WorldCity Business Magazine

WorldCity People

by Mary Dempsey

Guevara goes to Commerce Department

Ana Guevara, a fixture in Miami’s multinational business community, spent part of June in Malaysia working on free trade negotiations as part of her new job at the U.S. Department of Commerce.

The former vice president for public affairs for the Americas at United Parcel Service has been named deputy assistant secretary for services in the International Trade Administration. She oversees and manages three offices that develop trade policy, identify foreign market barriers and monitor the competitiveness of U.S. businesses in foreign and domestic service, tourism and the finance industries.

Guevara also is a voice for U.S. exporters, working on their access to export finance through the U.S. Export Import Bank and Overseas Private Investment Corp.

She is no stranger to Washington, D.C. In her earlier years with UPS, Guevara worked in Washington on international issues involving UPS’s services in Asia, Europe and Latin America. She represented the company before Congress. She also served in President George H. Bush’s administration as special assistant in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Policy and international Affairs at the U.S. Department of Transportation. In that capacity, Guevara was a member of the NAFTA negotiating team.

Johnson directs port

Miami-Dade’s assistant county manager, Bill Johnson, has been named acting director of the Port of Miami.

He took over the position June 6, replacing longtime director Charles Towsley, who retired to start his own port project consulting company.

As assistant county manager, Johnson oversaw the port and aviation departments. He is the county manager’s liaison to the Jay Malina International Trade Consortium, the Beacon Council and the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Johnson developed the restructuring plan for the completion of the behind-deadline, over-budget Performing Arts Center in downtown Miami. The complex is now slated to be ready in October.

Neff leaves SMFA

After nine years with the South Florida Manufacturers Association, Brian Neff is leaving to take a job in the manufacturing sector.

Neff has joined Pompano Beach staircase, railing and millwork manufacturer Symmetrical Stair as its director of field operations.

As vice president of the manufacturers’ association, Neff worked on a number of initiatives, including successfully lobbying for legislation to eliminate the sales tax on capital equipment and research and development. In response to hurricane damage last year, he organized a disaster recovery conference for South Florida companies. He is credited with developing the SFMA website.

Before joining SFMA, Neff worked in Tallahassee for the Florida Sterling Council, a statewide public-private initiative to promote quality and excellence. He also served at one time as the city manager in Leslie, Mich.

Smith rises at Terremark

Attorney Adam Smith, who was involved in the proposed $120 billion merger of Sprint and WorldCom in 2000, has become general counsel at Terremark Worldwide.

In the proposed telecom merger, which was called off because of opposition from antitrust regulators in the United States and Europe, Smith took part in a review of legal issues associated with the deal’s Internet component.

The new job is a move up for Smith, who had been deputy general counsel at Terremark. He will now manage Terremark’s legal affairs globally, as well as provide counsel to the company’s senior management team.

Terremark manages the NAP of the Americas and six other facilities that serve as safe havens for corporate and government computer servers and data in the event of natural disasters, power outages and other events that could disrupt communications.

Management changes at Perry Ellis

Perry Ellis International has promoted two executives to its women’s swim division and has lured a Royal Caribbean Cruise Line executive into joining its financial team.

Gail Rhodes has been appointed senior vice president of sales for the women’s swim unit while Michelle Mohlere becomes vice president of women’s swimwear.

Rhodes is responsible for leading the company’s sales team for the JAG, Jantzen, South Point, Zuma Beach, Original Penguin and Perry Ellis brands of women’s swimwear. Mohlere, meanwhile, will oversee swimwear design and merchandising for the women’s labels. Rhodes and Mohlere report to Seth Ellison, president of the company’s swim and action sports division.

As part of the reorganization, Kim Wagenaar has been promoted to vice president of men’s swimwear, also reporting to Ellison. Rhodes had been with the Beach Patrol swimwear company since 1991, most recently as executive vice president of sales for all Beach Patrol brands including JAG. Mohlere served previously as executive vice president of merchandising for all brands at Beach Patrol.

Meanwhile,Ayodele Odiduro has been named the clothing company’s manager of financial planning and analysis. Previously, he was a senior financial analyst for Royal Caribbean. In his new job, Odiduro will oversee revenue and cost sales forecasts.

Latin American shuffle at Pfizer Pharmaceuticals

Andreas Fibig has been promoted to the position of regional president for Latin America, Africa and the Middle East at Pfizer Global Pharmaceuticals.

Greg Duncan will assume Fibig’s old job as regional president for Latin America and will report to Fibig. Duncan previously was Pfizer’s senior vice president of marketing for U.S. pharmaceuticals and led a team in charge of the global launch of Aricept, an Alzheimer’s disease medication.

Both men will handle the region from Pfizer’s New York office.

Pfizer has eight manufacturing facilities and 7,000 employees in Latin America. It has invested more than $20 million in clinical research in the region and currently has 65 clinical trials underway in Latin America.

Cordis names tech chief

Campbell Rogers has taken over the newly created position of chief technology officer at Cordis Corp., a Miami Lakes-based subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson that specializes in technology to treat vascular diseases.

Rogers will direct the company’s scientific and technical agenda and lead its investments in research. Previously, he was associate professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School.

New VP named at CB Richard Ellis

CB Richard Ellis, a global real estate giant, has promoted J.C. Conte to the position of vice president just four months after he joined the company.

