Emilio Estefan
Founder and CEO
Miami Connection
Estefan pioneered Miami Beach's transformation into an international destination in the early 1990s by purchasing and revitalizing the Cardozo Hotel on Ocean Drive. He owns and operates multiple acclaimed restaurants including Larios on the Beach and Bongos Cuban Café locations across South Florida, with his Estefan Enterprises employing nearly 2,000 people locally. Through the Gloria Estefan Foundation, he and his wife support charitable programs promoting health, education, and cultural development in South Florida communities.
About
Emilio Estefan Gómez was born March 4, 1953, in Cuba and immigrated to the United States in 1968. He first gained prominence as a member of the Miami Sound Machine and has won 19 Grammy Awards as a musician and producer. Beyond music, Estefan built a vast entertainment and hospitality empire through Estefan Enterprises, which operates multiple Cuban-themed restaurants, hotels, and production studios. In 2009, he and his wife Gloria became the first Hispanics to own a minority stake in an NFL team, the Miami Dolphins. His business portfolio spans music production, film and television, hospitality, and Broadway production.