employee, Mr. Alfonso served in the U.S. Army from 1986 through 1991.  Mr. Alfonso is a veteran of both operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm where he served as a Cavalry Scout for the 24th Infantry Division (ID).  The 24th ID deployed to Saudi Arabia in 1990 and attacked into Iraq in February of 1991 to drive the Iraqis out of Kuwait.

Mr. Alfonso enjoys learning and recommends that people devote time to reading on a regular basis.  He recommends inspirational or growth and development type books, but says that if that’s not your preference it’s okay to read anything that you enjoy.  He is a strong believer in education and believes that reading something that we enjoy is an easy way to learn.  Books that he recommends include “From Good to Great” and “Who Moved My Cheese”.  He has earned Bachelor’s in Business Administration and Master of Science in Finance degrees from Florida International University (FIU).  He also earned an Associate in Accounting Degree at Miami Dade College (formerly MDCC). 

Erbi Blanco True (MBA '10)     Member as of March 2010
Senior Vice President/Director of Community Development
Great Florida Bank

Erbi Blanco-True currently serves as Senior Vice President/Director of Community Development for Great Florida Bank. In her position she manages the bank’s Community Reinvestment Act (“CRA”) programs which include lending, investments and services related to affordable housing and community development. Since joining Great Florida Bank in November of 2006, Erbi has successfully implemented several innovative strategies, programs, events, community outreach initiatives, and training classes to help the bank meet the needs of the community and succeed in its community reinvestment efforts. She was successful in obtaining a satisfactory examination from the FDIC and was instrumental in enhancing the bank’s visibility as a leader in corporate citizenship, receiving several awards and recognition for community involvement.

Prior to joining Great Florida Bank, Erbi served as founder and Market President of Neighborhood Lending Partners of South Florida, a consortium of over 40 banks which provides financing to developers of affordable housing. In this position, Erbi grew the organization to over 40 bank members, the total loan pool to over $80 million, and through her efforts helped to finance over 1,000 units of affordable housing in South Florida in less than 5 years.

Erbi’s career includes over 20 years of management experience in banking, finance, investments, marketing, commercial real estate, community relations and business development. She has won many awards for her community service and work in affordable housing, and has been featured in several publications including The Miami Herald, The Daily Business Review, The Miami Today and the South Florida Business Journal. Erbi holds positions in several local organizations including the Broward Alliance for Neighborhood Development (Board Member), Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce (Workforce Housing Committee), South Florida Hispanic Chamber (Honorary Board Member), South Florida Community Development Coalition (Board Member) and Switchboard of Miami (Board Member). She was appointed by Miami-Dade County Mayor Carlos Alvarez to serve on the county’s Affordable Housing Advisory Board and was elected chairperson by the other board members. Erbi volunteers regularly with Habitat for Humanity and Hands on Miami.

Erbi obtained her Master’s in Business Administration from Florida International University and her undergraduate degree from Barry University. She lives in Coral Gables with her husband, Alex and son, Kevin.

Margaret Brisbane      Member as of May, 2005 
President
Brisbane & Associates, Inc.

Margaret Brisbane is an Assistant Director in the Information Technology Department for Miami Dade County. In her current role she is responsible for leading a team of system professionals in the development and support of major County applications, including the Financial, Payroll, Human Resources, judicial, social services and the PeopleSoft systems. She also leads the teams that support the enterprise programs for document management, asset management, 311, 911 and Geographic Information Systems.

Prior to joining the County, Margaret served as Director of Service Delivery for Burger King Corporation. During her 20 year career she worked on various domestic and international assignments in the Management Information Systems group.

Throughout her career, Margaret has been actively involved in the community and professional organizations. She is currently a member of the FIU Alumni Circle where she serves as co-chair for the Community Services Committee and is a board member of the United Way Women’s Leadership team.  She is also a member of the IT Women, mentoring young ladies on technology careers.  She established a mentoring program between the County’s IT departments and the local high school IT Academy.  She was the Chair for the 2007 - 2008 Greater Chamber of Commerce Leadership Miami Program and was a member of the Executive Committee for 7 years. She was instrumental in developing and chairing the Chambers Youth Leadership program for 3 years. She is currently a mentor to an FIU business student.

