Charles E. Perry Visionary Award
MIKE LOWELL, ’97, Finance, member of the Florida Marlins baseball team, Miami, Florida
– An Academic All-American athlete while at FIU, Lowell was drafted by the New York Yankees in the 20th round in 1997. Traded to the Florida Marlins in 1999, he has become one of the best third basemen in the game and one of the top clutch hitters in Marlins history as evidenced most recently by his heroics in the National League Championship Series. Despite his busy schedule, which includes participation in community events on behalf of the Marlins, he continues to help advance the interests of the University
and FIU baseball.
BENJAMIN SARDIÑAS, ’01, Electrical Engineering, co-founder and chief marketing officer of Avisena, Inc., Miami, Florida
– An entrepreneur at heart, Sardiñas has founded four companies in South Florida, collectively creating more than 100 jobs in our community. He is dedicated to his volunteer work at FIU through service in the alumni chapter of Sigma Phi Epsilon where he has raised more than $150,000 for undergraduate housing. He has served as a mentor to graduating seniors in the College of Business Administration and has been a guest speaker at numerous FIU events and classes.
EMILY SPENCE-DIEHL, ’02, Social Work, assistant professor in the School of Social Work at the University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas
– Formerly the driving force behind the success of FIU’s Victim Advocacy Center, grants authored by Spence-Diehl enabled the center to expand its services to students, faculty and staff. An expert in the areas of stalking and the psychobiology of trauma, she secured grant funding that enabled the center, Jackson Memorial Hospital Rape Treatment Center and the Child Assault Prevention Program to deliver programs about sexual assault and victimization.
FIU Service Award
EDUARDO ARISTA, ’95, Accounting, attorney and founder of Arista Law, Miami, Florida
– As a certified public accountant and attorney with entrepreneurial experience, Arista’s contributions to the College of Business Administration’s (CBA) International Business Plan Competition and Alumni Chapter have been significant. He has been involved with the Business Plan Competition since its inaugural year, both as a coach and judge. He also played a prominent role in the creation of CBA’s Alumni Chapter, serving as the group’s treasurer for the first two years. He continues to offer his time and expertise, both with the development of the Center for Global Entrepreneurship and Innovation and with the possible creation of the University’s Alumni Law (or Business Law) Chapter.
ARMANDO CAMEJO, ’89, Computer Science, president of Integrated Technology Services, Miami, Florida
– Since graduating from FIU, Camejo has contributed his time and talents in several different areas at the University. An ex-officio (voting) member of the FIU Foundation Athletics Committee, he is also a Football Founder. Additionally, Camejo is the current Golden Panther Club president and a past president of the Alumni Association.
CARLOS MIGOYA, ’74 ’76, Business Administration, regional president of Wachovia Banks for Miami-Dade and Monroe Counties, Miami, Florida
– A longtime supporter of FIU, Migoya was co-chairman of the historic Campaign for FIU that surpassed its goal of $200 million 18 months ahead of schedule in 2001. Currently vice chairperson of the FIU Foundation Board of Directors and chairperson of its Development Committee, he is also a member of the College of Business Administration’s Dean’s Council and a Football Founder. Migoya is active in the community, serving on the boards of the Miami-Dade County Cultural Affairs Council and the Miami Business Forum.
Community Leadership Award
ADOLFO HENRIQUES, ’76, Accounting, chairman & CEO of Union Planters Bank of Florida, Miami, Florida
– Chairperson of FIU’s Board of Trustees, Henriques has served in various capacities on the University’s Foundation Board for the past 10 years and also served as a regent in the former State University System governance structure. A tireless champion of this community,
Henriques is former chairman of the United Way of Miami-Dade County, chairman of The Beacon Council, a board member of Miami Business Forum, a member of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and a supporter of the Miami Children’s Museum.
ILEANA ROS-LEHTINEN, ’74 ’87, Education, U.S. Congresswoman, Miami, Florida and Washington, D.C.
– A legislative leader for more than 20 years, Ros-Lehtinen served four years in the Florida House of Representatives and three in the state Senate prior to her historic election to the U.S. Congress in 1989. As a state legislator, she introduced and created the popular Florida Pre-Paid College Tuition Program. In the U.S. Congress, she serves currently on the International Relations and Government Reform Committees and is chairwoman of the subcommittee on the Middle East and Central Asia. Domestically, Ros-Lehtinen has been active on issues relating to education, children, senior citizens, women’s health, victims’ rights and the environment.
JOSÉ VALDÉS-FAULI, ’75, Business Administration.
– A member of the FIU Foundation and chairman of its Alumni Committee, Valdés-Fauli also serves on the Advisory Board of The Wolfsonian-FIU and is involved with The Art Museum at FIU. He is affiliated with numerous community organizations, including the Florida Grand Opera, Bass Museum, Performing Arts Center Foundation, Mercy Hospital Foundation Board of
Directors, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, The Vanguard School and the Youth Symphony.
Outstanding Achievement Award
ELIZABETH BALMASEDA, ’82, Communications, journalist for The Miami Herald, Miami, Florida
– One of South Florida’s most celebrated and decorated journalists, Balmaseda won the Pulitzer Prize, U.S. journalism’s most prestigious honor, in 1993 for her insightful columns in The Miami Herald about Cuban and Haitian exiles. She shared a Pulitzer Prize in 2001 with her colleagues (including several FIU alums) for breaking news coverage of events relating to the Elián Gonzalez
saga. Born in Cuba and raised in Hialeah, Balmaseda received a Hispanic Heritage Award in 2001 in a ceremony at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts.
MANNY DIAZ, ’77, Political Science, mayor of the City of Miami, Miami, Florida
– Elected mayor of the City of Miami in 2001, Diaz has been a force in local and state political matters for nearly three decades. From the time he first volunteered in 1973 in Jim Angleton’s bid for mayor of Miami, Diaz has supported, coordinated or managed dozens of political races, from local school board elections to presidential races. In the business arena, he is a partner in the law
firm of Diaz & O’Naghten, LLP, and vice president and general counsel of Monty’s Restaurant Holdings, a company consisting of seven restaurants with sales in excess of $20 million.
JAY LITT, ’73, Hospitality Management, senior vice president of Operations for the Eastern Division of Wyndham International Hotels, Dallas, Texas
– The first president of the FIU Hospitality Society, the alumni organization of FIU’s School of Hospitality & Tourism Management, Litt began his career three decades ago with the ITT-Sheraton Management Training Program. He rose through the ranks steadily and eventually won the ITT “Ring of Quality” award. One of the hotels for which he was general manager received the ITTSheraton’s “Hotel of the Year” for North America award. After turns with his own consulting and hotel management company and Interstate Hotels, Litt joined Wyndham International Hotels in 1998 and was promoted to his current position in 2002.
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