The stellar Japanese bar and grill ETARU, located at Hallandale Beach, was the breezy rooftop setting for SFBW’s final CEO Connect—a panel discussion focusing on the current business landscape in South Florida.
Panelists included Robin Dimond, CEO of 5th & Cor; Samuel Howell, SVP of Now CFO; Michael Leoera, EVP of Truist Bank; Bob Venero, CEO of Future tech; and Andy Cagnetta, CEO of Transworld. Cagnetta should be familiar to SFBW audiences from his informative webinar appearances that addressed how to sell your business in a dynamic environment, and the global growth of Transworld.
The discussion was especially animated, as the panelists covered topics including the war for talent, the migration to South Florida, the success of Brightline, and how imperative it is to offer flexibility to your employees, as well as competitive salaries and benefits. These C-suite executive know firsthand how to retain and incentivize their teams, make them feel valued, and provide them a sense of belonging and inclusion. Again and again, these thoughtful leaders emphasized the benefits of inclusion and diversity—including diversity in terms of age, from Gen Z to Boomers and beyond.
The audience stayed engaged and vocal throughout, querying the panelists about such topics as working from home, as well as the hot topic of affordable employee housing—especially for Gen Z and Millennials who are increasingly drawn to South Florida for entry-level jobs in technology and other growing fields.
Photos by Demetrius Borges/Schneider
