Historic City News readers learned of the +400 “invitation only” guests for last week’s TPC “economic development” reception, sponsored by the St Johns County Industrial Development Authority and its partners; now we’ve learned that some of those same guests, made the “invitation only” list to accompany the governor to Madrid, Spain.
In addition to promoting the “Viva Florida 500” celebrations that mark the quincentennial of Ponce de Leon’s landing on Florida’s east coast, Governor Rick Scott and his wife head for Madrid Sunday evening to promote Florida as a “destination for Spanish businesses”, according to published reports.
An announcement from Orlando headquartered Enterprise Florida Inc., the “public-private partnership” devoted to statewide economic development, says Florida did $846.7 million in trade with Spain last year; ranking them 33rd among countries trading with the state.
However, Sunday’s five-day mission is not about exports, trade agreements, or developing markets for Florida companies to be able to do more business in the Mediterranean country. Like the TPC economic development reception in Ponte Vedra Beach, the mission is to lure foreign businesses to relocate to the state — bringing with them, much-needed jobs.
“Scott will be focusing on promoting Florida as a destination for business, not its exports,” one report said. Enterprise Florida Inc., another partner in the TPC reception, said the organization would pay for the governor’s trip out of its “private sector” funds — the cost for others is reportedly $1,000.
That may be true for some of the high-rolling lobbyists and attorneys whose names are listed; however, there are others on the state payroll, including Senate President Mike Haridopolos; meaning, at least some public money will be spent on the five-day overseas trip.
Fourteen of the seventy passengers are with Enterprise Florida; eight are board members and six are paid staff members.
Florida-to-Spain Manifest:
Gonzalo Arance – Deputy Director; Enterprise Florida Inc-Spain – Madrid
Alcides “Al” Avila – Partner; Avila Rodriguez Hernandez Mena & Ferri LLP – Coral Gables
Caridad “Cary” Avila – Realtor; Esslinger, Wooten, Maxwell, Inc – Coral Gables
Ivan Barrios – VP Trade Dev Services; Enterprise Florida, Inc – Coral Gables
Maria Cristina Barrios – Consul General; Consulate General Spain – Coral Gables
Alan Becker – Founding Shareholder; Becker & Poliakoff, PA – Fort Lauderdale
Jesse Biter – CEO; Biter Enterprises – Sarasota
Park Brady – CEO; The St Joe Company – Watersound
Lauro Bravar – CEO South Region; OHL USA – Miami
Mario Buisan – Trade Commissioner; Trade Commission of Spain – Coral Gables
Marili Cancio – Partner; Cancio, Johnson & Echarte, PL – Miami
Gaston Cantens – VP; Florida Crystals Corporation – West Palm Beach
Brian Cartland – VP, Business Recruitment; Business Dev Board – West Palm Beach
Agustin “Gus” Corbella – Director of Governmental Affairs; Greenberg Traurig, PA – Tallahassee
Hayden Dempsey – Chair, FL Governmental Affairs Practice Group; Greenberg Traurig, PA – Tallahassee
Ken Detzner – Secretary of State; Florida Department of State – Tallahassee
Miguel Diaz de la Portilla – Shareholder; Becker & Poliakoff, PA – Fort Lauderdale
Frank DiBello – President & CEO; Space Florida – Kennedy Space Center
Jose “Pepe” Fanjul – Vice Chairman, President and COO; Florida Crystals Corporation – West Palm Beach
Jose “Pepe” Fanjul Jr – Executive VP; Florida Crystals Corporation – West Palm Beach
Guillermo Fernandez-Quincoces – General Counsel; Dosal Tobacco Corporation – Miami
Pamela Fuertes – VP; The Beacon Council – Miami
Charles P Garcia – CEO; Garcia Trujillo, LLC – Boca Raton
