The Journey

There are many ways to make an easier living, but there are few ways to have such an enriching journey. Howard and Mavis Salus derived a great deal of pleasure from the organizations they were drawn to that do so much good for the community. They’re grateful for the opportunity to help. Their greatest pleasure was a simple ”thank you” from many charities and arts organizations they supported. That they contributed and made good things better develops an emotion that remains forever. “In this business it is so easy to get involved, if you have the right heart, but more importantly to keep all your promises,” says Howard. “Add to all this the tremendous friendships made with leaders and highly respected members of our communications community, plus a wonderful wife, and you have a complete life.”
 
It is hard to believe that 25 years have passed since the inception. Howard founded a magazine in 1980. It was later decided that the product was not sufficiently unique, so they made many adjustments and turned it into a specialty niche publication which could afford them the ability to cover all the things they loved: theatre, art, ballet, dining, sports events and all things “dedicated to the good life” Their market was to be very focused.
 
Howard, the president and publisher, is originally from Philadelphia. He had a successful career in marketing and sales, then as a pharmaceutical executive before he entered the publishing realm. This new venture was an extension of his marketing skills. Howard is a people person. His outgoing personality and his ability to work a room, and the uniqueness of being remembered by all who meet him, are the main reasons for the success of EN&V. Howard finds great pleasure in attending the various meetings and business card exchanges and meeting new people. This is the life blood of any business. He is also on the boards of many organizations which are responsible for the growth and success of Miami-Dade county.
 
Howard works with a lot of charities, too many to mention here, and he greatly enjoys this work. To so many people, Howard IS Entertainment News & Views.
 
Mavis Salus, associate publisher and managing editor, is a native of Australia and came to the table with a science background. Together, Howard’s sales skills and Mavis’ organizational skills enabled them to produce a newspaper which has become well known and respected throughout South Florida. It is also well recognized for its Arts Season Previews, which enjoys statewide popularity. EN&V features arts, dining, fashion, film, fine arts. music, dance, theatre, opera, society, travel, real estate and sports.
 
The Saluses are proud of the newspaper’s growth and reputation. It attracts tens of thousands of middle-to-upper-income readers who have disposable income. They write about all the good being done in our community from a cultural and humanitarian level, and encourage those who can to give back.
 
Things have not changed much in that respect in all these years. EN&V’s mission to support the arts, fine dining and entertainment continues, along with supporting many charities. “Making a Difference” has been their credo for many years. They ran regular columns called “Making a Difference” before it became a catch phrase. Indeed, plans are already in progress to expand on this theme in the near future.
 
Says Mavis, “Things were very different in the early days. No computers, no fax machines, no email, more manual, less machine and computer assistance. When an editor was hired, that person had to be able to type a minimum of 100 words per minute, as everything that appeared in the paper was manually placed there—every week. It was grueling work; many Wednesdays were a 24-36 hour stretch. You could not miss a deadline with the printer, as you would lose your place in the schedule. The good old days were not that good. But we had fun, were younger, had a lot more energy and could still attend 5-6 functions a week and be back at the office at 9am every day, ready to start all over again.”
 
In the beginning, they sent the paper to a production shop. Invariably there were lots of mistakes, so every week therewere a lot of “OOPS” through out the paper. It was very frustrating and caused a lot of stress for all concerned. In 1985, Gia Cilento, Mavis’ daughter, suggested they go onto computers. She was the expert. Howard and Mavis knewnothing of computers. Gia did a lot of research and felt that the Mac was the best way to go. So they bought the whole nine yards and, in those days, it cost a fortune! Finally, everything was set up and ready to start. What excitement, Entertainment News & Views was one of the first small papers in South Florida to go onto the computer and also one of the first to have full color on the front page.
 
The writers at that time were rather lax when it came to deadlines and Mavis recalls the first week they were ready to run and the front cover story came in on Wednesday afternoon, very late. The writer submitted the text in uppercase. She was so late that there was no time to retype and therefore it was scanned in “as is.” The first front cover was printed in all uppercase. All those involved were devastated, however, in the newspaper business, you pick yourself up and move on. Besides, it’s maturing to be able to laugh at oneself.
 
After the front cover fiasco, the staff decided that deadlines had to be adhered to and systems were established. Everything began to run much more smoothly. Gia did the entire paper by herself, which was a monumental task. But she did it, and never missed a deadline until one Wednesday she had a car accident on the way to the office. Mavis remembers standing in front of the computer when the phone call came in from Highway Patrol telling her of the accident. She stood transfixed. What was she to do? This was her child on the way to the hospital and injured, and the paper, her child also, needed attention that she did not know how to give.
 