Margaret holds a Bachelor of Arts degree, majoring in International Marketing from Florida International University and Masters of Business Administration with Honors from Nova Southeastern University.

Margaret is married to Colin Ramsay. She has one daughter Nicole, who is a recent graduate of Emory Law School in Atlanta and is the current Director of Community and District Partnerships for a non-Profit organization.

Monique Catoggio (EMBA ’03)       Member as of April, 2006
Director
Advancement, Alumni & Corporate Relations

Martin G. Cerda (BBA ’86)    Member since June, 2009
Research Director
Encueta, Inc

Martin Cerda is a Strategic Director in the Quantitative/Business Consulting hub of Cheskin Added Value where he brings his profound Hispanic markets expertise to clients’ strategic marketing challenges. In addition to helping lead and grow the intercultural practice, he works with the company’s
business consulting and innovation practices groups across all consumer segments, adding his deep methodological skills to Cheskin AV’s total market offer.

Prior to joining Cheskin Added Value, Cerda was the Founder and Research Director of Encuesta, Inc., a marketing and opinion research company that specializes in custom quantitative, online qualitative and ethnographic research for corporate advertisers and advertising agencies that target the Hispanic consumer in the United States. Throughout its twenty-year history, Encuesta, Inc. positioned itself as one of the leaders in U.S. Hispanic market research, serving companies such as American Airlines, Burger King Corporation, The Coca-Cola Company, Ford Motor Company, General Electric, MillerCoors, S.C. Johnson & Son, and The Home Depot.

In 1999, Encuesta, Inc. launched the first online research website dedicated to conducting research among U.S. Hispanics (encuesta.com which translates to “survey.com” in Spanish). Additionally, the company was responsible for the pro bono non-partisan Americanos Poll®, a public opinion poll created in 2005 to help bridge the knowledge gap that exists regarding the U.S. Hispanic community. In 2007, the company was awarded the Gold Supplier Award by MillerCoors. In 2010, the company was recognized by The ARF with a David Ogilvy Award for its Hispanic research for Reynolds Wrap Aluminum Foil.

Martin designed and personally conducted large-scale Hispanic ethnographic research (national study design and contextual interviews using both in-home and man-on-the-street approaches) for what was to become the Arnold/CP+B’s truth® anti-smoking campaign launched in 2000 on behalf the American Legacy Foundation. This highly successful campaign that continues to this day has been called one of the most successful social marketing campaigns to date.

Prior to founding Encuesta, Inc., Martin served as Project Director for Strategy Research Corporation (now Synovate, part of Aegis Group plc).

He is a cum laude graduate of Florida International University (1986), and was honored with the school's Outstanding Academic Achievement Award in Marketing. Martin was recognized by The ARF as a Finalist for the 2010 Great Mind Awards and was bestowed the Award for Achievement in Hispanic Marketing Research (“The 2010 HispanSource Award”). He is active in several industry organizations, including the American Association for Public Opinion Research (AAPOR), American Marketing

Association (AMA), the Marketing Research Association (MRA), The Advertising Research Foundation (The ARF), the European Society for Opinion and Marketing Research (ESOMAR), Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies (AHAA), Beta Gamma Sigma Business Honor Society, and the Cuban American National Council's Hispanic Leadership Training Program.

Martin is also a graduate of the American Marketing Association's School of Marketing Research at Notre Dame and numerous AMA tutorial seminars, Florida State University’s Hispanic Marketing Communication Online Course, and is a graduate of The Burke Institute Center for Applied Marketing Research (numerous courses including their Moderator Training Program). He was listed in the Who's Who Among Hispanic Americans and is active in numerous local civic organizations including the FIU College of Business Alumni Circle and Switchboard of Miami.

Richard Danze      Member since July, 2003
Vice President, Philadelphia Inquirer

Richard Danze is the vice president of Operations and Technology at The Miami Herald, responsible for production, distribution, home delivery, systems and facilities. His accomplishments include integrating systems and technology with operations for a more cohesive business unit and focusing the home delivery operation to improve efficiency and benefit the customer. The latter has resulted in a 42 percent reduction in service complaints. Danze also has worked in production at the Akron Beacon Journal and the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News.

