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Prior Recipients

2024 Awardees

 

  1. Daisy Ramos, President and CEO Florida Export Finance Corporation (FEFC)

  2. Cari Cossio, District Manger, Geodis, USA

  3. Conchita Espinosa, Fru-Veg Marketing, Inc.

  4. Lorena Sandoval, Director of Cargo Sales for Miami, Latin America and the Caribbean American Airlines

  5. Monica Vazquez, Country Manager and Executive Vice President \ ABANCA USA

2023 Awardees

 

  1. The Hon. Daniella Levine Cava, Mayor, Miami-Dade County

  2. Patricia Compres, Founder/Managing Member, Advance Customs Brokers & Consultants

  3. Lissette Elias, Trade Commissioner, Prodominicana Dominican Republic

  4. Djeanne Gourgue, Vice President, Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida

  5. Teresa King Kinney, Chief Executive Officer, Miami Association of Realtors

2022 Awardees

  1. Wendy Conforme, Chief Operations Officer, PortMiami Tunnel

  2. Paola Pierre, Immediate Past Chairwoman, Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida

  3. Christine Richard, Senior Director of Marketing, Amerijet International Airlines

  4. Lynare Robbins, Director, Miami Chapter, Global Chamber

  5. Raquel Rodriguez, Chair, Florida Offices, Buchanan Ingersoll & Rooney PC

2021 Awardees

  1. Susan Amat, Director of Entrepreneurial Initiatives, UM Herbert Business School & CEO, Venture Hive

  2. Elena Asturias, Owner, 305 Cargo Services, Inc.

  3. Stephanie Jones, Founder & CEO, Cultural Heritage Economic Alliance, Inc. (CHEA)

  4. Carolina Rendeiro, Honorary Consul of Portugal in Miami & CEO, Connect2Global

  5. Deborah Stern, Customs & Trade Attorney, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, P.A.

2020 Awardees

  1. Commissioner Audrey M. Edmonson, Chairwoman, Miami Dade County Commission

  2. Marie R. Gill, Founder & CEO, M. Gill & Associates

  3. Susan Harper, Consul General of Canada in Miami, Consulate General of Canada

  4. Karen A. Kuhn, Associate Chief Counsel, Miami, Florida, Office of Chief Counsel, U.S. Customs and Border Protection

  5. Christine Valls, Vice President of Sales for Florida, Latin America, the Caribbean and U.S. Latin

2004 – 2019 Awardees

  1. Dina Amato, Center Director, Miami Field Office, U.S. Customs & Border Protection – 2018

  2. Kanya Amorntheerakul, Director, Thai Trade Center Miami -2012

  3. Alice Ancona, Director, Global Outreach, Florida Chamber of Commerce -2014

  4. Patricia Arias, Florida Trade, CAMACOL (Camara de Comercio Latina E.E.U.U.) – 2008

  5. Lori Baer, Executive Director, Port of Palm Beach – 2008

  6. Carmen Betancourt-Lewis, Vice President, Miami Today – 2019

  7. Lettie Bien, President, Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce – 2005

  8. Marilyn Blanco-Reyes, Managing Director of Legal, FedEx Express Latin America & Caribbean Division – 2007

  9. Frances Bohnsack, Executive Director, Miami River Marine Group – 2006

  10. Christine Boldt, Executive Vice President, Association of Floral Importers of Florida (AFIF) – 2009

  11. Sandra Bridgeman, Chief Financial Officer, Miami-Dade Aviation Department – 2018

  12. Jo Bronson Harris, V.P., Customs and International Trade, Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg, PA – 2005

  13. Jane Bussey, Editorial Director, Latin Trade – 2010           

  14. Ines Calderon, Director of Operations, Gateway Florida – 2007

  15. Mikki Canton, Managing Director, City of Miami EB5 Regional Center, Office of the Mayor-2015

  16. Jennifer Carroll, Lt. Governor, State of Florida – 2013

  17. Nancy Cely-Icaza, Trade Commissioner, Ecuador – 2004

  18. Begoña Cristeto, Trade Commissioner, Spain – 2004

  19. Belen Cristino, Trade Commissioner, Trade Commission of Spain – 2006

  20. Margaret Cullen, Trade Commissioner, Canada – 2005

  21. Pamela Dana, Director of the Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development, Executive Office of the Governor of Florida – 2004

