Inside BS Show

The Miami Beacon Council has a plan to help bring business back to Miami after the Coronavirus lockdown. James Kohnstamm, Executive Vice President of The Beacon Council shares it with us during this interview with Dave Lorenzo. Season 2 Show 38 Episode 160

Show Notes

James Kohnstamm is an experienced economic development professional who began with the Miami-Dade Beacon Council in 2008. As Executive Vice President in the Economic Development Department, Kohnstamm consults with local, national and international business leaders on the economic trends and attributes of Miami-Dade County and develops customized services to expanding and relocating business to facilitate job generating investments. With a focus in the Aviation industry, Kohnstamm has directly managed over 100 economic development projects that have generated over 4,700 jobs and $1 billion of investment for Miami-Dade County. Clients include: Amazon, The Boeing Company, Brightstar, Cable & Wireless Communications, Cosentino, Deloitte, LAN Cargo, Ryder System, Telemundo, Univision, and UPS.

Prior to joining The Beacon Council, Kohnstamm worked for The University of Miami School of Education and was a high school English and History teacher. A Seattle native, he holds a MA degree in International Administration from The University of Miami and a BA in Anthropology from Connecticut College.

About The Beacon Council

The Miami-Dade Beacon Council, a public-private partnership, is the official economic development organization for Miami-Dade County. Led by a professional staff and Board of volunteer community leaders, the organization facilitates business growth and expansion locally, nationally and internationally. The Council was founded in 1985 as an outgrowth of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce to focus on business recruitment, expansion and retention.

Contact James:

80 SW 8th Street
Suite 2400
Miami, FL 33130
jkohnstamm@beaconcouncil.com
Phone: 305-579-1300

Listening Guide to the Inside B.S. Interview with James Kohnstamm

02:45 What is the Beacon Council?
05:30 How does a public private partnership work?
08:12 What does the Executive Vice President of Business Development do?
12:31 What are the plans for a business comeback in Miami?
14:35 How will the business landscape change in Miami while the Coronavirus Pandemic is ongoing?
17:04 What does the future look like for the hospitality industry in Miami? Both short term and long term?
21:38 What does the future of Miami Real Estate look like?
25:47 James talks about the importance of diversity in the workforce and how it is a competitive advantage in Miami
30:20 Who needs to be a member of the Beacon Council?
33:45 What is the future of the airline industry in Miami?
37:14 How will the cruise industry come back?
38:55 How can people connect with the Beacon Council and James?


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