GEORGE LINDEMANN
CATEGORY: Billionaires
COMPANY: Southern Union Company
INDUSTRY: Natural Gas
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: He joined his father’s cosmetic and hair care company in the 1950s, which eventually diversified into pharmaceutical products. It was in this realm that Lindemann oversaw the development of the world’s first permanent-wearing soft contact lens, Permalens. He sold that company for $60 million and 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. (The company also does its fair share of dabbling in engineering.) 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.
THE LOWENSTEIN FAMILY
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Lionstone Development
INDUSTRY: Hospitality
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: The Lowenstein family of successful entrepreneurs—father Alfredo, mother Diana, and children Diego, Paula, Flavia, and Carla—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 a slew of international properties, while the development arm is responsible for the new EPIC Hotel and Residences in Brickell. The family’s matriarch Diana also operates Diana Lowenstein Fine Arts Gallery in Wynwood, which represents contemporary artists from around the world, with a focus on Latin America. She curates the $2 million art collection on display at the Ritz-Carlton, South Beach, and the family’s artwork is also on display at EPIC.
AL & SHAREEF MALNIK
CATEGORY: Entrepreneurs
COMPANY: The Forge
INDUSTRY: Restaurant
WHAT MAKES THEM HAUTE: Where would Miami Beach be without the Malniks? Al is the visionary entrepreneur-turned-lawyer-turned-restaurateur who opened The Forge in the 1960s, and the Beach has never been the same. The restaurant has served as the stomping ground for every A-list group that came through the town. The Forge is more than a restaurant; it’s a landmark that played a significant role in the revival of Miami Beach. Shareef, who grew up in the restaurant’s kitchen, took over the operations in the 1990s after he returned to his hometown from extensive world travels (during which time he married a member of the Saudi Arabian royal family). Shareef closed the restaurant last year for extensive renovations, finally reopening its doors in late March under the updated moniker The Forge Restaurant | Wine Bar by Shareef Malnik. Whatever it’s called, it is still where you will find us on Wednesdays.
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 installations, to the public in 1999. The collection continued to expand over the last decade-plus, leading to the need for a larger home. 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 non-profit 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 to provide 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 such as 900 Biscayne Bay and Quantum on the Bay. These new locales started a trend, and other condo buildings began popping up just north of The Grand. 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: He is entrenched in the Miami scene and has been since birth. He’s a member of the Galbut family, which provided him with 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 Raffaello Hotel in Chicago and 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 La Esquina at the Shelborne this coming December.
STUART MILLER
CATEGORY: Originators
COMPANY: Lennar
INDUSTRY: Construction
WHAT MAKES HIM HAUTE: Lennar, which was founded in 1954 by Stuart’s father, is a building COMPANY: that does more than just construct homes; it creates communities. Miller, who serves as president and CEO of Lennar Corporation, learned the family business from his father, the company’s founder. Miller joined the ranks after he returned from Harvard and began helping to propel Lennar into one of the largest home construction companies in the country.
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April 13, 2010Keeping Up with Miami’s Culinary Scene
