Celebrating catalysts of success in South Florida.
Leonard Abess Jr.
Category Philanthropists
Company City National Bank of Florida
Industry Banking
What Makes Him Haute The world still recognizes Abess for his incredible gesture of appreciation to his employees when he generously divvied up some $60 million of the $945 acquired when he sold the majority stake of the City National Bank of Florida; but today Abess continues to give back in different ways. The Trustee of the University of Miami has donated millions to establish the Abess Center for Ecosystem Science and Policy, acts as chair of UM’s finance committee, and is a member of the executive, investment and medical affairs committees. He also serves as a trustee of Fairchild Tropical Garden and The Nature Conservancy/Florida Chapter.
S. Daniel Abraham
Category Billionaires
Company Slim-Fast
Industry Diet
What Makes Him Haute As the developer of SlimFast, Forbes estimates his net worth at $1.4 billion. An advocate for improving health care and nutrition, his contribution to the Mayo Clinic served to create the highly innovative Dan Abraham Healthy Living Center in 2007. Strong ties to Israel also led him to found the Center for Middle East Peace & Economic Cooperation where he still serves as chairman. His book, Peace is Possible, with a foreword by President Bill Clinton, offers an unprecedented account of behind-the-scenes discussions with Middle Eastern leaders. Last year he published his memoirs, entitled Everything is Possible: Life and Business Lessons from a Self-Made Billionaire and the Founder of Slim-Fast.
Louis Aguirre
Category Entertainers
Company Deco Drive
Industry Television
What Makes Him Haute As host of Channel 7’s local entertainment show “Deco Drive,” this Miami-native is a familiar face on the social scene. Armed with his VIP guest status, Aguirre uses a creative reporting style to provide those not-in-the-know with a glimpse at the good life of other Haute 100 members.
Edmund Ansin
Category Billionaires
Company Sunbeam Broadcasting
Industry Media
What Makes Him Haute Inheriting his family’s shoe-making fortune allowed this Miami-based billionaire, along with his father Sidney, to buy a Miami television station for $3.4 million in 1962. Today, Sunbeam Broadcasting operates WSVN Channel 7 Miami and WHDH Channel 7 Boston, two of the most prominent stations in the country. He is a big supporter of the United Way, so much so that the Broward County location is housed in a building named in memory of his parents, Sophie and Sidney Ansin.
Micky Arison
Category Billionaires
Company Carnival Corporation, Miami Heat
Industry Cruise
What Makes Him Haute According to Forbes Micky Arison weighed in as Florida’s wealthiest resident; this Carnival Corporation chairman and CEO whose estimated net worth was about $4.1 billion last September, is also managing general partner of the Miami Heat. Carnival, which operates 11 cruise lines, claims that at any given time, some 225,000 people are sailing on one of its 95 ships around the globe.
Adrienne Arsht
Category Philanthropists
Company Adrienne Arsht Center
Industry Performing Arts
What Makes Her Haute For 10 years, Arsht served as chairman of the board of TotalBank of Miami, which under her leadership grew to have some $1.4 billion in assets. She sold the bank to Banco Popular Español in 2007 and has since dedicated her life to philanthropy. Arsht became the first woman to join the Million Dollar Roundtable of United Way of Miami-Dade in 2004, and, in 2008, committed more than $6 million to the University of Miami. But nothing tops her pledge of $30 million to Miami’s then-struggling Performing Arts Center, which thereby became known as the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.
Michael Bay
Category Entertainers
Company Bay Films
Industry Film
What Makes Him Haute He is one of Hollywood’s most bankable directors, producing action flicks that put him in the limelight and in the black, with global ticket sales surpassing the $3 billion mark. Bad Boys, Pearl Harbor, and Transformers are among his list of credits, and each film is loaded with his special brand of over-the-top effects. The Hollywood power player uses his home on North Bay Road in Miami Beach as a much-needed sanctuary after the draining filming process. Most recently, Bay confirmed that he will direct Transformers: Dark of the Moon, set to be released on July 1, 2011, and word is, post-Transformers completion, he may direct a sequel to the Bad Boys franchise.
Michelle Bernstein
Category Originators
Company Michy’s, Sra. Martinez
Industry Restaurant
What Makes Her Haute This Miami-born James Beard Foundation Award winner is known for her Latin-style flavors of cooking. She garnered widespread acclaim for her culinary skills when taking over the restaurant Azul at Mandarin Oriental in 2001 and regularly appearing on varying Food Network series. In 2005, she and her husband, David Martinez, became business partners and opened Michy’s; and in 2008, the duo opened Design District’s Sra. Martinez. Bernstein has also opened a Miami chapter of Common Threads, a program designed to inspire culinary prowess in underprivileged children ages 8-11.
Lea & Roy Black
Category Power Couples
Company Black, Srebnick, Kornspan & Stumpf, P.A.
Industry Law / Philanthropy
What Makes Them Haute He made a name for himself as one of the best criminal defense lawyers in the country, representing superstar athletes, political pundits, and Hollywood celebrities. She is a powerhouse fundraiser for at-risk youth, a businesswoman in her own right, heading up her eponymous company, Lea Black Enterprises, and the star of The Real Housewives of Miami. This April, the couple hosted the 17th Blacks’ Annual Gala to raise close to a million dollars for the Consequences Program. Together they fight for social justice and have raised well over $10 million for the cause.
Chris Bosh & Adrienne Williams
Category Athletes/Power Couples
Company Miami Heat
Industry Basketball
What Makes Them Haute Chris Bosh has become one of the NBA’s most beloved players. This “gentleman of the league” is a three-time NBA All-Star and helped bring home the gold medal for the USA National Team in the Beijing Olympics. Aside from being part of “The Big 3” with LeBron James and Dwayne Wade, he is set to marry his beautiful fiancée Adrienne Williams this July. Williams is a permanent fixture on the social scene, most often involved in events that aid in the betterment of the community. She recently acted as chair for the Dress for Success gala and is very much involved in Bosh’s eponymous charity, the Chris Bosh Foundation, which promotes social enrichment, education and physical fitness among youth.
Norman Braman
Category Billionaires
Company Braman Enterprises
Industry Automobile
What Makes Him Haute Braman Motors is where many of the Haute 100 members turn to for their luxury rides such as Bentleys, Rolls-Royces, Bugattis, BMWs, Minis, and Cadillacs. Braman not only owns some 23 auto dealerships in Florida and Colorado, but is also an avid art collector. His portfolio of works by Picasso, Jasper Johns, Andy Warhol and others is what put him in the billionaire category in late 2008, and the collection is appreciating in value at an exponential rate—$100 million in 2009 alone.
Nancy Brinker
Category Philanthropists
Company Susan G. Komen for the Cure
Industry Philanthropy
What Makes Her Haute A resident of Palm Beach, Brinker is the proud founder and CEO of Susan G. Komen for the Cure, which she started in memory of her sister. The Race for the Cure is now the world’s largest and most successful education and fundraising event for breast cancer. Last year she was honored by President Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, and also named Goodwill Ambassador for Cancer Control for the United Nations’ World Health Organization.
Paula & Bob Brockway
Category Power Couples
Company Bill Ussery Motors
Industry Automobile
What Makes Them Haute She is a philanthropist and 2007 “Woman of Spirit” award winner; he is chairman of Bill Ussery Motors in Coral Gables, which has been operating for more than 50 years, making it the second-oldest Mercedes-Benz dealership in the nation. This couple is highly dedicated to philanthropic endeavors through support of local institutions like the Red Cross of Miami and the Florida Keys, CHARLEE Homes for Children, Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden, and more.