Danze is a Board Member of the Broward County YMCA and for the International Newspaper Group. He earned his Executive MBA from FIU in 2003.

Benjamin Díaz     Member since, 2007 
Managing Director
Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC

Ben Diaz is a Managing Director with Alvarez & Marsal Taxand, LLC in Miami. Mr. Diaz advises corporate clients on state and local taxes, with an emphasis on income/franchise and sales/use taxes for multi-state entities. He conducts reviews and structural planning related to acquisitions and dispositions, audit defense, tax compliance, and the application of technology for state and local tax purposes. He has also assisted clients with FAS 109 and Sarbanes-Oxley compliance.

With more than 16 years of state and local tax experience, Mr. Diaz has advised companies in a variety of industries, including retail, transportation, financial services, healthcare and telecommunications.

Prior to joining A&M, Mr. Diaz spent eight years with the Tax and Business Advisory practice of Arthur Andersen, and three years with Deloitte & Touche’s Tax practice.

Mr. Diaz is a lifetime member of the Florida International University Alumni Association. He is the past co-chair and current board member of the School of Accounting Alumni Affinity Council and board member of the College of Business Alumni Circle. Mr. Diaz also is a volunteer lecturer in the School of Accounting Master’s Degree Program.

Mr. Diaz received a bachelor's degree in accounting, with a double major in accounting and management information systems, and a master's degree in taxation from Florida International University. He is a Certified Public Accountant and a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the Association of Latino Professionals in Finance and Accounting. In addition, he is a board member of the Cuban American CPA’s Association.

Sonia Díaz-Del Oro      Member since 2007
Director, Global Learning & Organization Development
Human Resources
Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd.

Sonia Diaz-Del Oro is a Human Resources professional with over 18 years of experience. While she’s held various roles in the field, her primary area of focus is in leadership and organization development. She has spent most of her career in South Florida and has done extensive work in various countries throughout Latin America. Sonia currently leads the Global Learning & Organization Development function for Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. in Miami. Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. is a global cruise vacation company that operates Royal Caribbean International, Celebrity Cruises, Pullmantur, Azamara Cruises and CDF Croisieres de France. The company has a combined total of 40 ships in service and over 60,000 employees world-wide. 

Sonia has her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Florida International University (FIU) and also holds a certificate in Training & Development from FIU. 
She remains actively involved with FIU by participating in the College of Business Executive Dean’s Alumni Circle. FIU’s Alumni Circle provides a forum for business leaders from the college’s alumni community to advise and work with deans and administrators on initiatives to benefit the college. She also serves as a mentor to undergraduates from the College of Business. Sonia’s community involvement also includes volunteering at Shake-A-Leg Miami, where she has coached and provided team and leadership training to their executive management team. Shake-A-Leg Miami provides educational, recreational and vocational watersports programs for youths, adults and families with physical, developmental and economic challenges.

Sonia often speaks at national as well as international conferences and professional association meetings on topics related to leadership and executive development. In April of 2011, she accepted the “Investment in People” award from SeaTrade (an international maritime organization) on behalf of Royal Caribbean Cruises, Ltd. This prestigious award recognized an enterprise-wide high potential leadership development program Sonia leads for the organization. 

Sonia joined Royal Caribbean in April 2001 as Manager, Corporate Training and Development until she was promoted into her current role in late 2007. Prior to joining Royal Caribbean, Sonia held management positions at Levi Strauss & Co., one of the world’s largest brand-name apparel marketers; and John Alden Financial Corporation, a billion dollar insurance provider that employed over 4000 employees. 

Frank Gonzalez      Member since 2006 
CPA
Partner, Audit Department
Morrison, Brown, Argiz & Farra, LLP

Gonzalez has over fourteen years experience in providing extensive services to organizations in various industries including aviation, banking and financial institutions, international banking, investment funds, manufacturing, real estate, telecommunications, technology, and other related financial services.  His client base through his career has involved institutions in the local middle market to Fortune 100/500 companies.  He was previously with Arthur Anderson and KPMG in South Florida.