  22. Marilyn DeVoe, Vice President – Miami Hub, American Airlines – 2016

  23. Jennifer Diaz, Shareholder, Chair, Customs & International Trade, Becker & Poliakoff, P.A. – 2014

  24. Remedios Diaz-Oliver, President, All American Containers, Inc. – 2007

  25. Maria Dreyfus-Ulvert, Commercial Officer, Nicaragua – 2004

  26. Ana Maria Fernandez-Haar, Chairman and CEO, AMF Holdings, LLC – 2005

  27. Patricia Fernandez-Lefebvre, Chief Retail Banking Executive, BankAtlantic – 2008

  28. Teresa Foxx, Director & General Manager, Barclays Miami Office – 2017

  29. Pamela Fuertes-Berti, V.P., International Economic Development, The Beacon Council – 2016

  30. Hilda Garcia, Director, U.S. Imports and Central Americas Exports, Seaboard Marine – 2019

  31. Angela Gittens, Director, Miami-Dade Aviation Dept. – 2004

  32. Sandra Gonzalez-Levy, V.P. University & Community Relations, FIU – 2008

  33. Marcy Grossman, Consul General, Canada – 2008

  34. Ana Guevara, V.P. of Public Affairs for the Americas, UPS – 2004

  35. Inmaculada Gutierrez-Carrizo, Trade Commissioner, Trade Commission of Spain – 2017

  36. Doreen Hemlock, Reporter, SunSentinel – 2011

  37. Elba Hentschel, Regional Executive Director, US Mexico Chamber of Commerce – 2010

  38. Mary Hernandez, Regional Manager, Export Solutions Group, Small Business Administration-2015

  39. Ruby Hogan, Port Director, U.S. Customs Port Everglades – 2006

  40. Sheila Hollo, Philanthropist, Tibor and Sheila Hollo School of Real Estate – 2019

  41. Glenda Hood, Former Secretary of State for Florida – 2006

  42. Donna Hrinak, President, Boeing Latin America – 2018

  43. Janet Jainarain, Vice President, International Marketing and Research, Enterprise Florida-2015

  44. Hon. Carmenza Jaramillo, Director, PROEXPORT, USA – 2011

  45. Wendy Kallergis, President & CEO, Greater Miami & The Beaches Hotel Association – 2017

  46. Sharyn Koenig, Managing Director, Eastern Region, Export-Import Bank of the United States-2015

  47. Lisa Landy, Partner, Akerman Senterfitt and 1st President of OWIT, Organization of Women in International Trade – 2004

  48. Sophie Legendre, Consul and Senior Trade Officer, Canada – 2004

  49. Amb. Louise L. Leger, Consul General, Consulate General of Canada – 2011

  50. Maggie Martinez, Director 807 Sales, Seaboard Marine – 2010       

  51. Dunia Miranda-Mauri, Trade Commissioner, Guatemala – 2004

  52. Conchita Munoz Prieto, Founder, Director & CEO, ACC10, Inc./Government of Catalonia – 2013

  53. Nathalie Olijslager-Jaarsma, Consul General, The Netherlands Consulate General in Miami -2017

  54. Debra Owens, Director, Government Affairs and International Relations – 2016

  55. Amie Pelayo, President, General Manager, Carben, Inc./A Division of Wal-Mart Centroamerica – 2009

  56. Alissa Peñaloza, Planning, Grants and Real Estate Dev. Mgr., PortMiami – 2017

  57. Barbara Pimentel, Executive Director, Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association – 2008

  58. Michelle Porter, Sr. Port Operations Manager, Maersk Line – 2018

  59. Susan K. Purcell, Director, University of Miami Center of Hemispheric Policy – 2012

  60. Olga Ramudo, President, Express Travel – 2012

  61. Barbara Reilly, Executive Vice President, NCBFAA (National Customs Brokers Forwarders Association of America, Inc.) – 2014

  62. Alyce Robertson, Executive Director, Miami Downtown Development Authority – 2019

  63. Hilda Rodriguez, President, Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association – 2016

  64. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, Congresswoman, US House of Representatives – 2010

  65. Pat Roth, Executive Director, Florida International Bankers Association – 2005

  66. Diane J. Sabatino, Port Director, Miami Seaport, Customs & Border Protection – 2014

  67. Virginia Sanchez, Government Affairs Advisor, FedEx Express Latin America and Caribbean – 2019

  68. Linda Santucci, Senior International Trade Specialist, Miami U.S. Export Assistance Center – 2009

  69. Maria Sastre, V.P. International Sales & Marketing, Latin America, Caribbean & Asia Pacific, Royal Caribbean International & Celebrity Cruises and Chairwoman, Board of Directors, Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau – 2007

  70. Romaine Seguin, President, UPS Americas Region – 2013

  71. Kemisha D. Sherrell, Assistant Port Director, Trade Operations, Miami Intl. Airport, U.S. Customs & Border Protection – 2019

