Carlos A. Gimenez
Encyclopedia
Carlos A. Giménez is a Cuban American
retired firefighter
and Mayor of Miami-Dade County
, Florida, elected to office June 28, 2011 in a special election
. He previously served as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner from 2003 through 2011, and the Fire Chief
of the City of Miami Fire Department
.
ers from the Oriente province. In 1960, his family immigrated
to the United States in 1960 in the wake of the Cuban Revolution
, settling in what became Miami's Little Havana
. He graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in 1972, later earning his bachelor of public administration
degree from Barry University
, and completing the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government
at Harvard University
in 1993.
Joining the City of Miami Fire Department
as a firefighter in the 1970s, he was appointed Fire Chief
by Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez
in 1991, serving through 2000. While serving as Chief of Fire-Rescue, Giménez is credited with modernizing the City's Fire Department and overseeing one of the largest re-organization in the department's history. He is a former member of the International City Managers Association, the International Association of Fire Chiefs
, the National Fire Protection Association
, the Florida Fire Chiefs and the Fire Officers Association of Miami-Dade. Commissioner Gimenez also served on the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Urban Search and Rescue Advisory Committee and as the Chair of the Legal Issues Subcommittee.
From May 2000 to January 2003, he was city manager
of Miami proper
and was credited with helping to bring stability and integrity back to the city. As its chief administrative officer, he was responsible for an annual budget
of $500 million, 4,000 employees and providing services to almost 400,000 residents. During his tenure as the City of Miami's top administrator, the city's bond rating went from "junk" to investment grade and the tax rate dropped to its lowest in 50 years. At the same time, Miami was able to establish more than $140 million in reserves. In 2003, he was elected as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner for the county's 7th district, serving Miami proper, Village of Key Biscayne
, Coral Gables
, South Miami
, Kendall
, and Pinecrest
.
Giménez was elected mayor of the metropolitan government
of Miami-Dade County, Florida
on June 28, 2011. This was in the wake of the recall election
of Carlos Alvarez
, one of the largest recalls of a municipal
official in United States history.
He is married to Lourdes Portela, and their children are Carlos, Julio and Lourdes. He is Roman Catholic.
Cuban American
A Cuban American is a United States citizen who traces his or her "national origin" to Cuba. Cuban Americans are also considered native born Americans with Cuban parents or Cuban-born persons who were raised and educated in US...
retired firefighter
Firefighter
Firefighters are rescuers extensively trained primarily to put out hazardous fires that threaten civilian populations and property, to rescue people from car incidents, collapsed and burning buildings and other such situations...
and Mayor of Miami-Dade County
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
, Florida, elected to office June 28, 2011 in a special election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
. He previously served as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner from 2003 through 2011, and the Fire Chief
Fire chief
Fire Chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department, either elected or appointed...
of the City of Miami Fire Department
Miami Fire Department
The City of Miami Fire Rescue Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Miami, Florida. This professional fire department protects the city 24/7, 365 and operates out of 14 Fire Stations, located throughout the city's...
.
Background
Giménez was born in Havana, Cuba in 1954 to ranchRanch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
ers from the Oriente province. In 1960, his family immigrated
Cuban migration to Miami
Cuban immigration has greatly characterized 20th century Miami, creating what is known as "Cuban Miami".However, Miami reflects global trends as well, such as the growing trends of multiculturalism and multiracialism; this reflects the way in which international politics shape local...
to the United States in 1960 in the wake of the Cuban Revolution
Cuban Revolution
The Cuban Revolution was an armed revolt by Fidel Castro's 26th of July Movement against the regime of Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista between 1953 and 1959. Batista was finally ousted on 1 January 1959, and was replaced by a revolutionary government led by Castro...
, settling in what became Miami's Little Havana
Little Havana
Little Havana is a neighborhood of Miami, Florida, United States. Home to many Cuban immigrant residents, Little Havana is named after Havana, the capital and largest city in Cuba. The approximate boundaries are the Miami River , SW 16th Street , SR 9/West 27th Avenue and I-95...
. He graduated from Christopher Columbus High School in 1972, later earning his bachelor of public administration
Bachelor of Public Administration
The Bachelor of Public Administration degree is one of several Bachelor's level management degrees that provides training in the public policy field as well as public management...
degree from Barry University
Barry University
Barry University is a private, Catholic university, which was founded in 1940 in Miami Shores, Florida, a suburb north of Downtown Miami. It is part of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Miami....
, and completing the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government
John F. Kennedy School of Government
The John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University is a public policy and public administration school, and one of Harvard's graduate and professional schools...
at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
in 1993.