Romero Britto
Category Artist
Company Romero Britto
Industry Art
What Makes Him Haute After moving to the United States from Brazil and opening a public studio in Miami, Britto was commissioned by Absolut Vodka to design an artwork from their well-recognized logo, placing him in the ranks of past Absolut collaborators such as Warhol and Haring. Today, Britto’s work is recognized around the world–more than twenty cities that have his sculptures as permanent installations inclduing his recent one at the Louvre in Paris. An artistic activist for charitable organizations worldwide, Britto donates to over 250 charities a year.
Michael Capponi
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Capponi Group Corporation
Industry Real Estate / Nightlife
What Makes Him Haute While his nightlife ventures may have put him on the map, it was his other businesses (Capponi Group Luxury Properties, Capponi Building Company, and Capponi Casa) that caught the fickle attention of Miami’s luxe-seeking crowd. From revamping Miami Executive Airport to major home renovations—including JR and Loren Ridinger’s Casa de Sueños—Capponi is at the center of the city’s entrepreneurial scene, as well as the philanthropic one. Following the devastating earthquake in Haiti, he went to the island nation and ended up building a proper camp for hundreds of families on a soccer field. Similarly focused journeys to impoverished nations such as Cuba act as his testament to the difference one person can make.
Cindy Carr
Category Philanthropists
Company Cindy Davis Carr Fund
Industry Philanthropy
What Makes Her Haute Before retiring, Carr helped National Distributing Company grow into one of the largest wine and spirits brands in the country. She then established the Cindy Davis Carr Fund as a nonprofit organization to facilitate long-term growth of her many charitable donations including her support for the Jackson Memorial Foundation, the Children’s Home Society, and the Miami Heart Institute.
Raul Casares
Category Entrepreneurs
Company RC Aluminum Industries
Industry Construction
what makes him haute He not only shelters us from the storms by providing hurricane shutters for Florida homes, but his company’s high-end glass products adorn luxury structures like Apogee, Icon South Beach, Acqualina Resort, American Airlines Arena, and Trump Tower. Casares arrived in Miami from Cuba in the 1950s and founded RC Aluminum in the early 1990s. He spent the subsequent two decades building RC Aluminum into a powerhouse with more than $100 million in revenue each year. Today, under Casares’ brilliant direction, RC Aluminum continues to invest in researching the very best in aluminum and glass technology so that every shutter, window, or door stamped RC promises safety and style
Brenda Nestor & Robert Castellano
Category Power Couples
Company Choice Therapeutics & Victor Posner Enterprises
Industry Medical & Real Estate
What Makes them Haute Brenda is chairman of Victor Posner Enterprises, a Miami-based real estate development. Their involvement for the betterment of the community reads like a laundry list. The Easter Seals Florida Derby Day, Fairchild’s Gala in the Garden, Miami Science Museum’s Building the Future Gala, and the American Red Cross Ball are only a select few of the major philanthropic events in South Florida that this couple is involved in.
Helio Castroneves
Category Athletes
Company Penske
Industry Formula 1 Racing
What Makes Him Haute Returning this year for his 12th season with Team Penske, Castroneves has driven and danced his way into the hearts of people around the world. As the only active driver to have earned the distinction of being a three-time winner of the Indy 500 and the only racecar driver ever to become a “Dancing with the Stars” Champion. In 2010, he also released a popular book about his life entitled Victory Road–The Ride of My Life, which chronicled his rise to stardom and how he handled his high-profile tax case and triumphant return to racing. This season we look forward to seeing Castroneves’ signature victory celebration of climbing the fence after taking the checkered flag.
Joseph Cayre
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Midtown Equities/Core Group Marketing
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute Cayre made his fortune by selling videos and computer software to discount retailers like Wal-Mart and is part of a group of investors that bought the World Trade Center in 2001 and the Sears Tower in 2004. It’s been less than a year since Cayre joined in purchasing HSBC Bank headquarters for $330 million, but he shows no signs of slowing down his investments. His real estate firm, Midtown Equities, just paid $33 million for a five-story, 77,000-square-foot office building in downtown Brooklyn. The building is famous for being the location where baseball legend Jackie Robinson signed his first Major League Baseball contract with the Brooklyn Dodgers. The famed building is now part of Midtown Equities’ 100-plus properties and 14 million square feet of space in retail, office, and residential locations in major cities across the country, one of which happens to be Haute Living headquarters in Midtown, Miami.
Roberta & Harvey Chaplin
Category Power Couples
Company Southern Wine & Spirits of America
Industry Liquor & Wine Distribution
What Makes Them Haute A Brooklyn-raised Harvey started in the spirits industry at a young age while working in the mailroom of Schenley Industries. In 1969 he joined Southern Wine and Spirits where today he acts as chairman and CEO. Both he and his wife are extremely active in the local philanthropic scene and are lifetime benefactors of the Make-A-Wish Foundation of South Florida. In 2009, Mount Sinai announced that its new Comprehensive Stroke Center would be named for Harvey R. Chaplin, whose generous support helped purchase necessary medical equipment.
Myles Chefetz
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Myles Restaurant Group
Industry Restaurant
What Makes Him Haute Chefetz can be credited with helping turn South Beach’s South of Fifth neighborhood into the luxury enclave it is known as today. His extremely successful restaurants (Prime One Twelve, Prime Italian, Nemo, Shoji Sushi, Big Pink) are all located within a block of each other and Miami’s elite crowd descend upon the establishments for a taste of the good life. In 2009, diners didn’t even have to go home after over-indulging, as Chefetz debuted Prime Hotel & Lounge, a new boutique hotel South of Fifth. The James Beard Foundation recognized his efforts in 2009, as Chefetz was a semifinalist for the prestigious Outstanding Restaurateur award.
Eva & Michael Chow
Category Power Couples
Company Mr Chow
Industry Restaurant
What Makes Them Haute Known for his Mr Chow empire, Michael Chow has been in the restaurant business for more than 30 years. His establishments have flourished in the world’s hottest cities, including London, Beverly Hills, New York, and Las Vegas. He and his wife Eva personally design each of the chic locales, which are lauded for their décor and artwork as much as for the cuisine. The power couple descended upon South Florida shores last year to the W South Beach, and Mr Chow immediately became the place to be see and be seen. This year, Chow participated in the annual ChefDance, an event that is held with accordance to the Sundance Film Festival, where internationally acclaimed chefs prepare their finest gourmet for almost 250 attendees. And Mr Chow didn’t leave empty-handed, he received the ChefDance Legend Award 2011.
Ugo & Sara Colombo
Category Power Couples
Company CMC Group / NEST
Industry Real Estate / Fashion
What Makes Them Haute Ugo has created some of Miami’s most recognizable structures as president of CMC Group and founder of Glasswall, LLC, which specializes in impact-resistant window systems for high-rise properties. Brickell’s Britstol Tower. the Santa Maria, Coconut Grove’s Grovenor House, and the Epic Hotel and Residences are just a few. In 2009, Haute Living Miami featured Sara in a piece that discussed her new interior lifestyle boutique Nest, on Lincoln Road. The 2,200-square-foot shop specializes in high-style products for the home presented with a coveted European flair that is reflective of Sara’s innate sense of style. Ugo recently celebrated his 50th birthday with an extravagent Gatsby-themed soiree at his Miamia Beach estate.
Sean “Diddy” Combs
Category Entertainers
Company Bad Boy Entertainment
Industry Entertainment
What Makes Him Haute The Grammy award-winning artist, whose impressive estate on Star Island is a must-see stop on all of the celebrity-home boat tours, is as well known for his business ventures as for his music. The Bad Boy Entertainment Worldwide umbrella includes Bad Boy Records; the clothing lines Sean John & Sean by Sean Combs; a movie production company; Ciroc Vodka; and two restaurants. It’s no surprise that this year, Forbes estimated his net worth at $475 million, making him the richest figure in hip hop.