A call came in from Gia at the hospital. She would be fine and would explain how to finish the paper, over the phone. Mavis had never sat at a typewriter in her life and did not know where the letters were. Neither Mavis nor Howard could turn the computer on! Oh, mercy me! The first thing Mavis did was to call the printer and tell them she would be late. She was then ready for her first computer lesson. After much stress and confusion, Mavis finally completed two ads and four stories. “This seemingly small task took me several hours of sweat and tears. It left me absolutely exhausted,” she vividly recalls.
 
Next on the agenda was to find a graphic artist who knew Mac and could also type 100 words per minute and write stories, edit, etc, all the things that Gia did with relative ease. Soon it became apparent that there was no such person, which was when they decided they needed an editor and a graphic artist. That was the beginning of Entertainment News & Views’ growth. They had such hilarious times during this period.
 
The offices at the time were in the Castle Hotel (remember Abe Hirschfeld’s place?). Everyone they interviewed had other ideas for producing the paper in their own programs. One young man came with his own chair, a large easy chair, as the work, according to him, would be so easy he could relax in comfort as the pages printed out. He sent Howard and Mavis home, as he would have it all done in plenty of time for the deadline. They were both exhausted and gladly left him to do everything. Mavis and Howard went home on Tuesday afternoon in blissful ignorance of what was to transpire. On Wednesday morning, Mavis called to be told everything was under control and he would be finished even earlier than expected. She felt so relieved. At 4:30pm, a call was received from the front desk of the hotel. There was a man in the lobby sitting in a big chair and he said he worked for EN&V. The hotel wanted him removed from the lobby, as they were expecting a big convention to arrive at any moment. Howard went to the hotel and saw the young man in a state of collapse. He was totally confused. He said no one could do the work that was expected of him and he was waiting for his wife to arrive to take him home. He said he would never come back. So it was back to the grindstone for yet another week. Finally, the Saluses found the right people. During this period, there were dozens of stories to keep everyone on their toes, laughing, crying, very frustrated and alternately exhilarated. Because of it all, the Saluses really appreciated the moment when they finally found good, capable people.
 
So many really wonderful people have worked for the paper and have brought with them special personalities, talents and ideas: Beverly Hilton (who actually typed 130 words per minute), Leal Grey, Najah Tamargo, Heidi Strom, Scott Filipiak, Simone Fong, Tom Amick, Sara Churchville, Lauren Schweitzer, Octavia McKenzie and the present wonderful staff, Natasha Vidal, Art Director, and Cheryl Price, our Editor. Natasha and Cheryl are the epitome of today’s young women. They are professional, talented and extremely capable. They are very dedicated and reliable, and expert in their respective fields. The Saluses say thank you from the bottom of our hearts for making the production every week seem so effortless.

 
Mavis and Howard appreciate the wonderful, talented and treasured writers, some of whom have been with them for years; people like Barbara Storer Rubin, who has been with the paper approaching 14 years next January. Buddy Clarke has been with Entertainment News & Views even longer, almost from the beginning. He came to the paper through Janet Cowan, who wrote for the paper for years. Thank you also to the wonderful consulting editor, Michael Sasser, and all the staff writers and contributing writers who make the paper possible and give it the reason it is picked up by so many. Thank you all so much.
 
PHOTO IDS
1. Howard in the Scooter outfit which was designed by artist friend Michael Israel. Scooter was EN&V’s mascot who would turn up at all sorts of events.
2. Mavis and Howard…a few years ago

Founded 25 years ago by Richard A. Berkowitz and Stephen A. Kaplan, the firm known today as Berkowitz Dick Pollack & Brant Certified Public Accountants and Consultants, LLP has always worked to offer clients accurate, personalized service. With offices in Miami and Fort Lauderdale, the firm offers a comprehensive and proactive approach to income, estate, business and investment planning.
 
More than 160 people—Firm Directors, accountants, tax specialists, consultants and administrative staff—deliver high quality services, consistent with those found at large firms, but with local firm availability and attentiveness. As one of the largest public accounting firms in South Florida and among one of the top 100 firms in the U.S., Berkowitz Dick Pollack & Brant has been named by INSIDE Public Accounting (formerly Bowman’s Accounting Report) as one of the “Best of the Best – America’s 25 Best CPA Firms” for the last ten consecutive years. The Firm is also one of only two firms in the country that have ever been named “Best of the Best” 10 years in a row.   
 
