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South Florida Business & Wealth
Award Finalist

2023 Diversity and Inclusion Awards Honoree: Margie Vargas

Margie Vargas is a Human Resources thought leader with over 25 years of experience empowering people to achieve aspirational career goals and transform organizational culture. Vargas is Senior Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of Memorial Healthcare System, a public, nonprofit hospital system nationally recognized for providing outstanding patient- and family-centered care. Vargas first joined Memorial in 1996 as an HR generalist. Following a short tenure at HIP Health Plan of Florida, she returned to Memorial and was quickly promoted to Director of Human Resources at Memorial Hospital Pembroke in 2004. After serving as the System’s Administrative Director, Employee Relations and Vice President, and Interim Chief Human Resources Officer, she was promoted to Senior Vice President and CHRO in 2015. Vargas has led various transformational human resources initiatives that have thoughtfully infused MHS’s “People First” strategy. She led the System’s development and implementation of the Human Resources Strategic Plan to retain HR focused on the evolving needs of the system’s workforce and how to meet them – while still attracting, developing, and retaining top talent – and to fully support Memorial as it navigates continuing changes and challenges in healthcare. Vargas’ leadership throughout the COVID-19 pandemic has assisted MHS in implementing various HR initiatives to support employees as they care for patients, families, and their communities. She also championed the introduction of MHS’s inaugural Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. She was selected co-lead of MHS’s Health Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Council’s Mission, Workforce, and Culture of Inclusion subcommittee that integrates human resources strategies to support equitable outcomes for all stakeholders, including employees and patients. Vargas has dedicated her life to ensuring that everyone has an opportunity to thrive and work for an organization that is committed to an inclusive, diverse environment. She serves on various boards and has spoken at several engagements. However, what inspires her is the professional accomplishments of MHS staff, who continue to garner MHS as Modern Healthcare’s “Best Places to Work.” Vargas is originally from Newark, NJ, and is the proud mom of four daughters and a fur mom of two rumbustious dogs. She graduated from Barry University with a master’s degree in administration.

Drew Limsky

Drew Limsky

Editor-in-Chief

BIOGRAPHY

Drew Limsky joined Lifestyle Media Group in August 2020 as Editor-in-Chief of South Florida Business & Wealth. His first issue of SFBW, October 2020, heralded a reimagined structure, with new content categories and a slew of fresh visual themes. “As sort of a cross between Forbes and Robb Report, with a dash of GQ and Vogue,” Limsky says, “SFBW reflects South Florida’s increasingly sophisticated and dynamic business and cultural landscape.”

Limsky, an avid traveler, swimmer and film buff who holds a law degree and Ph.D. from New York University, likes to say, “I’m a doctor, but I can’t operate—except on your brand.” He wrote his dissertation on the nonfiction work of Joan Didion. Prior to that, Limsky received his B.A. in English, summa cum laude, from Emory University and earned his M.A. in literature at American University in connection with a Masters Scholar Award fellowship.

Limsky came to SFBW at the apex of a storied career in journalism and publishing that includes six previous lead editorial roles, including for some of the world’s best-known brands. He served as global editor-in-chief of Lexus magazine, founding editor-in-chief of custom lifestyle magazines for Cadillac and Holland America Line, and was the founding editor-in-chief of Modern Luxury Interiors South Florida. He also was the executive editor for B2B magazines for Acura and Honda Financial Services, and he served as travel editor for Conde Nast. Magazines under Limsky’s editorship have garnered more than 75 industry awards.

He has also written for many of the country’s top newspapers and magazines, including The New York Times, Washington Post, Los Angeles Times, Miami Herald, Boston Globe, USA Today, Worth, Robb Report, Afar, Time Out New York, National Geographic Traveler, Men’s Journal, Ritz-Carlton, Elite Traveler, Florida Design, Metropolis and Architectural Digest Mexico. His other clients have included Four Seasons, Acqualina Resort & Residences, Yahoo!, American Airlines, Wynn, Douglas Elliman and Corcoran. As an adjunct assistant professor, Limsky has taught journalism, film and creative writing at the City University of New York, Pace University, American University and other colleges.