Matt Damon
Category Entertainers
Company LivePlanet
Industry Film
What Makes Him Haute The Oscar-winning actor’s recent films include the box office smash True Grit and a role in Clint Eastwood’s Hereafter. But what makes Damon a real A-lister is not the movie roles he falls into but the life roles he chooses, from his production company with buddy and co-star Ben Affleck, to his philanthropy work with water preservation in Africa and fighting AIDS and Poverty in third world countries to his most important work as parent to four growing girls right here in Miami.
Brett David
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Prestige Imports
Industry Automobile
What Makes Him Haute When his father, Irv David, passed, a 19-year-old Brett was left with the responsibility of running the family business that includes Lamborghini Miami, Lamborghini Palm Beach, Prestige Audi, and Prestige Imports, but Davis is responsible for one of the most elite collections of luxury car dealers in South Florida. Under his leadership, Prestige has obtained No. 1 rankings in the world for both its Lamborghini Miami and Prestige Audi dealerships, no small feat for this young entrepreneur. In honor of his late f ather, David teamed with the American Heart Association to develop the Prestigious Heart Fund, a non-profit dedicated to promoting heart health and awareness.
Fred DeLuca
Category Billionaires
Company Subway Sandwiches and Salads
Industry Restaurant
what makes him haute Another Forbes 400 member, Fred DeLuca estimated net worth is $1.8 billion. As owner of the second largest fast-food chain, Subway, De Luca started his career at 17. Subway also took part in the recent fashion frenzy during New York Fashion Week and hosted the “Project Subway” fashion show— Elsa Hiltner, a Chicago-based designer, designed her creations using Subway’s recycled packaging. The fashion show helped raise awareness about Subway’s ongoing efforts to promote environmental friendliness.
Gil & Lorena Dezer
Category Originators/Power Couples
Company Dezer Properties
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Them Haute Under his leadership, Dezer Properties has formed a monopoly over luxury development in New York, Las Vegas, and Miami by managing more than 1,000 oceanfront hotels. They are currently developing the Trump Grande Ocean Resort & Residence in Sunny Isles Beach and own an additional 45 acres in Sunny Isles which translates to eight additional oceanfront sites that the company can develop. Recently, the Dezer’s and partner Donald Trump hosted a fete at the Sunny Isles property to “burn” the bank loan, sharing the news that they were paid in full. Gil’s gorgeous wife Lorena is a fixture on the social scene and a generous supporter of charitable causes in the community.
Gloria & Emilio Estefan
Category Power Couples
Company Estefan Enterprises
Industry Entertainment
What Makes Them Haute She’s the Queen Of Latin Pop, has sold more than 100 million albums worldwide, and has won seven Grammy Awards. She’s set to be inducted into the Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame and will perform at a special concert on June 17, 2011 with Harry Connick Jr. and Thomas Wilkins. He is a musician and producer credited with sky rocketing the success of many famed music artists. As minority owners of the Miami Dolphins, the duo has their plates more than full. Recently, the power couple hosted President Obama at their home during a fundraiser for the Democratic National Committee.
George Feldenkreis
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Perry Ellis International
Industry Fashion
What Makes Him Haute He’s CEO and chairman of Miami-based apparel giant, Perry Ellis, which recently purchased Rafaella Apparel for a whooping $20 million. The purchase also included the warrants to buy 106,564 shares of common stock from private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management. There is no doubt that Perry Ellis will now become a more significant player in the women’s apparel industry and that is the goal Feldenkreis wants to achieve.
James Ferraro
Category Philanthropists
Company The Ferraro Law Firm
Industry Law
What Makes Him Haute If you’ve ever attended a Make-A-Wish Ball in South Florida, you know Ferraro well. Arguably the biggest advocate for the cause, Ferraro is the guy in the great tux soliciting donations from his friends in the audience. The attorney who has about 40,000 asbestos cases was awarded the largest compensatory amount in Florida history for an asbestos case.
Ella Fontanals-Cisneros
Category Thinkers
Company Cisneros Fontanals Art Foundation
Industry Art
What Makes Her Haute She began collecting Latin American art in the ‘70s, and founded CFAF in 2002 with the goal of fostering understanding and appreciation for contemporary artists from Latin America through grants, commissions, exhibitions, and bilingual publications. She is a trustee of MAM, Patrons of the Tate, the Cintas Foundation, the International Women’s Forum, and is an active humanitarian and environmentalist. This year’s CIFO exhibit titled Inside Out: Photography After Form, Fontanals-Cisneros kept the standards high with curators Simon Baker and Tanya Barson from the Tate Modern in London. Even with Photo Miami opting out of participation in the exhibit, Fontanals-Cisneros pulled off a first class event that included 80 photos from her personal international collection.
Patricia & Dr. Phillip Frost
Category Power Couples
Company TEVA Pharmaceuticals
Industry Pharmaceuticals
What Makes them Haute He is the CEO of IVAX Corporation, which was acquired by TEVA Pharmaceuticals, and she served as chair of the Smithsonian National Board. The couple is a huge supporter of the arts, evidenced by their $33 million donation to the University of Miami that led to the Frost School of Music—the largest gift ever made to a university-based music school in the United States. The couple’s additional donation to Florida International University resulted in the school’s art museum being renamed The Patricia & Phillip Frost Art Museum. Adding to their list of eponymous museums will be the newMiami Science Museum which is set to become the Patricia and Phillip Frost Museum of Science, thanks to a $35 million donation by the philanthropic couple last month.
Russell Galbut
Category Originators
Company Crescent Heights
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute Acting vice president of Crescent Heights, a company heralded as the leader in high-rise construction and hotel development, Galbut has real estate in his blood. He comes from a Miami Beach family who at one point was the largest landowner on the beach. Most recently, he is at the helm of the revamping of South Beach staple, The Shelborne Hotel.
Malcolm Glazer
Category Billionaires
Company First Allied Corporation
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute This tycoon inherited his father’s jewelry business at age 15 and later became the president of the property firm First Allied Corporation, which owns shopping centers in 15 states. Now he owns both the professional soccer team Manchester United and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The rumors that Manchester United was going to be sold by the Glazer family because of financial hardship are not true; when you can purchase an $8.6 million luxury apartment for your son you know that business is good. This is just the latest splurge on a long list for the Glazer family in 2010, let’s see what awaits the Glazers in 2011.
The Goldman Family
Category Originators
Company Goldman Properties
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Them Haute Goldman Properties is responsible for transforming the Art Deco District from its deteriorating state nto the esteemed sanctuary that is is today. Goldman has also had the honor of being the receiver for the Louise du Pont Crowninshield Award this year, the National Trust for Historic Preservation’s highest tribute, giving back for the protection of notable and enjoyably meaningful areas. With this award, Goldman is now advanced into a more superior status in the worlds of both real estate and historical reconstruction.
Dave Grutman
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Miami Marketing Group
Industry Nightlife
what makes him haute The 36-year old Naples, Florida native has been on the Miami Beach scene for a while. What started as a bartending gig turned into years at the helm of such SoBe mainstays as Tantra and The Opium Group where he headed marketing. Armed with an enviable rolodex and a knack for wrangling the right crowd, he opened Miami Marketing Group (MMG) with partners Brian Gordon and Ryan Schinman. Today MMG has expanded the LIV brand to the the Dolphin’s Stadium.
Patrik Hoffmann
Category Originator
Company Ulysse Nardin
Industry Timepieces
What Makes Him Haute Ulysse Nardin has had a stellar year– and at the helm of this operation stateside is the brand’s U.S. president and head of marketing worldwide, Patrik Hoffmann. This year, he helped the famed Swiss watch brand open their first U.S. flagship location in Boca Raton.