Gonzalez is a member of the School of Accounting Advisory Board, Member of the Athletic Association Board, Lifetime member of the FIU Alumni Association and on the Sigma Phi Epsilon Alumni Board

Tony Lopez (MS '05)      Member as of March, 2009 
Director of Community and Leisure Services
Town of Miami Lakes

A winner of two National Awards and a State Award recognizing his innovation and pioneering leadership in the field of parks and recreation, Tony Lopez continually strives for excellence in every endeavor. Tony’s vision and leadership in the planning, development and programming of a wide variety of creative community leisure opportunities, has been instrumental in the development of a Parks and Recreation Department for a newly formed local government in the Town of Miami Lakes. In only four years as a parks and recreation professional, he progressed from an entry level position in his department to director.

As a recognized parks and recreation advocate in Florida, he has served on the Florida Recreation and Parks Association’s State Board in various capacities and is a recipient of numerous awards and recognitions including the 2005 National Recreation and Parks Association Young Professional Fellowship, 2006 American Academy of Parks and Recreation Administration Young Professional Externship, 2007 FRPA Young Professional Award, 2007 American Park and Recreation Society’s Meritorious Service Young Professional Award, and 2007 NRPA Robert W. Crawford Young Professional Award. Recently, he was featured as one of the “Four under Forty” future leaders of the profession in the NRPA Parks and Recreation Magazine.

A Certified Parks and Recreation Professional, Tony possesses a Master’s degree in Parks and Recreation Management from Florida International University and a Bachelor’s of Business Administration degree in Sports Administration from Saint Thomas University where he is an adjunct professor of leisure services. 

Presently, he serves as the Director of Parks and Recreation for the Town of Miami Lakes. In his position, he is responsible for the oversight of one of Miami-Dade County’s most unique and diverse park systems consisting of 99 park and facility locations in a small 6.5 square mile radius.

Janice E. McIntosh (EMBA ’03)    Member as of June, 2010
Chief Representative Officer
Jamaica National Building Society

Janice McIntosh is the Customer Service and Sales Manager for the Jamaica National Building Society in Tamarac, Florida. She joined the organization in Kingston, Jamaica some five years ago as the Promotions & Sales Manager where she was part of the team that helped the company realize its greatest profit in the financial year 2007-2008.

She is a certified trainer having earned her certificate with Schneider Sales Inc. USA, and was one of a handful of employees selected to train staff in the new sales oriented culture. She has successful trained over 200 employees in the JN Preferred Way of Selling, the new, higher service standard adopted by the organization.

Having joined the Florida Representative Office in April 2009, Janice in her new role has accepted the challenges of seeking out new business in a different environment and is constantly looking for new ways to bring more business to the organization and improve the bottom line.

She has held several leadership positions throughout her tenure in various areas, including Class President at her Alumni, Florida International University, Conference Director during her undergraduate studies and she copped the award for the most outstanding Marketing student.

She is also an active member of the Lauderhill Chamber of Commerce (through her organization as a Trustee Member), worked with the Broward Outreach Center and is also an active member of her High School Alumni here in Florida.

She is married to Peter McIntosh and has two daughters Jessica Elizabeth 5 years old and Jenna Isabel, 3 years old and currently live in Pembroke Pines.

She enjoys writing commentaries, bringing out the lighter more humorous side of things. She is a dedicated wife, mother, leader, teacher and trainer.

Luisa Mendoza      Member as of February, 2009
Sales Manager
Broward County Convention Center/SMG

Mendoza works for (Worldwide Entertainment and Conference Venue Management), the management company for the Broward County Convention Center. As Sales Manager, she is responsible for the acquisition of new business and retention. She services National and Local Corporate Accounts, Multi-Cultural, State Associations and Fraternal groups. 

Mendoza enjoys knowing she can help make an economic impact on both the county and community. Conventions that book 600-1,000 rooms a night, affect hotels, restaurants, malls, tourist attractions and car rentals.  A convention has an economic impact that secures jobs for many people. 