“In February, J.C., one of the hardest working industrial brokers in South Florida joined our office. During his short time here, he has increased our already formidable ability to serve the needs of our clients,” says Steven Gomez, managing director for CB Richard Ellis Miami-West Dade.

Conte specializes in industrial sales and leasing. Major landlords and developers he has worked with include Principal Real Estate Advisors, Reynolds Metals Development, East Group Properties, Sentinel Real Estate Corporation and Adler Flex Space Management.

Customs Review gets new owners

Karma Ruiz and Hamlet Rodriguez have acquired Customs Review, a company that does online customs broker training.

The 13-year old school in Medley offers online courses approved by the Florida State Bar Association and soon will offer educational programs in live classrooms in Miami and Fort Lauderdale.

“Our online program is ideal for individuals already working in the industry who wish to obtain their customs broker license, while our new locations will serve those who prefer a more traditional classroom setting,” says Ruiz.

Ruiz is a licensed customs house broker, president of Miamibased World Wise Consulting and president of the Florida Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association. She obtained her customs house broker license 12 years ago through Customs Review. Rodriguez is the president of cargo handler Almar USA Corp. in Miami.

Venezuelan politician joins Miami law firm

International corporate attorney Leopoldo Martnez has joined Miami law firm Adorno & Yoss. Martnez is a former lawmaker in the Venezuelan Congress.

“Leopoldo Martnez is an outstanding international legal consultant who brings exceptional expertise to the firm, specifically in all matters related to investments, finance and trade within the inter- American system and markets,” says Francisco Gonzalez, partner and chair of the international practice group at Adorno & Yoss.

The law firm said Martnez also has legal expertise related to Latin American government policies.

Banker returns to Florida

Hunting Deutsch has returned to South Florida to take the newly created position of executive vice president of wealth management at BankUnited in Coral Gables.

He had held several top positions with South Florida banks, including managing director of Citigroup Private Bank in Miami, before moving to Birmingham, Ala., to work at AmSouth Bank. AmSouth is presently being acquired by Regions Financial.

Deutsch’s new job includes overseeing private banking for domestic and international clients and investment and retirement planning.

CBRE exec joins board of Miami Lighthouse

Scott Sime, the managing director of CB Richard Ellis Group’s downtown Miami office, has joined the board of directors of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

CB Richard Ellis is the largest real estate brokerage in the world as measured by revenue.

The Miami Lighthouse is a nonprofit organization that provides a range of rehabilitation, vocational and social services for persons who are blind or have limited vision.

“I look forward to contributing to [the Lighthouse’s] mission of empowering blind people to live fuller, more independent lives,” Sime says. “CBRE recognizes the importance of community involvement and the need to give back to the community, which has been so good to our company.”

Garcia returns to Rojas Law Firm

After a nine-month tour of duty in Iraq, attorney Juan Garcia has returned to Rojas Law Firm in Miami.

“We are thrilled to have Juan back safe from Iraq and pleased that Juan will once again provide corporate, transactional and international legal services to our clients and be available to provide strategic input and dispute resolution assistance in matters involving the litigation or arbitration of complex business, international or technology-related disputes,” said Jos Rojas, a founding partner of the law firm.

Garcia, a member of the U.S. Army Reserves, received a Bronze Star for his service in Iraq.

Garcia’s international law experience focuses on Latin America and the Caribbean. He worked as in-house counsel with AT&T/Lucent Technologies and Global Crossing before joining Rojas in 2001.

Hotel network names global sales chief

After leading the company’s sales efforts for a decade, Stacy Dreyfus has been appointed global sales director for Boutique Hotels & Resorts International. The Miami Beach company is a marketing clearinghouse for select small hotels.

Dreyfus will be based at the company’s new Chicago office.

“Stacy brings a very rich base of industry knowledge, experience and professionalism to Boutique Hotels & Resorts International that our hotels, travel planners and competition envy,” says John Sears, executive vice president of Boutique.

Dreyfus’ hospitality industry experience includes the launch of a New York global sales office for Ian Schrager Hotels and management position at HK Hotels, Hotel Gansevoort and Le Parker Meridien Hotels in New York.

Citrix adds to board

Asiff Hirji, chief operating officer for investment brokerage firm TD Ameritrade, has joined the board of directors at Fort Lauderdale technology company Citrix.

“His executive experience managing and growing large-scale financial services operations will bring a unique perspective to the Citrix board of directors,” says Citrix CEO Mark Templeton. “We are honored to have Asiff joining the board at such an exciting time in Citrix’s evolution.”

Hirji replaces John White, a longtime director who is retiring from the board.

IVAX exec joins Nabi

Nabi Biopharmaceuticals has appointed accountant Jordan Siegel as the company’s senior vice president of finance, chief financial officer and treasurer.

Nabi is a Boca Raton-based pharmaceutical company involved in vaccine research and development, including a much-touted antismoking vaccine that has received funding from the National Institutes of Health. In April, the company also acquired rights to distribute a new anti-rejection drug currently in late-stage development for organ-transplant patients.

Siegel has a long career in the pharmaceuticals industry. He most recently served as vice president of finance at IVAX Pharmaceuticals, the generic drug subsidiary of IVAX Corp. IVAX, in Miami, has been acquired by generic drug giant Teva Pharmaceuticals in Israel.