H. Wayne Huizenga
Category Billionaires
Company Miami Dolphins
Industry Sports
What Makes Him Haute This Ft. Lauderdale resident is constantly lauded for his business acumen as the only person ever to be responsible for six companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange and to build three Fortune 1,000 companies. Beyond that, he is the man responsible for bringing professional baseball to South Florida, when he was awarded the Florida Marlins in 1991. He followed that up by introducing the NHL to South Florida via the Florida Panthers in 1992. For around 15 years, he was also the majority owner of the Miami Dolphins and Dolphin Stadium, making him the only man to have owned all three professional sports teams in a region. He sold all but 5 percent ownership of the Dolphins to Stephen Ross in 2009.
Iran Issa-Khan
Category Originators
Company Iran Issa-Khan Gallery
Industry Art
What Makes Her Haute She began her career as a high-flying fashion photographer, consorting with the world’s rich and famous and photographing the “one-name” supermodels for some of the biggest fashion rags. It has been said that the Issa-Khan lens set the visual tone for the 1980s. Today, the Persian photographer’s gallery in the Design District portrays some of her best works, including shots of Nancy Regan at the White House, Paulina Porizkova, Farrah Fawcett, and Paloma Picasso. In the late ‘90s, she made a transition from photographing the pretty people to shooting nature’s beauty. Today, travelers coming in and out of Miami International Airport are welcomed by an exhibition of 25 of her large-scale photographs in an exhibition titled “Gifts from the Sea,” displayed in the Skywalk between Terminals E and F.
LeBron James
Category Athletes
Company Miami Heat
Industry Basketball
What Makes Him Haute When LeBron James announced that he was “bringing his talents to South Beach,” Heat fans celebrated en masse. Nicknamed “King James,” LeBron had enjoyed a long and successful run with the Cavaliers before jumping ship to sunny SoFla in 2010., He is the third NBA MVP to change teams and the first since Moses Malone in 1982. James is now the new brand ambassador for luxury watch brands, Audermars Piguet.
The Jills: Jill Eber & Jill Hertzberg
Category Originators
Company Coldwell Banker Residential Real Estate
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Them Haute With record-breaking sales throughout Miami, the Jills represent the region’s most prominent properties—and therefore most prominent individuals. Haute Living Real Estate Network members Jills Eber and Hertzberg are surveying the most luxurious residential areas in Miami appropriate for its newest superstar inhabitant LeBron James. Their top location picks include oceanfront homes on Golden Beach, Sunset Island gated community, deluxe waterfront houses on Palm Island, and the exclusive Indian Creek Island. The prices of the speculative homes range from $12.5 to $18.5 million, though houses on Indian Creek Island can go up to $60 million.
Jay I. Kislak
Category Philanthropists
Company The Kislak Organization
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute A real estate company with an impressive portfolio is to be commended, but we’re extra impressed with Jay Kislak’s Kislak Foundation. Dedicated to the collection, conservation, research, and interpretation of rare books, manuscripts, maps, and indigenous art and cultural artifacts from the U.S. and around the globe, this idea was born out of a mere desire to learn. And in a generous spirier, Kislak has shared more than 3,000 works from the collection with the nation as The Cultures & History of the Americas: The Jay I. Kislak Collection at the Library of Congress. In 2003, Kislak was appointed by President George W. Bush to be the chairman of the Cultural Property Advisory Committee, an expert panel that advises the U.S. Department of State regarding the importation of cultural artifacts. Kislak also serves as a trustee of the Eisenhower Fellowships.
John Kluge
Category Billionaires
Company Metromedia
Industry Media
What Makes Him Haute This 95-year-old Palm Beach resident was ranked as richest man in America in 1989 but lost that title to Bill Gates three years later. His vast fortune comes from Metromedia, Inc., which proved during the ‘60s and ‘70s that independent television stations could compete against network giants. That caught the attention of Rupert Murdoch, who purchased Metromedia’s stations in the mid-1980s for $2 billion. Under the same Metromedia name, Kluge went on to invest in restaurants, technology, and telecommunication. He believes in paying it forward and donated $400 million to Columbia University in 2007, which is the fourth-largest gift of all time to an educational institution.
Thomas Kramer
Category Originators
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute Thomas Kramer played quite a role revitalization of South Beach. His developments (Portofino, Yacht Club, Continuum, Murano, Murano Grande, Icon, Apogee) transformed the once-blighted community into a sophisticated, world-class destination. In fact, his own Star Island home is a coveted playground that he’s generous enough to lend out for worthy causes. The Thomas Kramer Foundation has benefited many local and national charities. And what do we have to look forward to in the future? International Expansion, of course. Starting with projects like the appropriately dubbed SoBe Rio that are meant to “bring Miami Beach’s lifestyle to [your] neighborhood.”
Joanna Krupa & Romain Zago
Category Power Couples
Company Mynt
Industry Nightlife
What Makes Them Haute They say experience is a privilege that can’t be bought. In Romain Zago’s case, they weren’t far off. After acting as the VIP director of Mynt, Zago took over as owner and things went swimmingly. The club continued to be the go-to locale for lovers of luxurious nightlife in a sophisticated setting. Romain’s supermodel fiancé Joanna graces the covers of magazines (and the pages of the 2010 Maxim calendar), appeared on “Dancing with the Stars,” and is often a guest on late night talk shows, making this couple the reigning king and queen of Miami’s haute crowd. She is also actively involved in PETA and was the face of a traffic-stopping ad campaign for their ingenious “I’d Rather Go Naked Than Wear Fur” campaign.
Lennox Lewis
Category Athletes
Industry Boxing
What Makes Him Haute This Heavyweight Champion not only defeated Evander Holyfield in 1999, but he also KO’d Mike Tyson just three years later to solidify his undisputed reign in the boxing ring. Last year, the Miami Beach resident was inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. The British boxer born to Jamaican parents has hung up his boxing gloves, but being that Lewis is an avid amateur chess player, he funded an after-school chess program for disadvantaged youths, one of whom earned a university chess scholarship to Tennessee Tech.
Diane & Alan Lieberman
Category Power Couples
Company South Beach Investment Realty, South Beach Group
Industry Real Estate, Hospitality
What Makes Them Haute Together, Diane and Alan form a real estate powerhouse. Diane’s SBI Realty is behind the sales of some of the biggest profile listings in the region, including her recent sale of the stunning North Bay Road manse to Miami Heat super star, Chris Bosh and fiance Adrienne Williams. Alan runs the show at South Beach Group, an Art Deco-style hotel brand that operates ten properties, including the Catalina, SBG’s flagship property on Collins Avenue, and the new Riviera. The Liebermans’ hotels have been fixtures on South Beach for the past ten years thanks to a business model that is based on innovation, outstanding marketing tactics, and an innate understanding of what attracts the customer. Chic designs don’t hurt either, and The South Beach Group’s portfolio is full of them, all courtesy of Alan himself who renovates his properties every three to five years.
George Lindemann
Category Billionaires
Company Southern Union Company
Industry Natural Gas
What Makes Him Haute This Wharton grad made his first fortune from selling a contact lens design company to Cooper Labs for $60 million in 1971. He then went on to become the president of cable television pioneer Vision Cable Communications. Lindemann is also chairman and CEO of Activated Communications, Inc., a diversified communications firm headquartered in New York City. In 1983, he founded Metro Mobile, which grew into the country’s second-largest cellular company. In 1992, it merged with Bell Atlantic, netting Lindemann a cool $2.6 billion. In 1990, the diversified entrepreneur began his current role as the chairman of the board and CEO of Southern Union Company, which is one of the country’s largest natural gas-line companies.
Howard Lorber
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Prudential Douglas Elliman
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute In addition to being the chairman and a principal owner of New York real estate powerhouse Prudential Douglas Elliman, he is the chairman and CEO of Nathan’s Famous, the fast-food company that started on Coney Island in 1916 and expanded around the world. As if that wasn’t enough to keep his schedule packed, he is also the director of United Capital Corp., a real estate investment and management company with a portfolio of 150 properties throughout the U.S. On a local front, Lorber is president and CEO of the Miami-based Vector Group Ltd., a publicly held company listed on the New York Stock Exchange that makes and markets high-quality tobacco products.