“We believe that our culture is an important factor in why we have been recognized, however, this designation is also a tribute to the outstanding effort and performance of each individual in the Firm,” said Managing Director, Richard A. Berkowitz.
 
Personally active in numerous community and professional organizations, Mr. Berkowitz serves as a role model for others as Managing Director. He currently serves as President of the Florida Institute of Certified Public Accountants (FICPA). He is also Treasurer of the Campaign to Re-Elect Mayor Manny Diaz, a Trustee of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, and as a member of the Citizens Board of the University of Miami, the City of Miami Finance Committee, and the Board of Directors of the Bankers Club.
 
With a wide range of clients with varied needs, Berkowitz Dick Pollack & Brant has founded several affiliate companies, creating a comprehensive set of financial, technological and real estate services. These include:
 
1-Provenance Wealth Advisors serves successful business owners, professionals and retirees who lack the time and expertise to create and implement comprehensive planning strategies that incorporate: estate planning business and business succession planning, investment planning, insurance planning and  retirement planning.
 
2-The Firm’s technology affiliate, Onsiteam (pronounced on-site team) Advisors LLC is a professional consulting Firm providing full service technical solutions for clients by offering hardware & software integration, web & e-business planning, business continuation strategies, financial software solutions, ed-discovery and forensics, outsourcing and technology planning consulting services.
 
3-BayBridge Real Capital Advisors, LLC is a real estate investment and merchant-banking firm specializing in transactions of all sizes and most product types including but not limited to multi-family, retail and office properties and offers advisory services for equity, mezzanine, bridge and permanent debt financing and investment sales.  The firm also engages in development site identification and principal investments. 
 
4-BayBridge Real Estate Group, LLC is a full service residential and commercial real estate brokerage company specializing in the Central and South Florida markets. We offer clients a single-source service that coordinates all phases of a transaction, from strategic planning and detailed financial analysis through assignment completion. BayBridge is positioned to assist clients both in marketing and selling a client's property and representing a client in their search for a specific property.

Festival Association 20 Years Old

The Greater Miami Festivals and Events Association (GMFEA) has an anniversary this month -- its 20th.
 
The not for profit association representing a broad spectrum of the local multi-ethnic community, was incorporated in December 1985. Today, it is comprised of the area’s major annual festivals with the central purpose of promoting the year-round schedule of special events to residents and tourists.
 
Currently, the Association's membership totals more than 40 festivals and special events groups, public agencies, institutions, and area businesses, with an aggregate annual attendance to their events in excess of 2.5 million participants. These members represent and are involved in producing an incredibly diverse range of community celebrations including major art, film, literary and culinary festivals and events, parades, street festivals and fairs, youth sporting competitions, and historic, environmental, national and ethnic awareness events.
 
The Festival Association provides opportunities to exchange information, management and promotional techniques and resources among festival organizers both large and small through membership affiliation and communication on a regular basis. It also is a powerful, effective lobbying and advocacy force, addressing issues affecting members at the local, regional and state levels.

Moving is one of the most stressful situations anyone can experience, taking the third place spot behind death and divorce. Whether you are moving across town or across the country, the safe haven you call home is thrown into chaos. Packing up your belonging takes a tremendous amount of time and energy. Finding a reputable mover who knows what they are doing seems hopeless. And, getting settled once you are in your new home can take weeks.
 
While the horror story described above might seem like the typical moving experience, it doesn’t have to be this way. Weasked Kenneth Kushner, co-founder/President of Kushner Moving Group, to offer his advice on making a smooth relocation:
 
* Moving is the perfect time to cleanout and organize what you really want and need in your new home. It does not makesense to pay to move trash or items that will never be used.
 
* Every move is unique, so it’s best to have an in-home estimate where all move factors can be taken into account.  Quotes given sight-unseen over the telephone or Internet often sound too good-to-be-true.  They usually are. 
 
* Not all movers are the same, so price should not be the main factor when choosing a company. Like any service business, you often pay for what you get. The lowest price may not result in the best experience.
 
* Unpack with a system (i.e. one room at a time) so you stay organized.
 
