South Florida’s got talent? Some CEOs say yes

South Florida CEOs were asked: The “coin of the realm” for businesses these days is talent. How does your organization go about finding it? Does South Florida have a talent deficit? If so, what can be done to shore it up? olm26250 Getty Images/iStockphoto

CEOs were asked: The “coin of the realm” for businesses these days is talent. How does your organization go about finding it? Does South Florida have a talent deficit? If so, what can be done to shore it up?

Even when we don’t have openings, we are in constant search mode. It keeps us out there so when a position is open, we have a pool of candidates. Our employees are our best source of referrals due to a quality reputation, strong community values, competitive wages and providing opportunity for growth. As for talent deficit, our bit of paradise needs to expand affordability and invest, as we do, in training opportunities.

Michael Balaban, president, CEO, Jewish Federation of Broward County

Lime and its leadership focus on its people. It is one of the main reasons I joined the company in the first place. I wanted to play a role in leading a people-focused organization with a mission of improving quality of life for others. The challenge in South Florida is that people come to study here but they do not stay here. Business leaders, myself included, need to build incentives to mitigate the brain drain. One of those incentives is providing career opportunities in companies with a clear mission and purpose. Fortunately for us at Lime, our mission-driven approach attracts high-level talent with similar values and principles. This is one of the reasons I am excited to lead our efforts across the state.

Uhriel Bedoya, Florida general manager, Lime

I have been teaching at FIU for many years and have seen it evolve into a leading research university, being regularly ranked in the top tier on several of its core programs of study. This is crucial to create a meaningful talent base that can be integrated into the work force effectively, from tourism to business and architecture to technology. The future of South Florida is linked to the quality of graduates in the region.

Claudia Busch, founding principal, Berenblum Busch Architects

We find our talent by staying networked with the colleges that have insurance and risk management programs/degrees. We also have an active internship program. We are also big social media activists, sending our recruiting messages out through a variety of sources. As for the talent deficit, I am extraordinarily pleased that vocational and trade studies are now, once again, being encouraged and community schools are getting aggressive with partnering with local businesses to build out curriculums in underpopulated but needed careers.

Anita Byer, CEO, Setnor Byer Insurance & Risk

We have been successful utilizing LinkedIn for talent search. Depending on the position, talent may not be readily available, but there are plenty of people willing to relocate to South Florida due to the tax incentives and overall increase in quality of life.

Ricardo Dunin, founding partner, Lionheart Capital

We are fortunate to have some of the most successful centers of higher learning in South Florida — FIU, MDC, UM, ST. Thomas, Florida Memorial, Barry, to name a few. They offer a vast supply of talent for those of us seeking higher degree students. For others seeking trained trade students, the challenge is much greater. There is a glaring deficit of them in South Florida, but this is not unique to our area. It is a problem that must be addressed at a national level as well.

Carlos R. Fernandez-Guzman, president, CEO, Pacific National Bank (PNB)

Talent is a critical determinant of success for any community. And there’s no question that all the big development in this country is happening in areas in search of talent. At 13th Floor, we have a very open-door policy about meeting young, hungry people in our community interested in our industry. I don’t think we have a talent deficit. I think there’s plenty of talent here in South Florida — and plenty of people moving here from out of town every single day. It just needs to do a better job of finding the right home.

Arnaud Karsenti, managing principal, 13th Floor Investments

South Florida definitively has a talent deficit. It is now the home of many startups and entrepreneurs looking to grow their business. It is well known that these small companies don’t have the cash flow to hire talent, so talent goes to cities like New York or L.A. for better paid jobs. We have to break the cycle so talent stays in Florida and growing companies can pay their salaries. Incentives are always the answer. Small business has to count on government incentives to afford the talent so they stay and help grow the business, which in turn helps grow the economy.

Yaeli Merenfeld, president, Anny’s Bread Factory

No business nor emerging technology is any good without talent. I strongly believe we don’t have a talent deficit in Miami-Dade County. We have wonderful educational institutions in K-12 and higher ed that we must support and continue partnering with. South Florida has great talent but we must retain it. We need to recruit these talented people, compel them to stay, provide better affordable housing options and pay competitive salaries. This can be done when business, education and government come together. There is a lot of room for improvement on this front. I have been blessed and honored to chair the Miami-Dade College Board of Trustees, serve on the University Of Miami Business School Board of Advisors for real estate programs and been involved with the nation’s first business charter school. We must all play a role in developing and retaining our future workforce talent today.

Bernie Navarro, founder and president, Benworth Capital Partners

Most of our talent at Secocha has relocated to South Florida from New York City and Washington, D.C. in the recent past. They see the quality of life here as a very attractive alternative. However, as a community, there is a lot more we need to do to attract/retain high quality talent, which will come if more higher paying jobs are created here.

Sanket Parekh, founder and managing partner, Secocha Ventures

As a consultant and former executive in the restaurant business, I am often asked for names/references of individuals that can fill key roles in restaurant teams and / or organizations. I try to find high performing and high potential employees referred through senior leadership, HR management and headhunter contacts. I still use “word of mouth” efforts in my searches. I strongly believe that South Florida is very rich in talent — particularly given the growing, diverse young professionals that have arrived over the years — many which are multi-lingual, with an ability to conduct business across the Americas and Europe as well.

Julio Ramirez, president, CEO, JEM Global Consulting

In our Miami and Fort Lauderdale offices, we recruit the very best young lawyers from judicial clerkships and top law schools around the country and pay them at the top of the market. But more than money is needed to attract the best and brightest — we also need to offer interesting work, good working conditions, and support for pro bono and other public interest activity. I do not think South Florida, more generally, has a talent deficit. We are the largest population center in the third most populous state with an international work force.

Stuart Singer, administrative partner, Fort Lauderdale office, Boies Schiller & Flexner

Finding talent is just one part of the equation, the other part is keeping talent. In addition to an aggressive recruitment strategy, employers need to modernize the way they operate in order to retain talent. Flexible work schedules, work-from-home, work-life-balance and amenities for employees are all part of the formula.

Evelio C. Torres, president, CEO, Early Learning Coalition of Miami-Dade and Monroe

THE MIAMI HERALD CEO ROUNDTABLE IS A WEEKLY FEATURE THAT APPEARS IN BUSINESS MONDAY OF THE MIAMI HERALD. Meet the current members of the roundtable.

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