Diego & Gisela Lowenstein
Category Power Couples
Company Lionstone Development/The Glow System
Industry Hospitality
What Makes Them Haute He comes from a family of successful entrepreneurs who founded Lionstone Development, which began acquiring an impressive portfolio of properties on Miami Beach five decades ago. The hospitality division is behind the Ritz-Carlton South Beach and the EPIC Hotel and Residences in Brickell. He also recently partnered with Richard Branson in launching Virgin Hotels. She, a hospitality guru in her own right, launched a home improvement system aptly named The Glow System to aid the masses in living an organized life. Together they run a glowing household.
Al & Shareef Malnik
Category Entrepreneurs
Company The Forge
Industry Restaurant
What Makes Them Haute Al is the visionary restaurateur who opened The Forge in the ‘60s, which has served as the stomping ground for every A-list group that has come through the town. His philanthropic efforts are greatly lauded as well; the annual kick-off event to raise funds for the Make-A-Wish Ball is held in the confines of his stunning Palm Beach manse. His son Shareef took over the operations in the ‘90s. He closed the restaurant last year for extensive renovations, finally reopening its doors last year under the updated moniker The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar by Shareef Malnik.
Martin Z. Margulies
Category Thinkers
Company Margulies Collection at the Warehouse
Industry Art
What Makes Him Haute After amassing one of the most impressive collections of contemporary art in the world, Margulies began showcasing his pieces, which run the gamut from contemporary art and vintage photography, to video, sculpture, and instillations. The Margulies Collection is now housed in a 45,000-square-foot newly renovated warehouse in the heart of Wynwood. The Martin Z. Margulies Foundation is a nonprofit that is focused on presenting exhibitions and educational programs.
Claire & Dan Marino
Category Power Couples
Company Dan Marino Foundation
Industry Philanthropy
What Makes Them Haute Dan is the most famous Miami Dolphin in history, and his NFL career passing totals of 61,361 yards, 8,358 attempts, 4,967 completions, and 420 touchdowns held the record for a solid decade. The road leading into the recently renamed Sun Life Stadium still bears his name, but he is more than just a local sports hero. Dan and his wife Claire established the Dan Marino Foundation in 1992 to support youngsters with developmental disabilities through research, outreach programs, and medical treatment. The foundation has raised more than $22 million for programs and services that have benefited hundreds of thousands of children and their families through institutions like the Marino Autism Research Institute, which works with four universities, including Nova Southeastern in Davie and the University of Miami.
Pedro & David Martin
Category Originators
Company Terra Group
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Them Haute This father-and-son team is the brains behind Terra Group, which specializes in downtown Miami development projects like 900 Biscayne Bay and Quantum on the Bay. These new locales started a trend, and other condo buildings began popping. The Martins led Terra Group in getting the most bang for its buck with low acquisition prices on the Miami properties. Pedro is also on the board of directors for the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, and Terra Group’s developments are serving their parts in the revival of the area surrounding the center.
Keith Menin
Category Originators
Company Sanctuary South Beach
Industry Hospitality / Development
What Makes Him Haute Menin is a member of the Galbut family, which provided him both the means and the know-how to open his first hotel when he was just 24. But his heritage didn’t guarantee success, that was Menin’s doing. He parlayed that venture into additional hotel projects, including the Mondrian South Beach, where he partnered with the established Morgans Hotel Group (the brand behind the Delano and Shore Club) for the company’s first residential project. Menin’s next move will be unveiling the remodeled Shelborne hotel where he spent his childhood running the halls. There’s no question that under Menin’s leadership, the Shelborne will reemerge as one of the city’s hautest locales.
Lipe Medeiros
Category Originators
Company The Sofi Property Group
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute Lipe revolutionized the world of fashion in the 90’s as the co-founder and CEO of Language, the first US lifestyle shop in NYC’s Nolita, and winner of the prestigious FGI Rising Star award for Best Luxury Fashion Store in the US. Nowadays, he is doing just that to the real estate business as the founder and president of The SoFi Group. By leveraging his expertise in all things luxury and his extensive connections to Brazil, Lipe has built The SoFi Group into an enviable brand in the Miami real estate world. Born in São Paulo, Brazil, Lipe spent 12 years living in NYC before moving to Miami full time in 2004. He brings an international flair and a refreshingly new perspective to South Beach and the real estate business.
Stuart Miller
Category Originators
Company Lennar
Industry Construction
What Makes Him Haute Using his years of experience and entrepreneurial wisdom, Stuart Miller’s company, Lennar, the third largest homebuilder in the nation, has been able to beat Wall Street’s estimates of its growth, with shares increasing 8 percent in mid-trading last quarter. Thanks to Miller’s business sense, the shares of his rivals have also increased in value, which in turn helps grow the economy.
Stacy & Eric Milon
Category Power Couples
Company Opium Group
Industry Nightlife
What Makes Them Haute Credited with being a pioneer of the South Beach scene, Milon has a knack for all things haute. His eye for style and beauty led to the opening of Miami Beach nightclubs The Strand and The Living Room, which led to the founding of The Opium Group. In 2008, he founded the Milon Group with hotelier Justin Callen, which will open its first boutique hotel, Milon Reserve, in Panama this year. His wife Stacy is a staple on Miami’s social scene, and she uses those connections in her role as a realtor associate with Douglas Elliman Florida.
Tracy & Alonzo Mourning
Category Power Couples
Company Alonzo Mourning Charities
Industry Philanthropy
What Makes Them Haute He announced his retirement from the NBA in 2009, and it was shortly thereafter that the Miami Heat proclaimed that No. 33 would be the first number retired at the American Airlines Arena. He founded Alonzo Mourning Charities in 1997, which has since raised more than $7 million to benefit children and families, with a focus on youth enrichment centers, including the Overtown Youth Center. His wife Tracy is a mentor, designer, broadcast journalist, and motivational speaker. For the charity, she focuses on the Honey Shine Mentoring program for at-risk girls.
Tom Murphy Jr.
Category Originators
Company Coastal Construction Group
Industry Construction
What Makes Him Haute To say you were Florida’s youngest-ever licensed general contractor at the age of 19 is no small feat; to have co-founded a company like Seaboard Construction at 21 is even more impressive; and to be able to buy out your partners and sell said company to one of the largest builders in the world puts you on the Haute 100 list. Along with his brother, Murphy founded the Coastal companies, which includes Coastal Construction, Coastal Condominiums, Coastal Interiors, and Coastal Homes. In total, the company has more than $1 billion in projects in the works, and Murphy oversees it all as chairman and CEO.
Gary Nader
Category Thinkers
Company Gary Nader Fine Art
Industry Art
What Makes Him Haute Haute Living named him “Miami’s Master” of fine art in 2009 for Art Basel, and it’s a title he still represents proudly. Nader is now catching our attention once again with a striking open-air installation in Downtown Miami. Both tourists and locals alike can be caught snapping pictures of the amazing sculptures displayed as part of the inaugural Miami Sculpture Biennale. The gallery exhibits about 60 pieces worth millions of dollars and runs more than a mile along Biscayne Boulevard. With the help of curator Ricardo Pau-Llosa the two worked 14 hours a day for six months to make the installation possible.
