“Diversifying the economy is one of my top priorities. It involves promoting a wide range of economic sectors and businesses so we reduce our dependence on tourism or finance. The consequences of not having a diversified economy were that we saw a lot of our bright young minds leave Miami because they didn’t have opportunities here.”

“Miami combines so many unique elements that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. It goes back to our diversity – the mix of people, cultures and sounds. Miami is a great role model for the U.S. because everyone is supportive of one another’s success. We’re not just Latinos but people from all over the world with great ideas.”

“We have laid the groundwork to improve our transportation infrastructure dramatically over the next 10 years. We have made our communities safer and offered hope to those with addiction or behavioral disabilities through our accountability courts.”

“The difference between today and the previous cycle is the level of financing from banks has been greatly reduced, which decreases the risk exposure of developers. Banks are lending at a much lower rate. On the other hand, there are more equity sources coming into Miami, making available a greater diversity of funding.”

“In Miami, there is a strong international presence. While we predominantly serve domestic clients, at times it is difficult to distinguish between what is local and what is international. Many aspects of local businesses are international, while many Miami-based businesses are actually branches of international businesses.”