And if these four tips still to stress you out, Ken’s company (Kushner Moving Group) can take on the entire move process from start to finish. Depending on the size of your home, a team of professionals will come in one to two days before the move and pack any/all desired contents. On moving day, the trucks and movers arrive with all the necessary equipment to prepare and load your boxes and furniture.  Upon arrival at your new home, Kushner Moving Group will unload your belongings and place all furniture. They can even go as far as to unpack boxes, remove garbage, hang artwork and make your bed.
 
Kenneth Kushner and his family established Kushner Moving Group after going through a less than ideal moving experience. With offices in the South Florida and New York Metro areas, the company offers a variety of moving and storage services.  You can contact Kushner Moving Group at 305-506-5477.

Pharmed Group Launches Foundation its 25th Year

In celebration of its 25th anniversary, Pharmed Group, one of the largest Hispanic-owned companies in the country, has established the De Cespedes/Pharmed Family Foundation, announced Jorge de Cespedes, President and COO of Pharmed Group.
 
“This Foundation was created to help children, specifically addressing educational needs in our community,” said Carlos de Cespedes, Chairman and CEO of Pharmed Group.  “Throughout the years we have helped many worthwhile causes in the area.  We felt it was time we created our own foundation to address those areas most near and dear to our hearts.  The Foundation is focusing its efforts this year on dealing with childhood obesity issues.”
 
Pharmed Group was founded in 1980 by brothers Carlos and Jorge de Cespedes in a 230 square-foot office and distribution center in Miami, Florida, selling primarily medical and pharmaceutical supplies to Latin America and the Caribbean.  Today, the company is the largest minority independent, full-line distributor of medical, surgical and pharmaceutical supplies, and materials management services provider in the United States.  Pharmed is on the top 10 list of largest Hispanic-owned companies in the country distributing more than 25,000 products to hospitals and medical centers in the U.S., Latin America and the Caribbean.
 
Pharmed owns and operates a technologically advanced 87,000 square foot distribution facility and office building west of Miami International Airport. In addition, Pharmed has regional distribution centers in Tampa,and Cleveland, , and maintains regional operations with its affiliates in Panama, Costa Rica, Brazil and the Caribbean as well as providing product inventory, sales support and marketing from its Miami headquarters.
 
Pharmed Group was awarded the 2004 Hispanic Business Magazine’s Trade Industry Entrepreneur of the Year. Pharmed also was recognized as the 8th largest Hispanic Business in the United States by Hispanic Business Magazine.

TransAtlantic Bank Grows Over 20 Years
and Brighten Holidays for Local Families

Since its founding 20 years ago, TransAtlantic Bank has grown to its current seven locations and plans for further expansion, while becoming a prime example of how a financial institution responds to the needs of the communities it serves.
 
After a record setting year of tropical storms and hurricanes, TransAtlantic Bank made a commitment to brighten the holiday season for some of Dade’s local citizens. In the aftermath of Katrina and Wilma, the TransAtlantic Board of Directors—headed by Chairman and CEO Miriam Lopez—organized “Operation Community Care.” Just before Thanksgiving, TransAtlantic Bank donated Publix gift certificates that were handed out to those affected by the storm. A total of $25,000 in gift certificates went out to various community organizations in the Miami-Dade area.
 
It is community spirit that prompted the program, according to Chairman Lopez.
 
TransAtlantic Bank has shown how a business can respond to a local problem, and in so doing, has become a good role model for the business community. The action is in keeping with the tradition of the bank, whose mission is to “provide customers with the financial solutions they need, and the service and integrity they deserve.”   
 
TransAtlantic Bank aims to remain a locally-owned independent community bank dedicated to providing superior personal service, combined with modern banking technology; to provide its shareholders with the highest possible return on their investment; to serve its market through an involved Board of Directors and highly motivated professional staff, all of whom have an absolute commitment to integrity and to operating in a safe and sound manner, in order to continue to be a positive force in our community.
 
Directors of the bank are:  Marcos Escagedo - Chairman Emeritus; Miriam Lopez - Chairman of the Board and CEO; Julian L. Mesa - President; Salomon Gold; Jorge Lerman; Rosa Rok; Sergio Rok; Rachel Sapoznik; Jeffrey Scheck; and Roberto F. Tuchman M.D.
 
The bank’s webpage contains a lot of information about the bank’s history and caring, which highlights the philosophy and spirit of its former director, the late Natan R. Rok, who was “a wonderful director and friend whose enthusiasm, ethicsand values contributed in large measure to our vision and success.”