Chad Oppenheim
Category Originators
Company Oppenheim Architecture + Design
Industry Architecture
What Makes Him Haute In the eight years since its inception, Oppenheim’s firm has accumulated more than $6 billion in projects and has won more than 14 American Institute of Architects awards. Today Oppenheim has partnered with Audi and landscape architect Enzo Enea to donate a new entrance to Simson Park, one of South Florida’s last natural hardwood hammock ecosystems. The 5.5-acre park will receive further upgrades from Enea design, with plans to implement educational features in the future. In June 2010 the doors opened to the first ever Tree Museum by Enea, and Enea’s Headquarters by Oppenheim, located in Rapperswil-Jona, Switzerland. The museum houses more than 2,000 trees amidst garden spaces that beautifully combine man-made and natural landscapes.
R. Donahue Peebles
Category Originators
Company The Peebles Corporation
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute As the CEO and chairman of the Coral Gables-based Peebles Corporation, Don Peebles is the owner of the largest African-American real estate development firm in the country. Peebles Corp. has teamed up with Mardi Gras Hotel and Casino and the JV, renaming themselves Mardi-Gras Inn Ltd. to develop a $2 billion hotel and resort development project in Las Vegas. The joint venture will be located just half a mile from the Vegas Strip, the property will become the site of the Las Palmas Resort and Casino, which will be a fully operational convention center resort with two hotels.
Jorge Pérez
Category Originators
Company Related Group
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute Pérez’s company has a tagline of “redefining cities and skylines,” and it lives up to that reputation. Related Group has built more than 55,000 apartments and condos, and currently leads South Florida as the top multi-family developer. With big projects under his belt like the ICON Brickell and the Trump Hotel in Hollywood, Perez is definitely a pioneer in the South Florida real estate market. Today he is teaming up with Donald Trump to build a new marketing campaign for the Trump in Hollywood. BH3, Related Group and its lenders at HSBC have negotiated an excellent deal that all parties are pleased with to help bring more revenue to the Trump Hollywood.
Alicia & Mike Piazza
Category Power Couples
Company Retired from the New York Mets
Industry Baseball
What Makes Them Haute This former Mets star and the best-hitting catcher of all time and his wife Alicia are integral parts of the Miami social scene. But their contribution to the community is more impressive as the duo is actively involved in the betterment of their South of Fifth community. Mike attended the University of Miami on a full scholarship for baseball, but after one year decided college ball was not for him. Years later, he is back in Miami, and the progression of his success has led him to heights he never dreamed possible.
Larsa & Scottie Pippen
Category Power Couples
Company Chicago Bulls & Bravo
Industry NBA & Reality Television
What Makes Them Haute Scottie was Michael Jordan’s right-hand man on the Chicago Bulls, which won an outstanding six championships thanks to the unstoppable duo. Today, he’s back on the court with a offering tips to better his team. His wife, Larsa, is a former model who most recently has been making headlines for her role on The Real Housewives of Miami, where she gives the public the inside scoop on what it’s like to be beauty, brains, wife, mother and friend. For Larsa, it’s all in a day’s work.
Carmen N. D’Angelo, Jr., Gerard P. Liguori & Joseph G. Liguori
Category Originators
Company Premier Estate Properties
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Them Haute As young real estate agents with an innovative idea, this threesome broke the industry mold, setting new standards for brokerage firms representing high-end properties valued in excess of $1 million. Clear direction, a strong marketing platform, and an overall quality-focused approach led their initiative. Today, with a $1.4 billion-plus Estate Portfolio, and six exclusive offices in South Florida, Premier Estate Properties is the foremost brokerage company for high-end luxury real estate on the Gold Coast of Florida.
Brett Ratner
Category Thinkers
Company HSI Productions
Industry Film
What Makes Him Haute Well recognized as a blockbuster directing, camera wielding talent—Ratner has not only appeared on the cover of Haute Living, he’s been a cover photog as well—Ratner has racked up a list of films that have grossed more than a billion dollars worldwide. Today he continues to turn out blockbusters while also operating Rat Press, a publishing company that rereleases out-of-print books about Hollywood.
Mayor Tomas P. Regalado
Category Thinkers
Company City of Miami Industry Politics
What Makes him Haute Mayor Regalado has politics in his blood; his father was a political prisoner in Cuba for 22 years. Regalado was the first Cuban American member of the White House Press Corps, and has interviewed Presidents Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Jimmy Carter, Ronald Reagan, George Bush Sr., and Bill Clinton. By traveling the globe covering politics, he became interested in the field and was elected Miami City Commissioner in 1996. On November 3, 2009, he was elected Miami’s 33rd mayor with a 72 percent margin.
Loren & JR Ridinger
Category Power Couples
Company Market America
Industry Internet Shopping
What Makes Them Haute Rivaling top internet sites such as Amazon, Market America is dominating the competition introducing new technologies and product offerings, social media initiatives, and an innovative partnership with SHOP.COM. Steadfastly repping their “Bigger, Better, Faster, Easier” campaign with support from their circle of friends, including Eva Longoria, Alejandro Sanz, Khloe Kardashian, Scottie Pippen, Serena Williams, Kelly Rowland, and Emilio and Gloria Estefan, Market America’s founders JR and Loren Ridinger are on a billion dollar roll. And when the duo isn’t revolutionizing the business world, this beautiful couple dedicates their time to giving back, supporting countless charities including The Rally for Kids with Cancer that they will spearhead along with dear friend Eva Longoria at the end of the month.
Pat Riley
Category Thinkers
Company Miami Heat
Industry Basketball
What Makes Him Haute Riley led the Heat to its first NBA championship in 2006 as the team’s head coach. As its president, he was the force responsible for bringing some of the biggest names in the NBA to Miami, including last year’s “Big 3” Wade, Bosh, and James. Riley’s NBA career spans 38 years as a player, assistant coach, head coach, administrator, and broadcaster, and he has produced seven NBA championships. He has more wins than all but two other individuals under his belt. This impressive list of accomplishments earned him a spot in the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, which is the NBA’s biggest honor.
Craig Robins
Category Originators
Company Dacra Development
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute From South Beach to Lincoln Road, Española Way to the Design District, Craig Robins can be credited as the visionary behind some of the city’s biggest transformations. His Dacra Development Group combines art and architecture to create avant-garde projects that revitalize neighborhoods and create a lifestyle. In the Design District, Dacra continues to up the ante, bringing big name retailers such as Christian Louboutin and Marni to a neighborhood that was at one point was all but forgotten. Another of his projects, Design Miami has had similar success, drawing attention to the city as a cultural hub, and rivaling Art Basel as one of the most popular art fairs in the city.
Marc Roberts
Category Originators
Company Marc Roberts Companies
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute Roberts’ sports management company, Worldwide Entertainment and Sports, was the first of its kind to go public through an IPO, which afforded him the means to become a real estate magnate. Today, he is working on the 30-acre Miami Worldcenter project, which aims to transform a blighted area downtown into a live-work-play environment with retail, restaurant, entertainment, hotel, residential, and commercial components. It’s an ambitious project that entails creating 12 million square feet over the next 20 years.
Jean Francois Roy
Category Originators
Company Ocean Land Investments, Inc.
Industry Development
What Makes Him Haute Jean Francois Roy started developing senior care facilities in Quebec, Canada. When it came time to retire, he moved to South Florida only to realize he wasn’t quite ready to throw in the towel. He began investing in waterfront property, focusing his efforts to coastal developments. Under his leadership Ocean Land Investments has rapidly become one of Florida’s largest developers and owners of oceanfront property. Currently Roy is tackling another run with retirement community development on an International scale.
Stephen Ross
Category Billionaires
Company Related, Miami Dolphins
Industry Real Estate, NFL
What Makes Him Haute Ross’ Related Companies has been a force in the industry since its inception. In 2008, he purchased 50 percent of the Miami Dolphins and the stadium for $550 million, and followed that up in 2009 by becoming 95 percent owner. Ross’ mobile technology company FanVision is developing a smartphone-compatible version of instant replay. Formerly known as Kangaroo TV, the company has operated at various sporting events using a wireless device that provides replays, alternate video angles, radio broadcasts, fantasy football content, and statistics in real time. The company has made noteworthy gains under Ross’ leadership. In order to gain brand exposure, each NFL club was offered 5,000 free units to distribute to fans. So far, 12 teams have accepted the offer. The roll out of FanVision is due in large part to the NFL’s efforts to improve fans’ in-stadium experience in the high-definition era.
