| Education | J.D., University of Florida Levin College of Law, 1978 - Florida Blue Key
- Omicron Delta Kappa
- Law School Representative to the Student Body Senate
| B.A., Political Science, University of Miami, 1975 - Who's Who Among Students in American Colleges and Universities
- President, Federation of Cuban Students
- Editor of Antorcha, Newspaper of the Federation of Cuban Students
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| Simon Ferro, former U.S. ambassador to Panama, maintains strong ties in Latin America. Simon was appointed by President Bill Clinton and led the U.S. diplomatic mission in Panama during the hand over of the Panama Canal in 1999. During his tenure, he worked closely with the international corps of the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, National Security Council and U.S. Southern Command. Simon, a high-ranking Democrat, has been a member of the Democratic National Committee and served as chair of the Democratic Party for both Florida and Miami-Dade County.
An active community volunteer, Simon has served as a member of the Battered Women's Clemency Fund, the Latin Builders Association and the Miami-Dade County Charter Review Committee, a Blue Ribbon panel which drafted changes to the structure of county government. Before his ambassadorship, Simon was a board member of the Overseas Private Investment Corporation, another presidential appointment by President Clinton, and a board member and chair of the audit committee of Union Planters Bank. Prior to this, he was a partner with other law firms in South Florida. |
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| Areas of Concentration | - Government relations, procurement and contracts
- Regulatory agencies
- Environmental and land use
- Zoning
- International
- Real estate
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| Significant Representations | - More than 20 years experience in the areas of zoning, land use and governmental relations.
- Represented residential, commercial and industrial developers at all levels of the legal and administrative process necessary for successful real estate development, including the filing of Master Plan, Development of Regional Impact (DRI), and zoning applications.
- Appears before county and city commissions, planning and zoning boards, the Dade County School Board, the Dade County Environmental Quality Control Board and other agencies.
- Represented clients before the Florida Legislature, state government agencies and county and municipal governments.
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| Professional & Community Involvement | - Member, Board of Directors, Battered Women's Clemency Fund (BWCF), Tallahassee, FL, 1995
- Member, Board of Directors, Latin Builders Association (LBA), Miami, FL, 1991 - 1992
- Member, Dade County Charter Review Committee, Miami, FL, 1990
- Member, Board of Trustees, City of Miami General Employees and Sanitation Employees Pension Fund, Miami, FL, 1985 - 1989
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| Awards & Recognition | - Selected by Super Lawyers magazine, 2007
- Orden de Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Rango de Gran Cruz, The Republic of Panama, Panama City, Panama (2001). Condecorated by President Mireya Moscoso with Panama's highest national award in recognition of the diplomatic and personal successes achieved as U.S.
- Attorney of the Year Award, Latin Builders Association (LBA), Miami, FL 1989 & 1991. Received LBA's recognition for outstanding work representing the organization and its membership in the area of zoning and land-use planning
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| Noteworthy Experience |
- United States Ambassador to the Republic of Panama, 1999 – 2001
- Chief of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Panama during the historic turn-over of the Panama Canal and numerous military installations to Panamanian control in December of 1999. As such, addressed and coordinated complex diplomatic, legal and security issues between both governments.
- Developed and established the foundation for a new and progressive relationship between both nations. Interfaced with all levels of the U.S. government, including the White House, State Department, Department of Defense, National Security Council, Department of Commerce, U.S. Trade Representative's Office, U.S. Southern Command, FBI, DEA, INS, U.S. Customs and others.
- Only U.S. Ambassador in recent history to receive the prestigious Orden de Vasco Nunez de Balboa, Rango de Gran Cruz, Panama's highest national award.
- Member, Board of Directors, Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC), Washington, D.C., 1994 - 1999
- Appointed by President Clinton and confirmed by the U.S. Senate to OPIC, a federal agency that provides American investors in developing countries with direct loans, loan guarantees and political risk insurance.
- Member, Board of Directors, Union Planters Bank of Florida/Capital Bank of Miami, Miami, FL, 1992 - 1999
- Served as an independent director of Capital Bank and Chair of its Audit Committee, as well as member of its Loan, Insurance and Executive Compensation Committees. After Union Planters' purchase of Capital Bank, served on bank's board until departure to Panama as U.S. Ambassador.
- President & CEO, Pam Pottery of Florida, Inc. and Iterra Imports, Corp., Miami, FL, 1997 - 1998
- Managed a family-owned import/distribution company until its sale in 1998. During this period also provided legal services to select group of clients.
- Member, Democratic National Committee, Washington, D.C. (1984 - 1996). Served as one of nine elected members from the State of Florida.
- Chair, Florida Democratic Party, Tallahassee, FL (1989 - 1992). Served as head of the state Democratic Party during the election of Governor Lawton Chiles and President Bill Clinton. Responsible for fundraising, statewide coordinated campaign development, liaison with Democratic state house, senate and presidential campaigns.
- Chair, Dade County Democratic Party, Miami, FL (1988 - 1989). Through aggressive fundraising and targeting of resources the local Democratic party withstood a strong republican presidential victory with no net losses in the county's Democratic legislative delegation.
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