As a child, I lived two summers in Northern Spain. This started a life long passion for travel. At the age of 22, I traveled around the world for nearly a year. In Pamplona, Spain I ran with the bulls during the San Fermin Festival.
I was born in Tampa, Florida. I loved going to the beaches on the Gulf Coast of Florida. My favorite beach was Ana María Island.
It’s a constant challenge! I make spending time with my family a priority. I meditate regularly and take long walks with my dog Bella. All of this helps me stay grounded.
I enjoy reading and listening to Audio books. My wife, Jackie and I love traveling together and finding great restaurants that are hidden gems! The late Anthony Bourdain is our inspiration for this!
A warm smile and a genuine interest in the person you are meeting can go a long way. Asking more questions and making less declarative statements about yourself is a good rule to follow.
My Mom & Dad both gave me so much. Mom, through her own life’s example taught me to have compassion for others; she was a social worker and one of the founders of the Federal program, Head Start. She taught me to give of myself in ways that make a difference in the lives of others. My Dad, through his demonstration, gave me a strong work ethic. He also made sure I learned his native language of Spanish. Their contributions to who I am today have enriched my life and given me tools for success in my career and in my life generally. I am forever grateful to them.
“Keep your face always toward the sunshine—and shadows will fall behind you. ”
—Walt Whitman (1819-1892)
Nelson Mandela. He spent 27 years in prison. During that time he had a singular focus of bringing change to South Africa. When I think of his determination I am in awe.
My first job was at the age of 14 working at McDonalds flipping burgers and taking food orders. At 18 I went to work in a political campaign for a candidate running for Governor of Florida. He was not favored to win. When he did win the election I was offered a job in the Governor’s Office in Tallahaseee. That experience lead to a life long interest in politics and public service. I went to law school while working in state government and upon graduating I moved to Miami and practiced law for five years. I went back to school at the age of 32 and studied public administration at the Kennedy School at Harvard University. It was there that I took a class from Roger Fisher, a Harvard Law School Professor who was an expert in negotiations and conflict resolution. I did well in his class and upon completion of master’s program at Harvard, I went to work for Professor Fisher in a consulting firm he founded some years before. This opportunity took me to countries throughout Latin America and Europe. It also opened the door for me to return to public service. After nearly six years of working for Fisher and for a brief period working at my own firm I received a call from the White House. I was offered the job of Special Assistant to the President and Chief of Staff to the Special Envoy to the Americas. That was 1999. It was the tail end of the Clinton Administration. I also served briefly as Assistant Secetary of Transportation for Aviation & International Affairs. In 2001 I returned to Florida with the political bug firmly embedded in my mind. I ran for Mayor of my hometown of Tampa, Florida. I was one of five candidates in the race. I made it to a runoff election but wasn’t successful in my bid. Still, politics was not out of my system. In 2007 I signed on to help a young US Senator from Illinois in his Campagin for President. When Barack Obama wins his election in November of 2008 I return to Washington DC. President Obama nominated me to the position of US Under Secretary of Commerce for International Trade. I was later confirmed by the Senate and served at the Department of Commerce for nearly five years. That work took me to 45 countries
The opportunities I’ve had in public service have been very gratifying. Helping American companies compete abroad has been a pure delight for me. And now helping firms finance projects that have a positive impact in local communities throughout Latin America is very rewarding.
Stay focused on your goal and build a resilience that can sustain you when things get tough as they inevitably will. Without focus and resilience you are lost.
Be willing to take calculated risks. Always playing it safe will yield little in life.
There is no doubt that AI will play a big role in the finance industry. Still, good working relationships are critical to the success of project finance. Good people skills will always be in demand.