In our weekly list of business people on the move, we highlight Palm Beach County professionals who are making a difference. These are people from across the spectrum of public and private endeavors, those working in charities, court houses, private practices and beyond. They are moving up within their industry, advancing their careers and standing out for their services within our community.
Here are this week’s professional standouts:
Pablo Valencia
The Seagate, a luxury hotel in Delray Beach, recently hired two key leaders to oversee the new Bourbon Steak Delray Beach. This restaurant from acclaimed chef and restaurateur Michael Mina set to open at the resort in March 2025. Chef Pablo Valencia will serve as the executive chef of the restaurant, leading the food and beverage program, while Adam Moreira will supervise restaurant operations as the new general manager. Chef Valencia is a Colombian native who most recently served as the executive sous chef at Kalatua, a beachside Caribbean restaurant in St. Martin. Moreira joins The Seagate following a three-year tenure as assistant general manager at the Mastro’s Ocean Club in Miami.
Adam Moreira
Katie Deits
Grant Professionals Certification Institute recently announced that Katie Deits has been awarded the Grant Professional Certified credential. Deits, a resident of North Palm Beach, joins a select group of more than 400 grant professionals who have attained the GPC credential. Accredited by the National Commission for Certifying Agencies, the certification is awarded to grant professionals who meet eligibility requirements and successfully demonstrate proficiency in the required competencies and skills of the grants profession. Previously, Deits was the executive director of the Lighthouse ArtCenter in Tequesta. She is also a fine artist and is on the board of Artists of Palm Beach County.
Rob Posner
Mortgage industry icon Rob Posner has been named the recipient of the President’s Leadership Award by the Georgia Military College. Posner, who is the founder and CEO of West Palm Beach-based NewDay USA, was recognized as someone who exceeds expectations through his extraordinary contributions of time, talent, and treasure to support the mission of the college and also as somebody who embodies purpose-driven leadership.
Carol Katzell
Holy Cross Health has named Boca Raton resident Carol Katzell as Leader of the Year for 2024. Over the last 21 years, Katzell, BSN, RN, has positively contributed to Holy Cross Health by implementing innovative ways to improve patient safety. She is a fearless, loyal leader who doesn’t hesitate to speak up in high-stakes meetings and initiate challenging conversations. A member of Trinity Health, Fort Lauderdale-based Holy Cross Hospital, dba Holy Cross Health, is a full-service, not-for-profit, Catholic, teaching hospital operating in the spirit of the Sisters of Mercy.
Derek Boyd Hankerson
Derek Boyd Hankerson was recently elected to serve as president of the Loxahatchee Battlefield Preservationists. He and the board’s mission is to build a Cultural Heritage Museum at Riverbend Battlefield Park dedicated to the Second Seminole War in Jupiter. Hankerson has held three Presidential Appointments dating from the age of 22 to 37 serving in the administrations of President Ronald Reagan, President George Herbert Walker Bush, and President George Walker Bush.
Jennifer Berthiaume
Discover The Palm Beaches, the official tourism marketing organization for Palm Beach County, has welcomed four prominent community leaders as new members of its board of directors. They include Jennifer Berthiaume, vice president of Lion Country Safari, known for her innovative approaches to connect guests to wildlife as well as enhancing the park to improve the visitor experience; Ron Wichowski, senior vice president of operations and food and beverage for Dimension Hospitality; Kate Arrizza, president and CEO of Cox Science Center and Aquarium, a military veteran and Palm Beach County native with a passion for science education; and Alyssa Freeman, executive director of the Marine Association of Palm Beach County, a champion for marine conservation and sustainable practices.
Ron Wichowski
Kate Arrizza
Alyssa Freeman
Miriam Naranjo
The nonprofit Schoolhouse Children’s Museum board of directors has announced the promotion of Miriam Naranjo from assistant director to executive director. Raised in Palm Beach County, Naranjo has been an integral part of the Schoolhouse Children’s Museum for the past two years. As assistant director, she oversaw daily operations, managed development initiatives, and ensured the smooth functioning of the museum’s team. She has a passion for creating meaningful experiences for children and families. The Schoolhouse Children’s Museum opened in 2001 and is located in one of the first schools in Boynton Beach. It strives to inspire and engage children and families to explore, play, learn and discover through creative, interactive learning opportunities that integrate the arts, humanities and sciences in cultural and historical settings.
Jacqui Michel
Cancer Alliance of Help & Hope has announced that Jacqui Michel has joined its board of directors. Michel is an attorney and is president of the advisory board of the American Friends of Musée de Montmartre, vice president of the board of directors of Darbster Rescue, and a member of the board of the French American Cultural Foundation. Cancer Alliance of Help and Hope, Inc. is a Palm Beach County not-for-profit organization that eases the burden of qualified local cancer patients by paying a portion of their non-medical bills, supplementing basic needs, and providing support and information resources.
If you are looking for more insight into the movers and shakers operating in the Palm Beaches, subscribe to our real estate newsletter, The Dirt, keep an eye out for stories and perspective from veteran reporters Kimberly Miller and Alexandra Clough. If you have an announcement for Business People on the Move, please send it to [email protected].
Eddie Ritz is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. You can reach him at [email protected]. Help support our journalism. Subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Best businesses, professionals, business people in Palm Beach County