She interned in the executive offices of the convention center with the event coordination team. Mendoza was also the campaign coordinator for Commissioner Diana Wasserman-Rubin for the re-election of the Broward County Commission.

She has served on the Advisory Board, and as the chairwoman of the The National Academy Foundation. In 2003 she was chosen as an AOHT Alumni honoree.

As a “Thank you” to her own personal mentor, Mr. Gatley, Mendoza has start the Global Mentoring foundation, which will helps students find a mentor in their field of interest to guide and advance them in their careers. Her passion is to have a foundation that will impact the world.

Her Bachelor’s Degree in Hospitality and Tourism Management is from Florida International University (2005).  Mendoza was born in Colombia, South America. 

Catherine Minnis (EMBA ’95) Member since 2008
Director of Community Outreach
South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee 2010

Catherine Minnis is serving as Director of Community Outreach for the South Florida Super Bowl Host Committee.  Catherine’s responsibilities include the NFL Emerging Business Program, Super Learning in a Super City Program, community impact projects and NFL Youth Education Towns.  She served as a volunteer with Super Bowl Host Committee XLI and issued limousine licenses for Super Bowl XXXIII.

Prior to her position with the Super Bowl Host Committee, Catherine served as an administrator with Miami-Dade County for over 20 years.  Most recently as Regional Coordinator of Team Metro Kendall, she managed a service center that provided community outreach, education and service excellence addressing quality of life issues in neighborhoods covering portions of five County Commission Districts. Additionally, Catherine served as a coordinator with theBuilding Better Communities Bond program, United Way of Miami-Dade, American Cancer Society, and Board Examiner with the Florida Sterling Council.

Catherine currently serves as President of the National Black MBA Association-South Florida Chapter and a member of several community boards.  A graduate of Leadership Miami, Catherine holds a Master of Business Administration degree in International Business and a Bachelor of Public Administration from Florida International University.

Catherine is a member of The Episcopal Church of the Incarnation, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority and the proud mother of three children, Shirelle, Dominic and Kyle.

Carlos Montecalvo (EMBA 10)
Owner & Contract Manager
AmRoad, LLC

Sixteen years of combined experience in real estate, business development, acquisition and asset management. Skill set includes contract negotiation, pricing, budgeting, profit-loss turnaround, procurement, purchasing, product development, and personnel coordination. Effectively cultivates long-term relationships with international and national clients and suppliers.

Alvin Naterpaul (EMBA ’10)   Member as of June, 2010
Vice President Information Technology & Operational Support
Global Parts Support Inc.

Alvin Naterpaul is VP of IT and Operational Support for Global Parts Support, Inc. in Hollywood Florida. Mr. Naterpaul started his career at Global Parts Support in 2005 as an IT consultant. He was hired as Director of Information Technology 2010 and in 2011 was promoted into his current role as VP. He is now responsible for the information technology strategic planning, system selection and implementation, process re-engineering, and computer support functions for Global Parts Support. Prior to joining Global Part Support, Alvin held a Senior Process Re-engineering position with Baptist Health South Florida. Quality Assurance and Technical Support Senior Management position with Clientsoft. Alvin received both his Bachelors of Science degrees from Virginia State University and his executive MBA from Florida International University

Mr. Naterpaul is a member of the Big Brother’s and Big Sisters of South Florida. He volunteers as a coach for PAL girls’ soccer and Optimist football.

Cathy Pareto (EMBA ’06, BBA ’95) 
Member as of November, 2011
President
Cathy Pareto & Associates, Inc.

Cathy Pareto, MBA, CFP®, is the Founder and President of Cathy Pareto & Associates, Inc., which has been named in Forbes as one of the Top 10 Most Dependable™ Wealth Managers for Women in the U.S. as well as being selected to Worth Magazine’s list of America’s Top Wealth Managers for 2008.

For nearly fifteen years, Cathy has been helping affluent investors achieve their financial objectives. She has extensive experience in retirement issues, asset allocation, investment selection, investment management, education planning, estate planning coordination, and asset protection strategies. Additionally, she was an Adjunct Professor for the CFP® Program at Florida International University’s College of Business.