Ana Gazarian – CEO; Employee Mobility Solutions – Miami
Fred Glickman – VP International Operations; Enterprise Florida, Inc – Coral Gables
Carmenza Gonzalez – President; CZA Inc – Winter Park
Alfonso Goyeneche – Managing Director; ACF International, Inc – Miami
Summer Green – President; Florida Realtors – Tallahassee
Sarah Hansford – Aid to First Lady Ann Scott; Office of Governor Rick Scott – Tallahassee
Mike Haridopolos – President; Florida Senate – Melbourne
David Hart – Executive VP; Florida Chamber of Commerce – Tallahassee
Eugenio “Gene” Hernandez – Partner; Avila, Rodriguez, Hernandez, Mena & Ferri, LLP – Coral Gables
Paola Isaac Baraya – International Business Manager; Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance – Fort Lauderdale
Lena Juarez – Consultant; Florida Humanities Council – Tallahassee
Aina Juliol – Executive Director; Spain-United States Chamber of Commerce – Miami
Fred Leonhardt – Chairman; Gray-Robinson, PA – Orlando
Lynn Lotkowictz – Director of National Sales and Advertising; Florida Trend – St Petersburg
Jerry Mallot – President; Jax USA Partnership – Jacksonville
Hal Melton – Vice Chair; Enterprise Florida, Inc – Orlando
Manny Mencia – SVP International Trade & Dev; Enterprise Florida, Inc – Coral Gables
George Mencio – Partner; Holland & Knight – Miami
Roberto Muñoz – South Florida Regional Executive; BBVA – Miami
Yolanda Nader – CEO/CFO; Dosal Tobacco Corporation – Miami
Deidre Nero – Attorney; NERO Imigration Law, PL – Coral Gables
Frank Nero – President & CEO; The Beacon Council – Miami
Eduardo Palmer – President; Eduardo Palmer, PA – Coral Gables
Juliana Peña – Manager, Latin America and Caribbean Trade Dev; Enterprise Florida, Inc – Coral Gables
Carlos Penin – President; CAP Consultants, Inc – Doral
Fernando Perez-Hickman – President; Spain-United States Chamber of Commerce – Miami
Brad Piepenbrink – Special Assistant to Governor Rick Scott; Office of Governor Rick Scott – Tallahassee
Ananth Prasad – Secretary of Transportation; Florida Department of Transportation – Tallahassee
Olga Ramudo – President & CEO; Express Travel – Miami
Susana Ramudo – Group Coordinator; Express Travel – Miami
Judy Rebollar – Manager of Administration; Enterprise Florida, Inc – Coral Gables
Carolina Rendeiro – CEO; Right Space Inc – Coral Gables
Amy Rodriguez – Consultant; Visit Florida – Coral Gables
Jorge Rossell – Chairman & CEO; Total Bank – Miami
Mario Sacasa – SVP; The Beacon Council – Miami
Juan Santamaria – CEO; ACS Infrastructure Dev, Inc – Coral Gables
Ann Scott – First Lady; State of Florida – Tallahassee
Rick Scott – Governor; State of Florida – Tallahassee
John Sebree – SVP Public Policy; Florida Realtors – Tallahassee
Eric Silagy – CEO; Florida Power and Light – Juno Beach
Jose Sirven – Partner; Holland & Knight – Miami
Carolina Sivoli – Intergovernmental and Business Advisor; Employee Mobility Solutions – Miami
Bob Swindell – President & CEO; Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance – Fort Lauderdale
Gray Swoope – President & CEO; Enterprise Florida, Inc – Tallahassee
Ilona Vega-Jaramillo – Director International Business Dev; Enterprise Florida, Inc – Coral Gables
Lynda Weatherman – President & CEO; Economic Dev Commission – Rockledge
Lane Wright – Press Secretary; Office of Governor Rick Scott – Tallahassee
Historic City News readers learned of the +400 “invitation only” guests for last week’s TPC “economic development” reception, sponsored by the St Johns County Industrial Development Authority and its partners; now we’ve learned that some of those same guests, made the “invitation only” list to accompany the governor to Madrid, Spain.
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