Joining the City of Miami Fire Department
Miami Fire Department
The City of Miami Fire Rescue Department is the agency that provides fire protection and emergency medical services for the city of Miami, Florida. This professional fire department protects the city 24/7, 365 and operates out of 14 Fire Stations, located throughout the city's...
as a firefighter in the 1970s, he was appointed Fire Chief
Fire chief
Fire Chief is a top executive rank or commanding officer in a fire department, either elected or appointed...
by Miami Mayor Xavier Suarez
Xavier Suarez
Xavier L. Suarez was the first native born Cuban mayor of Miami.Suarez attended the Colegio de Belen but graduated from St. Anselm's Abbey School in 1967, earned a degree in engineering from Villanova University in 1971, and later studied government and law at Harvard University...
in 1991, serving through 2000. While serving as Chief of Fire-Rescue, Giménez is credited with modernizing the City's Fire Department and overseeing one of the largest re-organization in the department's history. He is a former member of the International City Managers Association, the International Association of Fire Chiefs
International Association of Fire Chiefs
The International Association of Fire Chiefs is a network of more than 12,000 chief fire and emergency officers. The Association was established in 1873. The Executive Director is Mark W. Light. The Deputy Executive Director is Mary Beth Michos...
, the National Fire Protection Association
National Fire Protection Association
The National Fire Protection Association is a United States trade association that creates and maintains private, copywrited, standards and codes for usage and adoption by local governments...
, the Florida Fire Chiefs and the Fire Officers Association of Miami-Dade. Commissioner Gimenez also served on the Federal Emergency Management Agency
Federal Emergency Management Agency
The Federal Emergency Management Agency is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 1 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders...
Urban Search and Rescue Advisory Committee and as the Chair of the Legal Issues Subcommittee.
From May 2000 to January 2003, he was city manager
City manager
A city manager is an official appointed as the administrative manager of a city, in a council-manager form of city government. Local officials serving in this position are sometimes referred to as the chief executive officer or chief administrative officer in some municipalities...
of Miami proper
City proper
City proper is defined as a "locality with legally fixed boundaries and an administratively recognized urban status that is usually characterized by some form of local government", or the area within the corporate limits. This definition has been consistently used since the United Nations...
and was credited with helping to bring stability and integrity back to the city. As its chief administrative officer, he was responsible for an annual budget
Budget
A budget is a financial plan and a list of all planned expenses and revenues. It is a plan for saving, borrowing and spending. A budget is an important concept in microeconomics, which uses a budget line to illustrate the trade-offs between two or more goods...
of $500 million, 4,000 employees and providing services to almost 400,000 residents. During his tenure as the City of Miami's top administrator, the city's bond rating went from "junk" to investment grade and the tax rate dropped to its lowest in 50 years. At the same time, Miami was able to establish more than $140 million in reserves. In 2003, he was elected as a Miami-Dade County Commissioner for the county's 7th district, serving Miami proper, Village of Key Biscayne
Key Biscayne, Florida
Key Biscayne is a village in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States on the island of Key Biscayne. The population was 10,507 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population estimated by the U.S. Census Bureau is 10,324....
, Coral Gables
Coral Gables, Florida
Coral Gables is a city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, southwest of Downtown Miami, in the United States. The city is home to the University of Miami....
, South Miami
South Miami, Florida
South Miami is a Miami suburban city in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,741 at the 2000 census and as of 2007, according to the U.S...
, Kendall
Kendall, Florida
Kendall is a suburban neighborhood of metropolitan Miami, Florida, United States. As of the 2000 census, the area had a total population of 75,226....
, and Pinecrest
Pinecrest, Florida
Pinecrest is a suburban village in Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States of America. The population was 19,055 as of the census of 2000. Pinecrest is governed by a five-member Village Council and operates under the Council-Manager form of government....
.
Giménez was elected mayor of the metropolitan government
Metropolitan area
The term metropolitan area refers to a region consisting of a densely populated urban core and its less-populated surrounding territories, sharing industry, infrastructure, and housing. A metropolitan area usually encompasses multiple jurisdictions and municipalities: neighborhoods, townships,...
of Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County, Florida
Miami-Dade County is a county located in the southeastern part of the state of Florida. As of 2010 U.S. Census, the county had a population of 2,496,435, making it the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States...
on June 28, 2011. This was in the wake of the recall election
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
of Carlos Alvarez
Carlos Alvarez (mayor)
Carlos Alvarez is a Cuban American politician, and the former mayor of Miami-Dade County. He was first elected mayor in 2004, and re-elected in 2008. His mayoralty ended in March 2011 after a recall election...
, one of the largest recalls of a municipal
Municipality
A municipality is essentially an urban administrative division having corporate status and usually powers of self-government. It can also be used to mean the governing body of a municipality. A municipality is a general-purpose administrative subdivision, as opposed to a special-purpose district...
official in United States history.
He is married to Lourdes Portela, and their children are Carlos, Julio and Lourdes. He is Roman Catholic.
External links
- http://www.miamidade.gov/district07/
- http://www.miamidade.gov/mayor/