Cathy earned her BA in Finance and later her Executive MBA at Florida International University, graduating in the top of her class and as a result she was inducted into the prestigious Beta Gamma Sigma Graduate Business Honors Society. Cathy Pareto’s articles have been published in periodicals and websites, including Forbes.com, Yahoo Finance, Women in Business, Investopedia.com, Miami Medicine, Accountants-World.com and more.

Her media contributions include quotes in BusinessWeek, The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Bloomberg, The Saturday Evening Post, The Miami Herald, Latina Magazine, Hispanic Trends, and many other financial publications. She has appeared on radio and television and shows including CNBC’s “Power Lunch”, FOX Business News “Your Questions, Your Money”, WLRN/NPR’s “Topical Currents", “Wealth & Wisdom”, Comcast Newsmakers, Roaring Women Radio and more.

Oscar Perez (BA ’06)
Member as of December, 2009
Vice President
Virtustream

Oscar Perez is Vice President of Information Technology and Systems at Virtustream, a leading enterprise cloud software and services provider.

Prior to Virtustream, Mr. Perez was Vice President of Operations for CareCloud with responsibility for all new client implementations, revenue cycle management, and client services. Mr. Perez was also Chief Financial Officer for Desca, a leading network integration company with 14 locations internationally. Desca is the largest subsidiary of eLandia Group, where Mr. Perez also served as Vice President of Corporate Finance. Mr. Perez also served as Vice President of Finance for Terremark, a leading global provider of IT infrastructure services. Prior to Terremark, Mr. Perez had a successful tenure at Adjoined Consulting, a consulting and technology services firm where he served in a variety of roles including Director of Operations and Director of Business Systems. While at Adjoined, Mr. Perez helped establish, build and market the company’s unique brand of “efficient consulting” to a client base of primarily Fortune 500 firms. Mr. Perez’s career began with Arthur Andersen, where he was a key leader in Practice Management and served as Controller for Florida and the Caribbean.

Mr. Perez grew up in Miami and has degrees from Miami-Dade College and from Florida International University. He is studying for an MBA at Nova Southeastern University. Mr. Perez is a member of the FIU Alumni Circle Advisory Board.

Iliana B. Rodriguez (BS ’90) Member since June, 2009
President
IBR Consultants, Inc.

Iliana B. Rodriguez (B.S. ’90,) a lifelong Florida resident, began her professional career in social work upon obtaining her college degree from Florida International University. Currently, she is the President & Founder of IBR Consultants, Inc., providing senior level management in non-profit and for profit organizations assistance with fundraising strategies, establishing philanthropic partnerships and organizational development. Her expertise includes arts and cultural groups, educational institutions and social service agencies. In 2008 she established her firm combining her professional sales, development and philanthropic experiences providing clients with services specific to their needs.              

Prior to launching her consulting firm, Iliana’s professional experiences and civic leadership with South Florida nonprofit organizations led to an account development position with a top Fortune 100 company.  During her five year tenure with American Express, she developed and managed a diverse portfolio of high net worth business accounts located throughout South Florida, increasing sales and marketing opportunities to further the corporate brand. Also, she served on several nonprofit boards and committees to further advance the company’s philanthropic efforts. As the Development and Corporate Relations Manager for the Actors’ Playhouse at the Miracle Theater in early 2001, Iliana worked directly with the Executive Director and Board of Trustees fundraising and coordinating their annual capital campaigns. She secured funding partners such as Bacardi USA, Washington Mutual and local chambers of commerce establishing relationships to expand the visibility and sustenance of the South Florida regional theatre company.  

Iliana’s professional responsibilities do not deter her from finding time to continue her community service and civic engagement. For the past seven years, Iliana proudly serves the Arts & Business Council of Miami in various capacities including a two year term as Chair of the Board of Trustees in 2007. Currently, she serves as Immediate Past Chair and Secretary. That same year, she served on the Steering Committee of the National Arts Marketing Project Annual Conference held in Miami, and for the past three years served as a Volunteer Grant Panelist Reviewer for the Department of Cultural Affairs of Miami-Dade County. In 2000 she served as Ambassador on the National Association for Community Leadership: Sea of Diversity Conference held in Miami. Iliana has held various roles in organizations such as Share Our Strength to promote hunger relief, the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Leadership Miami Executive Committee to promote leadership among mid-level management professionals, and the Zoological Society “Feast with the Beast” fundraising events.

