Jason Loeb: Under Loeb’s Leadership

“There has been no single individual in the history of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce that has taken as great a stride as this individual did,” President and CEO Jerry Libbin says of his colleague and friend. “It was the dawn of a new day from the time he came in as Chairman, and for the past two years it’s been a great ride.”

Jason Loeb is a man with a purpose: the kind of individual that possesses an innate gift for sparking a sense of responsibility in those around him. Leading by example, his influence has motivated an entire community to make a difference.

And so, it was only natural that we chose to spend a day in his shoes: balancing his day-in-and-dayout responsibilities as Chairman of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce with the equally tedious tasks of fatherhood and entrepreneurship. And he excels at those too.

Loeb’s unwavering commitment to Miami Beach is evident in his effervescent attitude; upon sharing the details that his role at the Chamber entails, there was a look of sincerity in his eyes that was profoundly inspiring. While my initial instinct was to focus on his personal accomplishments, Loeb is the first to share the success of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce with his team. “I have had the honor to lead the Executive Board and Board of Governors,” Loeb says, “and I have received a tremendous amount of support from the community to make positive strides. This is a task that involves so many people. The Board of Governors and the Executive Board have been a think tank that has been able to create direction.”

“The chamber is 90 years old, and we’ve had our membership grow and have expanded our committees to what the community thought was necessary. All of the different pieces of the puzzle come together to create value and sustainability for the community as a whole,” Loeb continues. “People want to feel part of something bigger than themselves. The community of Miami Beach is made up of very successful leaders; people need to come together and celebrate those accomplishments.”

Since Loeb was appointed Chairman two years ago, the Chamber has grown at an unprecedented rate; setting the example for other organizations in search of the keys to success. One such area of growth has been the expansion of the Chamber’s committees. Under Loeb’s leadership, the Chamber now operates nine different councils committed to Arts and Culture, Real Estate, Sustainable Business, Women’s Business, Tourism and Hospitality, Advocacy, Emerging Leadership, Education and Global Business Access.

Chairman is just one of Loeb’s many hats, but where his paths intersect is clear: he runs the Chamber as a business, doing business for other businesses. And conducting good business is something Loeb knows well. Loeb is the CEO of Sudsies, an environmentallyfriendly full-service dry cleaning and laundry service. “As entrepreneurs, we want to know that the legacy that is being set on Miami Beach will continue to grow,” Loeb says, with unshakable drive.

While Loeb’s vision for Miami Beach further unravels, it must be said that balancing businesses and babies is no easy feat. But Loeb, per usual, makes it all look easy.

4:45 am: I like to start my day very early. I send out e-mails and give directives out and set the tone for the day. It’s very important to lead by example. I then go to the gym.

6:45 am: I start waking my kids up and preparing breakfast to get my family’s day started. Then, I take my kids to school.

8:30 am: I go to work and I will start my day either at the Chamber or at my business. We are volunteers at the Chamber; not only do I give it my heart, my soul, my money, my time and my resources, but I am also a member. This is all on a volunteer basis. The Executive Board and the Board of Governors give of their time for the love of the community.

Mid-day to Night: I spend many hours either at an event or having meetings at the Chamber with a member, or attending a luncheon. As the day goes on, I will meet with our staff and our President. It’s a big day here. There are several times a month where I will spend an entire day at the Chamber in meetings that started anywhere from noon, and that last until 7 p.m. I consider myself to have three full-time jobs: my family, my business and the Chamber. And by accepting that responsibility, everything gave a little bit. You just make it all work.