About Bernardo Benes, Founder and CEO of the Foundation

Bernardo Benes was born in Matanzas , Cuba, on DEC 27, 1934. He was an attorney and CPA graduated at the University of Havana. Came to Miami in Nov 11, 1960 as a refugee. In Cuba he was a practicing lawyer with the Bufete Zaydin, one of the most prominent University of Havana Professor Ramon Zaydin. Pro-bono lawyer of the Patronato de la Casa de la Comunidad de Cuba (largest Synagogue and Community Center ) and Legal Consultant to the Treasury Department.

He became a banker 10 days after his arrival. In 1974 he cofounded with a childhood friend the first Cuban American Bank in the US, the Continental National Bank of Miami where he became the Vice Chairman.

He and his former partner got the first car automobile franchise to a Cuban American Group. The Midway Ford in Miami.

Formed a group of real estate investors who built the second condominium in the US-1963.

Major community activities:

• 1965-1977: First Cuban Vice President of the United Way in Miami-Dade County
• 1977- Founder of the United Way International (over 46 countries in the World)
• 1969- 1969-1977: Health Planning.
• Founder and President of the South Florida Health Planning Council
• Member of the Florida Health Planning Council
• President-American Health Planning Association-(only floridian ever to hold that position.)
• 1971-1974 Chairman - School Volunteer Program: Miami - Dade County Public Schools
• 1961_ Cofounder of the Cuban Hebrew Congregation, Miami Beach
• 1962-1974: As Vice President of Washington Federal Savings and Loan Associations: Housing Consultant to USAID (U.S.State Department), IDB (Interamerican Development Bank) and UN (United Nations ):
• Helped opened 200 Savings and Loan Associations in Latin American that have financed over 5 million housing units in the Hemisphere. Wrote the first book in Spanish on the subject.
• Trained in Miami Beach over 400 foreigners, mainly Latin-Americans in how to operate Savings and Loans Associations.
• 1976-Was selected by the United Nations as one of 5 people in he World-only US citizen- to study the creation of a World Housing Bank.
• 1966-1974- Supervised the Administrators of the Housing Investment Guarantee Program in the World, sponsored by USAID of the US Department of State. At his initiative and in contact with the late Nathaniel Lorch, from Israel, was instrumental for the state of Israel to participate in this Program.
• 1978-Responsible for the release of 3,600 Cuban political prisoners and the reunification of families.
• 1970-71- Board member- Greater Miami Jewish Federation
• Bernardo Benes is member of many other community organizations.

Academic positions:

University of Miami:

• School of Architecture- Adjunct Professor
• Latin American Studies- Adjunct Professor
• North-South Center- "Philanthropy in Action in the Americas- First Ladies"
• School of Medicine: Community Coordinator -- Center for Family Studies-Dept. of Psychiatry.

Florida International University:

• LAAC- Advisor

Recognitions:

• 1969-Republic of Panama: The Vasco Nunez the Balboa - the highest condecoration given by the Government for humanitarian contributions to the country.
• 1979-An Order of The Vatican: Condecoration for Human Rights
• 1968-The Biscayne College (today St. Thomas University) Honorary Doctoral Degree in Human Relations.