Countdown to the Apogee Awards: Wiggan, McCoy, Rutherford honored as top HR Executives

SFBW has been counting down the days to the Apogee Awards celebration on Oct. 21 at the NSU Art Museum in Fort Lauderdale, with biographies about the winners in each of the eight Apogee categories: chairman, CEO, president, COO, CFO, CMO, CIO and top HR executive.

 The event is being presented by the Octagon Family of Recruiting Companies (including its divisions of Octagon Technology Staffing and Octagon Professional Recruiting). Other sponsors include Quantified IT, Tripp Scott, BankUnited, Comcast Business and NSU Art Museum.

Here are the top HR executive biographies:

Broward: Tracy Wiggan, Federated National

For over 20 years, Tracy Wiggan has focused her career in the financial services industry. She joined Federated National (formerly 21st Century Holding Co.) in 2005 and was promoted to director of human resources in 2008, where she continues to oversee the growth and development of the company with responsibilities for compliance, training and development, payroll/compensation and benefits. She recently took over the operations of facilities management in addition to her HR responsibilities.

 

Federated National, which began in 1992, offers homeowners insurance, condo insurance, flood insurance, umbrella liability insurance and general liability insurance. It has a financial stability rating of “A” (exceptional) from Demotech.

 

Wiggan believes in education and volunteers her time at a local high school where she speaks to junior and senior classes about the expectations of entering the workforce.

 

Miami-Dade: Adriene McCoy, Baptist Health South Florida

 

Adriene McCoy has more than 20 years of experience in health care human resources management. She leads Baptist Health South Florida’s HR function, which includes talent management, talent acquisition, benefits, compensation, leadership development, employee learning, HR operations and employee communications.

 

McCoy’s background includes leadership roles in both for-profit and nonprofit health care environments, including large hospital systems and acute and long-term care facilities. Since joining Baptist Health eight years ago, her mission has been to transform the HR team to make it more responsive to the needs of employees and the business. During her tenure, Baptist Health has increased its employee population by almost 5,000.

 

McCoy is on the advisory board for FIU’s Center for Leadership and on the board of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Miami. She is the 2015 winner of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce Executive Leadership Excellence Award. 

 

Palm Beach: Jo Carol Rutherford, SBA Communications

 

Jo Carol Rutherford has been the senior vice president and chief human resources officer of SBA Communications (NASDAQ: SBAC) since January 2014. Since joining the company in July 2001 as vice president of human resources, she has been instrumental in overseeing critical functions that drive culture, organizational growth and change management to support SBA’s corporate strategy on a global basis.

 

Prior to joining SBA, Rutherford spent nine years with Invacare Corporation, an ISO-certified manufacturer of home health care products. From 1998 until 2001, she was corporate director of human resources for Dixon Ticonderoga, where she managed all human resource functions, including collective bargaining, plant consolidations and organization restructuring.

 

Rutherford has a bachelor of arts in organizational psychology and an MBA and is a certified Senior Professional in Human Resources.

You May Also Like
Treat Dad to a Fantastic Father’s Day Meal

Forget the tie — take dad to one of these restaurants offering special Father’s Day menus Diplomat Prime Treat dad to dinner at Diplomat Prime at Signia by Hilton Diplomat Beach Resort, where he can enjoy prime steak cuts, seafood, and an exclusive pour of the Bhakta 1928 Diplomat Prime Blend. Available for $42 per 2-ounce pour, the custom

Read More
Sliced medium-rare steak with a charred crust, topped with coarse sea salt, served on a dark plate with a garnish of greens and a roasted tomato. South Florida Business & Wealth
Sales Begin at 619 Brickell by Nobu, Foster + Partners

13th Floor Investments and Key International today announce the official launch of sales for 619 Brickell by Nobu · Foster + Partners, marking Nobu’s first-ever residential project in Miami. The development introduces a new paradigm of branded living centered on expert-led longevity, biohacking, and world-class hospitality. With sales led by Key International and ONE Sotheby’s

Read More
Luxury infinity pool and hot tub on a modern terrace overlooking the ocean, surrounded by lush plants and contemporary architecture, with a glass railing and a clear sky at sunset. South Florida Business & Wealth
Duty, Leadership, and the Long View 

 A veteran physician reflects on leadership, responsibility, and patient care beyond the clinic.  Atif M. Hussein, M.D., Medical Director and Program Director of the Hematology/Oncology Fellowship Program at Memorial Cancer Institute and a member of the Memorial Foundation Board of Directors, reflects on leadership, philanthropy, and the evolving demands of cancer care.  Q: After more

Read More
A smiling man in a white doctor’s coat and navy blue tie stands against a light background. The coat has embroidered text and a heart logo on the chest. South Florida Business & Wealth
All Flights Cancelled 

Spirit Airlines ceased all operations on May 2nd. What comes next?  For 34 years, Spirit was one of air travel’s most talked-about airlines. Known for budget flights with few included amenities, Spirit served the everyday people who needed a value-friendly way to get to family reunions, reunite with loved ones, or take a needed break.  

Read More
Close-up view of a modern jet engine turbine attached to a yellow airplane, parked on an airport tarmac under a blue sky. South Florida Business & Wealth
Other Posts
Developers Break Ground on New Condominium Near Aventura Mall

 Growin Group and Property Pro Partners broke ground on EDEN, a new luxury residential development, located at 2557 NE 180th Street — near Aventura Mall. Boutique Residences The development will feature 32 luxury residences designed around wellness, privacy, flexible ownership, and modern architecture. Residences range from one- to two-bedroom layouts, including two two-story penthouses. Select units will also feature

Read More
A modern multi-story building with large glass balconies, palm trees on both sides, cars parked in front, and purple flowers in the foreground under a clear blue sky. South Florida Business & Wealth
Florida’s Insurance Reset, Through a National Lens 

Rocky Steele is Senior Vice President of Business Development at Trucordia, where he leads strategic growth initiatives and partnership development across key markets, including Florida. With deep experience in brokerage expansion and integration, Steele focuses on aligning national scale with local expertise to deliver long-term client value.  Q: Florida’s insurance market has become one of the most complex in

Read More
A man with short brown hair wearing a gray suit jacket and white dress shirt smiles at the camera against a dark background. South Florida Business & Wealth
The Executive’s Guide to Financial Clarity

Financial success rarely arrives with simplicity. For executives and business owners, growing wealth often introduces a new layer of complexity, where liquidity, tax exposure, and family dynamics demand the same level of discipline as the enterprise itself. Steven Klein, managing partner at Gerson, Preston, Klein, Lips, Eisenberg, & Gelber PLLC, has spent decades advising high-performing leaders on

Read More
Bald man wearing a blue checked suit jacket and light blue shirt, smiling at the camera, with a bright, blurred white background. South Florida Business & Wealth
Powering the Creator Economy 

In South Florida’s increasingly influential creator economy, Olivia Ormos is less focused on content than on what powers it.  As founder of mavn, the Miami entrepreneur is building the infrastructure layer behind influencer marketing, a space that has grown rapidly but, until recently, remained operationally fragmented.   Launched in December 2022, mavn was designed to solve a problem Ormos

Read More
A woman in a black outfit stands holding a microphone in front of a MAVN sign, with two black chairs and display boards reading “influencer marketing done right” and “where creators, brands, + culture collide.”. South Florida Business & Wealth