Iliana’s professional memberships include the Association of Fundraising Professionals Miami-Dade Chapter, National Association of Professional Women, Americans for the Arts and Alumni member of Florida International University.  

Ellenit Serrano, BBA '87     Member as of January, 2010
Vice President, Strategic Planning and
Business Development 
UKW Franchising Company, LLC.

Mrs. Ellenit Serrano is a Financial Services Industry expert and Business Executive having over 22 years of experience in the industry including International exposure.  She has more than 20 years of comprehensive Financial Management experience with a Fortune 100 Company and Industry Leader.  Her primary areas of focus include Strategic and Business Planning, Business Performance and Metrics Management, Budgeting and Forecasting, and Investment Management and Optimization.  Her experience is drawn largely from her tenure at American Express Co. where she held various positions with increasing responsibility including her last role as Vice President and Lead Financial Officer for the International Dollar Card Business. Mrs. Serrano also has a broad General Management understanding having had responsibility for other functional groups such as Marketing, Sales and Service Operations throughout her career at American Express.

Presently, Mrs. Serrano is an Independent Agent representing Aflac Insurance.  In this role she has been able to further strengthen her External Relationship Management and Business Development Skills.  In her first year at Aflac, Mrs. Serrano has surpassed sales expectations by over 30% and developed over 15 new accounts, currently managing several National and International Accounts.

William Sommerville (IMBA ’02) 
Member as of October, 2010
Vice President
BenTrust

William Somerville has over 10 years working in sales and marketing with an emphasis over the past 5 years in the life and health insurance industry. William joined BENTRUST in 2010 and is excited about making an impact in the local community and helping to insure the lives of individuals, families and the business community.

William is actively involved with various local organizations, including FIU’s Alumni Circle, United Way, BNI and the South Florida Chapter of the National Society of Hispanic MBAs. 
William earned a BA at Occidental College in Los Angeles and an International MBA from Florida International University (FIU).

Andre L. Teixeira graduated from FIU with his Bachelor of Accounting (1992) and Master of Accounting (1993), and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA).

In his role as CFO of The Graham Companies, Teixeira is responsible for corporate finance, shareholder relations, risk management, financial reporting, tax compliance, human resources and information technology. Prior to joining The Graham Companies in 2002, he was vice president of international finance for QOS Labs, LLC of Boca Raton, Florida. He has also served as Vice President, Service and Finance for Mars, Inc., Controller for Pepsi-Cola Latin America and started his career at Kenneth Leventhal & Company just before the merger with Ernst & Young, LLP.

Teixeira is a United Way Young Leader and a member of the AICPA and the FICPA. Currently, he serves on the CPA's in Industry Committee of the FICPA.

Urquiola is partner of Goldstein Schechter Price Lucas Horwitz & Co., P.A. He is a member of the Weston Area Chamber of Commerce, is active with the United Way, and has been a recruiter of FIU students since 1989. Urquiola graduated FIU with his B'ACC in 1988.

Gloria Romero Roses     Member since September, 2006 
Principal 
Nexus_Consulting, LLC

Born in Bogotá, Colombia, Gloria Romero Roses, has been in Florida since 1979.

Gloria began her career in Real Estate starting with Community Association Management in 1988 with GDG Services then branching out into real estate development starting in 1996 culminating with the SOBE high-rise development scene as part of The Related Group of Florida's development team in the South of Fifth district. In 2001 Gloria struck out on her own as a freelance Project Management Consultant, her clients included The Related Group's ground breaking project CityPlace in West Palm Beach, WCI Communities' One Bal Harbour project, WSG's Canyon Ranch project and Bruce Eichner's project in Las Vegas, The Cosmopolitan. In 2005 Gloria accepted the challenge of returning to her real estate beginnings by launching the Office of Community and Employee Relations for the state's largest manager of Condominium and Homeowner's Associations, The Continental Group, Inc. After establishing the function of Employee Relations and transitioning to a reorganized Human Resources Department, she transitioned the office to focus on Communications and Community Relations. With over 250,000 residential units in their client portfolio and over 6,500 employees across the state of Florida, Gloria's focus was to promote the company's mission and values throughout the communities where the firm's employees lived and work. With functions, roles and work plan in process she transitioned to her successor in 2008. Through her firm, Nexus_Consulting, Gloria assists companies and non-profits striving to effectuate change by intersecting people and opportunity through engagement. Her practice takes form through leadership development, implementation of change processes and strategic communications.