  72. Beth Sobol, President, Miami International Fashion Week – 2010       

  73. Rebeca Sosa, Chairwoman, Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners – 2013

  74. Ana Sotorrio, Associate Director, Governmental Affairs, Miami-Dade Aviation Dept. – 2009

  75. Susan Story, President and CEO, Gulf Power Company, Vice Chair, Enterprise Florida, Inc.  (2004-2006) – 2007

  76. Lauren Stover, Assistant Aviation Director for Security and Communications, Miami Dade Aviation Dept. – 2007

  77. Rosa Sugrañes, Founder and Chairman, Iberia Tiles – 2005

  78. Carmen Taylor, Managing Director, Latin America Division, American Airlines Cargo – 2011

  79. Carolyn Ann Taylor, CEO, Miami To Go, Inc.-2015

  80. Liane Ventura Guerra, Senior Vice President, Leadership Programs, International Business Development, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce – 2011

  81. Alexandra Villoch, President & Publisher, Miami Herald Media Company – 2018

  82. Hydi Webb, Business Development Manager, Port of Miami – 2009

  83. Dawn White, Managing Director Corporate Affairs, American Airlines – 2009

  84. Mimi Whitefield, International Business Reporter, The Miami Herald – 2012

  85. Holly Wiedman, Executive V.P., The Beacon Council – 2005

  86. Deborah Wilkinson, Chief, Development Officer, Broward County Office of Economic & Small Business Development – 2012

  87. Sally Yearwood, Executive Director, Caribbean-Central American Action – 2016   

Ivan Barrios - President and CEO

Ivan Barrios

President & CEO

Ivan Barrios is the President/CEO of the World Trade Center Miami. Ivan has served in this role since January 2020.

He most recently worked as Vice President for International Trade Development & TEAM Florida missions at Enterprise Florida, Inc., the state of Florida’s official economic development agency. He managed a statewide team of trade specialists that assisted Florida companies to export their products and services overseas.

Ivan has organized 28 Governor led trade missions to 22 countries from 1999–2015 for three governors. Special projects included 3,000 one-on-one business matchmaking appointments for exporters, managing two hemispheric trade shows, producing and publishing five Florida International Trade and Services Directories, coordinating the activities of the Florida International Bankers Association and creating the Florida Trade Data Center, a first of its kind information hub for Florida exporters.

Ivan holds a position on the Board of Directors of the World Trade Centers Association, where he represents the North American region. His extensive experience includes serving as a board member for the South Florida District Export Council and the Miami-Dade County International Trade Consortium. Ivan is an alumnus of the University of Miami, where he earned his degree in Business Administration.

Alice Ancona

Chief Operating Officer
Alice Ancona has held this role since January 2020.  She is charged with boosting organizational resilience and value creation of the operations, events, strategic programing, marketing and trade shows of the World Trade Center Miami (WTCM). With over two decades of experience, she brings a wealth of expertise to her position. In addition, she is charged with creating and executing international trade programs, trade missions, economic development initiatives, advocacy efforts, and innovative revenue-generating solutions as well as providing strategic long-term planning for the organization.
Before joining WTCM, Ms. Ancona led the international endeavors of the Florida Chamber of Commerce, serving as a prominent advocate for policies that enhance international trade, logistics, and investments. Her efforts centered on removing trade barriers, expanding market access, facilitating exports, negotiating trade agreements, and strengthening Florida’s trade infrastructure. Ms. Ancona played a pivotal role in connecting Florida to the global trade arena, facilitating relationships with international stakeholders, foreign agencies, elected officials, member companies, and governmental bodies at the state and federal levels.
Prior to her work at the Florida Chamber, Ms. Ancona spearheaded the governmental affairs division at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. In this capacity, she directed policy agendas on a diverse range of issues, including trade, infrastructure investment, transportation, and workforce development. Her accomplishments include leading successful campaigns for the passage of crucial trade agreements, such as the Colombia FTA, DR-CAFTA, Panama FTA, Chile FTA, and KORUS. She also contributed to efforts to secure the Free Trade Areas of the Americas.
Ms. Ancona’s contributions extend beyond her professional roles.  She is a recognized thought leader and speaker at industry conferences, providing insights on global market dynamics, trade policy, and cross-border strategies. She has actively participated in various steering committees for Florida’s transportation planning initiatives and has been an active member of the Florida International Trade Partnership. Her involvement also includes serving on the Board of the Miami Dade County International Trade Consortium. Her dedication and achievements have earned her recognition, including the 2014 International Women’s Day Award from World Trade Center Miami, the 2015 Person of the Year designation by the Florida Customs Brokers & Forwarders Association, Inc., and the 2016 Women of Distinction Award from the Lauderhill Regional Chamber of Commerce.