Black Excellence: Standouts in Business

The Florida Panthers celebrate the fourth season of their ‘Celebration of Black Excellence’ Series presented by Amazon which recognizes South Florida community members going above and beyond.

From Black executives, owners to educators, producers and healthcare workers, the ‘Celebration of Black Excellence’ series recognizes individuals that were nominated by colleagues, friends, family and more for serving the South Florida community.

The Celebration of Black Excellence recognizes the invaluable contributions of Black leaders in South Florida amplifying their impact and inspiring future generations.

In the previous two weeks, the Panthers have highlighted standouts in nonprofits,education & public service,and health & tech.

For the final week, the Panthers are proud to highlight standouts in business.

CEO – Sociallybuzz, Inc.

Andre Kay is the CEO of Sociallybuzz, the world’s first social media marketing agency launched in 2008. Under his leadership, Sociallybuzz has grown exponentially, receiving accolades such as being named one of the best entrepreneurial companies in America by Entrepreneur Magazine. Beyond his professional endeavors, Andre is deeply committed to philanthropy. He has been instrumental in numerous charitable activities, particularly in South Florida, where he regularly contributes to improving the lives of families in need. His philanthropic activities include annual donations of turkeys, school supplies, and Christmas gifts in collaboration with the local charity organization Bridge to Hope. Andre's dedication to positive social change is integrated into his business practices, evident in Sociallybuzz's commitment to pledge 1% of its resources to community causes and launching the Minorities in Franchising sessions, where he helps minorities build generational wealth through franchising. Andre is a proud graduate of the Goldman Sachs 10,000 Small Business Program. He also co-founded Best Date Ever, a romantic relationship management platform he founded to help create a brighter world through happier romantic relationships.

President, Experience Aviation – Barrington Irving Technical Training School, & The Flying Classroom

Barrington Irving serves as the President of the Barrington Irving Technical Training School (BITTS) to serve adults in need of technical skills. Born in Kingston, Jamaica and brought up in inner-city Miami, Barrington saw a football scholarship as his only roue to college. At age 15, he met a Jamaican airline pilot, Captain Gary Robinson, whose mentoring helped motivate him to pursue a carer in aviation. The fated friendship helped Barrington find his calling to fly and explore the world and share his passion and experiences with others. In 2005, Barrington founded the Miami-based nonprofit Experience Aviation (EA) to introduce young people to career opportunities in aviation and STEM related fields. In 2007, 23-year-old Captain Irving secured his place in history as the youngest person and first Black pilot to fly solo around the globe. On his 97-day journey, he flew 30,000 miles in a single-engine aircraft named “Inspiration”. In 2014, he launched the Flying Classroom, the world’s first-ever interactive STEM+ experience learning adventure. To date, Captain Irving has traveled to over 70 countries, conducted 80STEM expeditions and has motivated youth all around the world.

SVP, Head of Marketing – Amerant Bank

Sam Francois serves as the SVP, Head of Marketing for Amerant Bank. With a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of market dynamics, Sam has consistently demonstrated his ability to navigate complex challenges and deliver exceptional results. Under his leadership, the marketing department at Amerant Bank has thrived, with Sam spearheading the launch of a cutting-edge website, growing the banks and continually growing the Bank’s book of business. Sam grew up in Brooklyn, New York. After earning his Bachelor’s degree in Marketing Management from Pace University, Sam worked as an Analyst for Thomson Reuters, building an impressive resume over the course of his 6-year stint at the company. Sam eventually left New York, joining Sarasota's ETCO as the Senior Director of Marketing for a period while earning an MBA at Southern New Hampshire University and a Graduate certificate at Cornell University before transitioning to Carnival Cruise Lines and Biltmore Hotel leading their ecommerce efforts. He now is the Senior Vice President, Head of Marketing at Amerant Bank. Sam's impact goes beyond the boardroom. He also manages a non-profit foundation, B Harris Kids, with his wife. Through their foundation, they have impacted the lives of 200 kids over 5 years in the Tampa Bay area by providing free tennis lessons and summer school tutoring to at-risk and needs-based kids.

Territory General Manager – Coca-Cola Beverages Florida

Scottie Walker is the Territory General Manager for Coca-Cola Beverages Florida out of the Broward facility. In his current role, Scottie oversees Coke Florida's business operations for the Broward territory, which includes Broward, southern Palm Beach, and southeast Miami-Dade counties. With over 30 years of experience in the Coca-Cola system, Scottie has a proven track record of strategic leadership and operational excellence. He works closely with the communities where we live, work and play. Often you will see Scottie in the community, bringing to life and being a true ambassador of Coke Florida's pillars - education, sustainability and economic empowerment. He partnered with the Broward Education Foundation and out of his facility, donated 450 backpacks to Lake Forest Elementary. He has served on several Board of Directors within Broward and Miami-Dade counties. Scottie serves on the Board of Director for Camillus House, Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, and the Council of Economic Advisors for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce. In his spare time, Scottie enjoys spending time with his family, traveling and golfing.

Executive Chef – Chef Danie Inc.

Daniella Abraham is a Culinary Architect and Internationally renowned celebrity chef. Professionally trained at Le Cordon Bleu specializing in both cuisine and pastry, Chef Danie garnered attention and credibility from working at some of Miami's hottest restaurants, earning a reputation for infusing her dishes with robust flavors and influences from her parent's homeland. With her unique attention to details, Instagram worthy dishes and curated menus designed to heighten the senses of clients, the buzz about Chef Danie caught the attention of entertainment elite. Her clients include Drake, Kylie Jenner, Oprah, Antonio Banderas, Pharrell Williams, Da Baby, Odell Beckham Jr. and Kanye West. Passionately driven to create food that will amaze clients and ignite senses, she has created partnerships, events and private outings with and for Louis XIII, Reebok, and Godiva. Chef Danie has appeared on several shows including The Food Network's Cut Throat Kitchen, BET, Deco Drive, Revolt TV and has been featured in Forbes, Entrepreneur, The Miami Times, Essence, XO Necole, Chef.com and more. Chef Danie currently lives in Miami while running her full-scale experiential hospitality business where she and her team of trained chefs creates luxury affairs that brings a five-star restaurant into private homes, jets and yachts for high profile clientele and companies worldwide. Chef Danie is currently working on a cookbook, pop up restaurant and product line. She also spends her birthdays feeding communities as one of her wishes is that no one should go to bed hungry.

Chief of Culture & Inclusion – Miami Heat

Clara Stroude-Vasquez is an 18-year veteran of the Miami HEAT professional basketball organization. In her current role as Chief of Culture and Inclusion, she oversees the HEAT's diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives. The champion of HEAT culture, Clara helps employees understand and live out the franchise’s values. She works to create strategies and implement programs that inspire, motivate and develop employees. Clara earned her BS in Parks, Recreation and Leisure Facilities Management at East Carolina University. She is presently an adjunct faculty member in the Andreas School of Business at Barry University, where she completed her MS in Sports Management and once worked as an assistant women's basketball coach. She also is the chapter president of WISE (Women in Sports and Events) South Florida. After spending most of her formative years on the Caribbean islands of Grenada and Barbados, Clara grew up in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. She enjoys working out, cooking, traveling, the beach, and listening to and making music as a vocalist, flutist, and novice guitar player. She lives in Miami with her husband, daughter, and two fur babies.