As past President of ArtSpring, Inc. a non-profit arts-based organization that promotes self-growth and effective life skills through art-making for underserved and institutionalized women and girls throughout Florida and former member of the Community Advisory Board for the Miami-Dade Regional Juvenile Detention Center Gloria is passionate about the issues of prevention, intervention as well as investment to reverse the trends of recidivism within our juvenile and adult justice system. As a founding member of a coalition formed in 2004 to shine a light on the issues of overcrowding in our public schools, Gloria led the collaborative work to identify and implement solutions for the short, medium and long term. The coalition's efforts were successful in soliciting and acquiring funding for over 6 projects in the NE Miami-Dade region to build new public schools or expand existing schools (including a precedent-setting lease improvement to a previously vacant K-Mart that opened in the Fall of 2006 housing the entire 6th grade class of Highland Oaks Middle School until relief schools came into place in 2008).

Gloria's affiliations include the Urban Land Institute and the Women's Fund of Miami-Dade. She is currently Vice Chair of the Workforce Housing Committee of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. She is immediate past Chair of the FIU College of Business Dean's Alumni Circle, immediate past President of the Sky Lake-Highland Lakes Area Homeowners Association whose mission is to improve the quality of life for over 17,000 residents within its boundaries of unincorporated NE Miami Dade County. Gloria and her family are members of St. Mark Catholic Church and live in the town of SW Ranches, Broward County, FL.

Demian Bellumio     Member as of June, 2003 
President 
Hoodiny Entertainment Group

Demian Bellumio received his B.B.A. in finance, international business and marketing from FIU (2000).  He is currently the Vice President of Corporate Finance & Development at Terremark Worldwide, Inc. He is responsible for analyzing and executing Terremark's corporate finance activities, such as capital raising and mergers & acquisitions, as well as developing the Company's strategic expansion initiatives.

Mr. Bellumio is also a co-founder and shareholder of BroadSpan Capital, Ltd., and investment banking firm that specializes in Latin America and the U.S. Hispanic market. BroadSpan has offices in Miami and Rio de Janeiro and provides regional and multinational clients with a wide variety of financial advisory services. Prior to BroadSpan, Mr. Bellumio worked for the Latin American division of Barclays Capital, the investment banking arm of Barclays Bank PLC

Alumni Circle Founding Chairman 
Augusto "Gus" Vidaurreta    Member as of May, 2002 
Principal, RAM Strategy, Inc.

Vidaurreta earned a B.S. in Business Administration from FIU (1980) and a Master in Business Administration from the University of Florida (1984).  He was inducted into the FIU Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame in 2001 for his achievements in building new business enterprises.  FIU designated him as an outstanding CBA alumnus in 1999, and, at the Spring, 2000, Commencement on April  29th, FIU awarded him the coveted Distinguished Service Medallion.

Throughout his career, Vidaurreta has held various positions with The Miami Herald Publishing Company and Arthur Andersen (now Accenture).  In 1988, he founded The Systems Consulting Group (SCG), a full-service information systems consulting firm.  Under his leadership, it grew rapidly and twice was listed by Inc. magazine as one of the fastest-growing 500 private companies.

Today he is part owner of Adjoined Consulting, P&O Packaging, The Radisson Riverwalk Hotel in Jacksonville Florida, Forty Plus Ventures, and Horizon Bank.

Gus co-authored the popular book Business Is a Contact Sport, and co-founded RAM Strategy, Inc., a consulting, training, and executive coaching firm built around Relationship Asset Management (RAM), the main topic of the book.