The Rubell Family
Category Thinkers
Company Rubell Family Collection Industry Art
What Makes them Haute It was 1964 in New York when Don Rubell and his wife Mera began amassing their personal art collection. The idea to share that collection with the world led these pioneers of the art scene to Miami in the early ‘90s when they opened the Rubell Family Collection in its current 45,000-square-foot warehouse in Wynwood. Don, Mera, their children Jennifer and Jason, and Jason’s wife Michelle, also operate the nonprofit Contemporary Arts Foundation, which presents thematic presentations that often travel to prestigious art institutions across the country. The Rubell Family Collection features 27 galleries, a research library with more than 30,000 volumes, a film and lecture theater, a new media room, and a sculpture garden. This past Basel week in Miami, the family unveiled a collaborative effort with famed French fashion brand, Lanvin.
Roman Jones & Mitchell Rubinson
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Opium Group
Industry Investment
What Makes Them Haute The British-born Jones helped put South Beach on the nightlife map when he partnered with Eric Milon to open The Living Room. Today, Opium Group, a joint venture between Jones, Eric and Eric’s brother Francis, sets the standard when it comes to nightlife. Rubinson’s resume runs the gamut from being a principal and adviser for The Opium Group to founding Armor Inspection Services and Drill Magazine. He is able to attend to these ventures thanks to his investment firm, Integrated Equities Inc., which he founded in 1985.
Paulina Rubio
Category Entertainers
Company EMI, Universal Music
Industry Music
What Makes Her Haute This Mexican beauty is as talented as she is beautiful. A Latin Pop chart topper, she is one of the most well-know and respected crossover artists to come out of Mexico. Ranking No. 1 on the Billboard Latin charts and earning Latin Grammy nominations from the onset, she has sold more than 20 million albums worldwide. She, like many other celebrities that reside in our town, can often be found attending the city’s highest profile events alongside her good friend and Haute 100 member, Loren Ridinger. The talented entertainer has just found another gig singing next to Taio Cruz. She has been recruited to fill in for Ke$ha, due to his desire to target a different audience for his Spanish version of the song “Dirty Picture.”
Larry & Christina Sands
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Optical Shops of Aspen
Industry Eyewear
What Makes Them Haute The need for the right kind of eyewear shopping experience led Larry Sands to redefine the industry. Today, his high-end optical shop, Optical Shop of Aspen has several outposts all over the nation and Optical Shop of Aspen International, the company’s wholesale division, designs, distributes and owns licenses to the Blinde, Chrome Hearts, Hiero, Kieselstein-Cord and Matsuda eyewear brands. Most recently, Sands opened V.A.U.L.T., a high-end, multi label boutique on Lincoln Road carrying everything from fine jewelry and timepieces to ready-to-wear, and, of course, eyewear. You can find Larry and his stunning wife Christina at the most star-studded charity events across the country.
Alejandro Sanz
Category Entertainers
Company Warner Music
Industry Entertainment
What Makes Him Haute Alejandro Sanz is a global sensation. The Spaniard has won a total of 15 Latin Grammy Awards and 3 Grammy Awards. He won the Latin Grammy for Album of the Year three times, more than any other artist, and has released a total of 10 albums and 6 DVDs. Collaborations with such adored female artists as Kelly Rowland, Shakira, and Alicia Keys helped him win American hearts. In fact, his single, “Looking for Paradise,” was conceived on the mega-yacht of Haute 100 members, Loren and JR Ridinger, and you can find Loren, JR, and Haute Living CEO, Kamal Hotchandani making cameos in the song’s music video. Most recently, Sanz has been recording with jazz legend, Tony Bennett for his album Duets II which will also feature such stars as Lady Gaga, Mariah Carey, and Carrie Underwood.
Stephanie Sayfie-Aagaard
Category Philanthropists
Company The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis
Industry Philanthropy
What Makes her Haute Miami-based socialite and author of Miami Herald column, “Steph Sez,” Stephanie Sayfie-Aagaard keeps more than busy. The wonder woman uses all of her wonderful community ties to raise funds for causes dear to her heart. Topping her list of important charitable causes is The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis and The Buoniconti Fund, the world’s largest, most comprehensive spinal cord injury research center.
Lee Brian Schrager
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Southern Wine & Spirits
Industry Food & Wine
What Makes Him Haute An executive at Florida-based mega adult beverage distribution company, Southern Wine and Spirits, Shrager is responsible for the brands marketing. But a savvy Shrager took things to the next level when he created the Food Network’s South Beach Wine & Food Festival, which brings the most celebrated names from the world’s finest culinary institutions and revered wineries to the sands of Miami Beach for one weekend each February, all to benefit FIU’s school of hospitality and tourism management. Having just celebrated it’s tenth anniversary, the festival is more than successful. And following in the same pattern, Shrager launched a similar festival in New York. The NYC version benefits food banks in the city and next up, Shrager plans to launch a festival in Aspen. His efforts have created a national buzz and we’re proud it all started on the sands of sunny SoBe.
Rony Seikaly
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Quadrant Investment Group
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute Thanks to an illustrious career playing in the NBA for the Miami Heat, as well as successful real estate ventures, Seikaly is a leading figure in the city. Early in his career, he made waves by breaking several team records, amassing incredible career statistics, and earning the title The Spin Doctor. The name has a double meaning; Seikaly is also a DJ with a penchant for house music. He’s played some of the hautest clubs and lounges in the world, including Miami Beach’s LIV. Since its inception in 2005, Quadrant Investment Group, of which Seikaly is CEO, has created and managed three separate funds with $128 million in investor equity and $350 million in real estate. Seikaly is personally invested in each of those funds.
Shakira
Category Entertainers
Company Pies Descalsos Foundation
Industry Music
What Makes her Haute This seductive songstress (and Latin Grammy winner) is one of the most prominent crossover artists. Her collaboration with Wyclef for the No. 1 track “Hips Don’t Lie” earned her a Grammy nomination, and this past year, the airwaves have been dominated by tracks from her latest album “She Wolf,” which she co-wrote and produced. Shakira’s nonprofit organization, Pies Descalzos (which means “barefoot” in English), is aimed at helping Colombian children that have been the victims of violence, and she is also an ambassador for Unicef. Last year, Shakira made head lines with her hit single, “Waka Waka” which was created for and performed during the World Cup.
Alina & Anthony Shriver
Category Power Couples
Company Best Buddies International
Industry Philanthropy
What Makes them Haute In 1989, when he was still in college, Anthony Kennedy Shriver founded Best Buddies International to foster relationships between those with intellectual disabilities and those without. It has since grown to have some 1,500 chapters around the world, positiviely impacting an estimated 700,000 people every year, a number that is set to grow in 2011 thanks to an international expansion effort led by Anthony. Alina is the VP of art and merchandise for the organization, where she oversees the fine art collection. She also runs Shriver Art, an art consulting and marketing business that is responsible for the 35-foot Britto sculpture that was unveiled at the 5th Street entrance to Miami Beach in 2009.
Karim Masri & Nicola Siervo
Category Entrepreneurs
Company KNR Food Concept
Industry Restaurants & Nightlife
What Makes them Haute Along with Haute 100 Miami member Rony Seikaly, Masri and Siervo are partners in KNR Food Concepts, which is behind Quattro Gastronomia Italiana and its sister restaurant, Sosta, on Lincoln Road. They bring a plethora of experience to the table, as they lent their know-how to establishments like Joia, Hotel Astor, Mynt, and Mokai over the years. These experiences led to their new restaurant and nightlife establishments at the W South Beach—Soleá and Wall—some of the hautest spots in town.
