Jorge Plasencia
Co-founder, Chairman & CEO
Miami Connection
Plasencia co-founded Amigos For Kids in Miami at 17, growing it into a national nonprofit aiding thousands of underprivileged children and families, earning him the March of Dimes Humanitarian of the Year. As Board Chair of the Miami Dade College Foundation and trustee of the Adrienne Arsht Center, he advances education and arts in South Florida. His leadership at Republica Havas, founded locally, positions Miami as a creative hub for multicultural marketing serving global brands.
About
Born in Miami in 1974 to Cuban-American parents, Jorge A. Plasencia began his career as a teenager at Radio Mambí and later became the first Director of Hispanic Marketing for the Miami Marlins, contributing to their 1997 World Series win and earning Hispanic Marketer of the Year. He held senior roles at Univision Radio and Estefan Enterprises, managing artists like Gloria Estefan and Shakira, before co-founding Republica Havas in 2006 as a Miami startup that grew into Havas's lead multicultural partner. A civic pioneer, he co-founded Amigos For Kids at age 17 to support under-resourced children and families, serving as chairman emeritus. Plasencia has earned accolades like Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year, CEO of the Year from the Greater Miami Chamber, and Ultimate CEO by South Florida Business Journal. Deeply rooted in Miami, he currently serves as Board Chair of the Miami Dade College Foundation.