The Miami-Dade Beacon Council Celebrates County’s Economic Success and Record-Breaking Technology Sector Expansion at 2023 Annual Meeting
The organization unveiled new strategic plan and highlighted impactful results including
15,000 new jobs generating $54+ million in annual economic impact
MIAMI, FL (NOVEMBER 9, 2023) – The Miami-Dade Beacon Council, the County’s official public-private economic development partnership, proudly revealed substantial strides in their mission to drive a more sustainable, inclusive, and competitive economy for Greater Miami at their 2023 Annual Meeting, presented by Florida International University. Hosted at the Faena Forum under the banner ‘Building a Greater Miami,’ the event united private and public sector leaders to recognize and celebrate The Beacon Council’s impactful 2022-2023 economic development efforts.
Underscoring a positive outlook for the long-term economic future of Miami-Dade County, the meeting reflected on extraordinary growth and progress achieved in the past fiscal year by The Beacon Council. Most notably during this period, an impressive 51 commitments were secured from diverse and influential companies seeking expansion or relocation within the County. These companies expect to generate 14,818 new jobs locally, including 5,734 new direct high-value positions at an average salary of $98,000. Economically, the County is benefiting significantly from these efforts, which will deliver $54.2 million in recurring annual revenue to Miami-Dade and increase our GRP by $1.5 billion annually.
“Our partnership with The Beacon Council is critical to fostering job creation and attracting new business investment to Miami-Dade County, with newly created jobs resulting in a remarkable infusion of nearly $840 million into our economy, impacting over 5,000 residents and their families,” said Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “As we move forward, we remain committed to shaping a more sustainable, inclusive, and competitive future for Miami-Dade, positioning our community as a leader in the global economy.”
Bullish on the County’s favorable business climate and rich talent pool, the tech sector emerged as the dominant industry among this year’s companies. This accomplishment is emphasized by a remarkable milestone reached by The Beacon Council’s enduring partner, Kaseya, who committed to the largest number of tech jobs in a single project in the history of both the organization and Miami-Dade. This achievement builds on a partnership that began in 2018 when Beacon worked with Kaseya to establish their global headquarters in Miami, and has expanded through two significant growth phases, substantial investments in talent development and their acquisition of naming rights to a prominent local arena.
Forty-seven percent of this year’s companies are expanding in County-designated priority areas, which promotes economic inclusion and opportunity across Greater Miami. International commitments played a key role as well, with half of the projects originating from one of 12 countries. Spain maintained its position as the top foreign direct investment market, while ongoing engagement with Chile and Israel yielded new investments.
“As the newly appointed President and CEO, I take exceptional pride in our accomplishments this year, which have been instrumental in establishing our community as a vibrant global center not only for finance and technology, but for innovation across business sectors,” said Rodrick T. Miller, President & CEO of The Beacon Council. “We not only achieved a historic job creation milestone, we actively engaged communities across the County in our economic growth efforts, from Brickell to Doral and Miami Gardens, to Homestead, Hialeah, and North Miami. This intentionally inclusive approach strengthens our commitment to an equitable and resilient economy, increasing access to prosperity more broadly and enhancing our competitive edge across the global stage.”
One of the first initiatives Miller kicked off upon assuming his role at The Beacon Council was a strategic planning process centered on the organization and how to best position it to drive continued growth for the community. Unveiling the first phase of the strategic plan at the Annual Meeting, Miller shared an increased focus on ensuring Miami’s economy is sustainable, inclusive and competitive, with the organization engaging more deeply on issues that impact competitiveness including talent, infrastructure, affordability and climate.
The meeting also celebrated the exceptional leadership within the organization, with a special focus on outgoing 2022-2023 Chair Yolanda Cash Jackson, who made history as the first Black woman to lead The Beacon Council, and welcoming incoming 2023-2024 Chair Juan Carlos Liscano.
“As I conclude my term as Chair of The Beacon Council, I am incredibly proud of the goals we’ve surpassed. From attracting new businesses hailing from across the globe to impactful job creation, each opportunity has uniquely enriched Miami-Dade County’s already vibrant economic landscape,” said Yolanda Cash Jackson, outgoing 2022-2023 Chair. “I’m certain that Juan Carlos, with his strategic vision and unwavering dedication, will steer The Beacon Council’s Board toward new heights of achievement in the coming year.”
Proudly presented by Florida International University, the meeting was made successful through the collective support of sponsors Florida Power & Light, American Airlines, Baptist Health South Florida, CareerSource South Florida, Northeastern University, and Tenant Representation Associates, in addition to other dedicated sponsors. The event also included collaborations with local artists including Miami-Dade County’s artist-in-residence Xavier Cortada, and a piece created live by Afro-Caribbean artist King Redd.
For more information on the organization’s activities and the full roster of 2022-2023 projects, click here to download the 2023 Annual Report, sponsored by Florida Power & Light.
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About the Miami‐Dade Beacon Council
The Miami-Dade Beacon Council is the county’s official economic development partnership. Attracting and retaining companies that create high-value jobs and invest in our community, The Beacon Council is committed to driving long-term economic prosperity and inclusive growth for Miami-Dade County, its businesses, and residents. We achieve this by marketing Miami-Dade as a world-class business destination; growing local companies and fostering entrepreneurs; and shaping Miami-Dade’s economic future. Established in 1985, The Beacon Council has attracted more than 120,000 new jobs and $7.6 Billion of new investment to Miami-Dade County. For more information, visit BeaconCouncil.com.
