He loved history and so he guided two villages from the start. Guido Inguanzo Jr. dies at 54
Guido H. Inguanzo Jr. once joked about how “youthful delusion” set him on a path to a lifetime of public service — a path that was abruptly cut short.
On Oct. 14, just two weeks after receiving a cancer diagnosis, Inguanzo, the first and only city clerk for the Village of Pinecrest, died, his brother Ramiro Inguanzo said.
He was 54 and lived in The Falls neighborhood across U.S. 1 from the community he served for a quarter of a century.
For Inguanzo, he knew from childhood much of what he wanted to do with his life.
At 18, Inguanzo, a Silver Knight nominee in Social Sciences from Monsignor Edward Pace High School, and an Eagle Scout, ran for City Council in Hialeah.
“I remember how the political caravans captured my attention since a very early age,” Inguanzo told the Miami Herald in 2002.
Though he didn’t win the elected seat, the experience proved invaluable in a career that included helping get two newly incorporated regions of Miami-Dade — the villages of Key Biscayne and Pinecrest — up and running.
‘Youthful delusion’
“At 18, out of a youthful delusion I decided to run with the support of my family and friends. The experience sort of put me in the path of public service,” Inguanzo told the Herald in 2002.
His younger brother Ramiro Inguanzo, Bal Harbour’s assistant village manager, details the origins of the family business.
“My brother and I were kids of Cuban immigrants who came to this country and, early on, my mom and dad were like so many others, very appreciative of the opportunity the U.S. gave them as refugees,” Ramiro said. “Our mom and dad started working for the city of Hialeah so we grew up with two parents who were civil servants that taught us from an early age that government was here to help.”
The boys’ grand aunt was also a city clerk in a small Cuban town.
Growing up in Hialeah
Born in Coral Gables on April 26, 1967, Inguanzo grew up in Hialeah and, with his younger brother, lived a few blocks from City Hall. They would often visit their parents who held clerical positions until retirement.
“Mom turned 90 a few days ago and he and I had been planning her 90th birthday party,” Ramiro said. “That day wasn’t meant to be. He was so dedicated to his parents and his wife and son. For our family, this is a devastating loss, a huge void in our hearts and souls. But he left us so many great, amazing memories.”
Documenting history
This gift seems in keeping with Inguanzo’s style. He was an avid photographer, always organized, his family says.
When Pinecrest officials dedicated a time capsule to celebrate the village’s 20th year in 2016, Inguanzo quipped that he had already “delegated certain staff members the responsibility of making sure that in 30 years this time capsule is opened. I was not being facetious,” he told the Herald then, giggling.
Perhaps this attention to detail is why Inguanzo once said his time as an adjunct professor at Miami Dade College, where he taught American government, was so enriching. He got to bask in history and share its stories and lessons with students and take on a lasting mentorship role. This mentoring would include guiding his brother and his sister-in-law Gina Inguanzo, who is the town clerk and supervisor of elections for Miami Lakes.
“Any time a city incorporated he became the go-to guy so he was an inspiration to not only his family but to a lot of his colleagues as well,” his brother said.
Inguanzo took student council at Monsignor Edward Pace “really seriously,” when, in his senior year of 1985-86, the school celebrated its 25th anniversary.
“He made it a project of his to document the history of the school and he was always interested in history and documenting and gathering facts and making sure that they were memorialized so people would have that in the future. This was a springboard for him,” his brother said.
Inguanzo worked in the Miami Herald’s advertising department from 1985 to 1989 while in college. He earned his undergraduate degree in political science in 1989 and his master’s in public administration in 1996 from Florida International University. He worked as a legislative assistant in the Florida Senate for three years, for the late Sen. Jack Gordon, D-Miami Beach.
“It was my first job out of college,” he told the Herald in 2006. “Here I was, this 22-year-old from Hialeah, roaming the Capitol.”
First city clerk — twice
In 1992, Inguanzo was appointed the first city clerk for the newly incorporated Village of Key Biscayne. He served until 1996 when he was tapped to become the first city clerk for Pinecrest on June 25, 1996.
He recently celebrated his 25th year in that role and was recognized by the Florida Association of City Clerks with the City Clerk of the Year honor in 2010. Along the way, Inguanzo was a founding member of the Miami-Dade County Municipal Clerks Association and its first president in 1995.
“Guido was Pinecrest,” said Pinecrest Mayor Joseph Corradino. “He was our first and only clerk and he, through his day-to-day work, made Pinecrest what it is today. He embodied all of the values that Pinecrest aspires to. He was the consummate professional. He did his job expertly and as staff for all of our elected officials he made our jobs extremely easy. Our staff is some of the best in the business and he helped set the standard for everyone, delivering what we call a concierge level of customer service.
“More than anything else Guido was a great person,” Corradino said. “He was kind, caring, and empathetic. He was a tremendous family man who very much enjoyed life with his wife and son. He leaves a hole in my life and many others of those that knew and loved him.”
Survivors, services
In addition to his brother, Inguanzo’s survivors include his wife Monica, son Benjamin and his mother Pilar. He was predeceased by his father Guido Inguanzo.
A funeral Mass will be held at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 23, at St. John Neumann Catholic Church, 12125 SW 107th Ave., Southwest Miami-Dade, followed by a burial at Our Lady of Mercy Catholic Cemetery, 11411 NW 25th Street, Doral.
This story was originally published October 21, 2021 at 2:36 PM.