Don & Jeff Soffer
Category Originators
Company Turnberry & Associates
Industry Real Estate/Hospitality
What Makes them Haute Don opened his first shopping mall with his father when he was 24 years old. He then came down to South Florida and purchased almost 1,000 acres of marshland in northern Dade County in 1967, filled the area, and created what is today Aventura. His son Jeff followed in his footsteps into real estate and hospitality with the $500 million makeover of his world-renowned Fontainebleau Miami Beach A recent financial restructuring plan keeps the Fontainebleau running like a well-oiled machine.
Donald Trump
Category Originators
Company The Trump Organization
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute Everyone is familiar with The Donald’s real estate (and reality television) empire, but they may not be entirely familiar with his South Florida ties. Trump purchased Palm Beach’s Mar-A-Lago estate in 1985 and used the immense palace as his home for a number of years before turning it into one of the country’s most exclusive clubs a decade later. It is the last remaining Palm Beach estate that is almost identical to the day it was built, which led it to be placed on the National Register of Historic Places. The real estate mogul also has three Trump-branded properties in South Florida (one in Hollywood and two in Sunny Isles), as well as Trump International Golf Club in Palm Beach.
Dwyane Wade
Category Athletes
Company Miami Heat
Industry Basketball
What Makes him Haute The Chicago native came to Miami in 2003 when he was selected fifth overall in the NBA draft. He has been a force for the Heat ever since, earning a spot on the All-Rookie Team his first season. He went on to lead the team to its first NBA World Championship in 2006 and got crowned MVP, and then led Team USA to a gold medal in the Olympics. Equally impressive off the court, Wade has earned respect for his community involvement helping at-risk youths through his Wade’s World Foundation. In 2010, Wade re-signed with the Heat, along with fellow NBA superstars Chris Bosh and LeBron James; the three have been carrying the team since.
Norm Wedderburn
Category Philanthropists
Company Make-A-Wish Foundation of Southern Florida
Industry Philanthropy
What Makes Him Haute A philanthropic leader in high society, Wedderburn’s annual InterContinental Miami Make-A-Wish Ball generates more dollars and headlines each consecutive year with its “who’s who” guest list of affluent South Florida VIPs. In 2009, the 15th annual ball raised $1 million to support the foundation’s mission of granting wishes to terminally ill children. Recently, Wedderburn, tapped the help of Sandra and Reg Buxton of Collier County to help create exposure for the foundation in that area.
Barton G. Weiss
Category Originators
Company Barton G.
Industry Restaurant & Hospitality
What Makes Him Haute He’s proudly flying his flag at the famous Versace Mansion, formerly known as Casa Casuarina but now dubbed The Villa by Barton G. His namesake company started in corporate event planning before opening the celebrity-studded Barton G. restaurant on Miami Beach, followed by Prelude by Barton G. at the Adrienne Arsht Center. The Villa by Barton G., which opened last March after a five-month restoration process, includes a 10-room boutique hotel with rooms running up to $5,000 a night. The restaurant, which is open to the public, serves Barton G.’s signature cuisine off original Versace dinnerware.
Robert Wennet & Mario Cader-Frech
Category Originators
Company 11 11 Lincoln/MTV Latin America
Industry Development/Marketing
What Makes Them Haute Wennett has spent 25 years conceiving and developing landmark structures in urban environments across the country. The most recent is 11 11 Lincoln Road, an experiential parking garage structure chock full of high-end dining and retail establishments. The Herzog & de Meuron-designed building has changed the face and dynamic of Lincoln Road. Mario, the Vice President Public Affairs & Corporate Social Responsibility for MTV Networks Latin America has done wonders to create awareness not only for the MTV brand but for the charitable organizations he aligns with.
Pharrell Williams
Category Entertainers
Company The Neptunes
Industry Music
What Makes him Haute The music scene isn’t Pharrell’s only interest; he keeps busy with other projects like a furniture collaboration with Domeau & Pérès. His recent collaborations include production on a song called “Fresh Out the Oven” for Jennifer Lopez’s seventh album, Love?, and a guest appearance on French rapper Uffie’s first album. Pharrell’s band, N*E*R*D also recently released their fourth album, Nothing, which was a departure from their previous records. Pharrell is also working on an upcoming album with Haute 100 member, Gloria Estefan.
Sean Wolfington
Category Entrepreneurs
Company The Wolfington Companies
Industry Technology, Real Estate, Film
What Makes Him Haute Named Haute Living’s Entrepreneur of the Year, Wolfington is a pioneer in the film, marketing and technology industries and a generous philanthropist who received the Presidents Service award for his charity work through the Wolfington Foundation. By the age of 40 Wolfington built and sold 3 technology companies for north of $500 million, produced 4 major motion pictures and changed the way consumers buy cars when he built the technology platform that facilitated over 4 billion dollars of automotive sales and service transactions through the internet. After selling his second technology company, Wolfington produced his first film, “Bella”, which won the largest festival in the world (Toronto International Film Festival) and was the #1 top-rated film by users of Yahoo, NY Times, Fandango and Rotten Tomatoes, and then he won 38 awards for Self-Medicated and is releasing the Mighty Macs later this year. Wolfington currently owns a group of technology and marketing companies that promote films, global musicians, top ranked athletes and car companies. Tier 10 Marketing, one of Wolfington’s marketing companies, has worked with films like Chronicles of Narnia, Charlotte’s Web, Blindside, artists like Shakira, athletes like the Bryan Brothers (#1 tennis team in the world) and many of the top car companies in the world. Recently the Inc 500 named another one of Wolfington’s companies, VinSolutions, the 33rd fastest growing software companies in the world.
Michael & Bobby Yampolsky
Category Entrepreneurs
Company East Coast Jewelry
Industry Jewelry, Timepieces
What Makes them Haute The father-son duo is the No. 1 retailer for Audemars Piguet and Hublot in America. Today, their 20-plus year reputation in the industry means that East Coast Jewelry is the go-to establishment for gold and exquisite, rare timepieces. This reputation was further cemented when Bobby, along with Morten Nielsen, founded SCI Innovations, the company behind the Ulysse Nardin Chairman luxury hybrid smart phone. Most recently, Bobby opened an Ulysse Nardin boutique at the Boca Town Center Mall, the brand’s first flagship store in the U.S.
Engin Yesil
Category Entrepreneurs
Company Core Development Holdings Corp.
Industry Real Estate
What Makes Him Haute He is a diversified entrepreneur to his core. After making his fortune by innovating the eyewear industry through 1.800.CONTACTS, Turkish tycoon Yesil launched Iprepay, a pioneer company that delivers store value products such as prepaid wireless airtime, calling cards, bill payment, and more. He founded Core Development in 1996, and his Turkish real estate company, Yesil Insaat, is developing a grand-scale project near Istanbul.
Sanford Ziff
Category Philanthropists
Company Sunglass Hut
Industry Philanthropy
What Makes Him Haute Ziff, a former optometrist, opened the first Sunglass Hut in 1971 as a freestanding kiosk in the Dadeland Mall. He expanded the brand before selling 75 percent ownership in the ‘80s for quite a hefty profit. When he sold his remaining stake a few years later, he chose to dedicate the rest of his life to philanthropic endeavors, and the City of Miami has reaped the benefits. His generosity led to the Jewish Museum of Florida, which used to bear his name, and the Sanford and Dolores Ziff Ballet Opera House at the Adrienne Arsht Center. You can catch Ziff attending various charitable events around town donning his signature frames, indicative of his eyewear empire.
News
April 13, 2011Diane Lieberman Presents $13 Million Bal Harbour Oceanfront
