Top business leaders honored
The Sun Sentinel names South Florida’s best executives of 2016.
A real estate developer, health care provider, restaurant group owner and airport concessions operator were honored Thursday evening as winners of the Sun Sentinel Co.’s 2016 Excalibur Awards.
The awards, which have recognized business achievement and civic contribution annually since 1978, were presented at the Boca Raton Resort & Club.
After considering nominations from the public, the winners were selected by panels of past business leaders of the year from Broward and Palm Beach counties, and by Sun Sentinel Media Group senior management. The panelists considered the nominees’ successes within their business communities and their commitment to the values of innovation, company growth and community contributions.
Charles L. Palmer, president and chief executive officer of North American Company and real estate development arm Sea Ranch Properties residences in Palm Beach and Broward counties, was named Business Leader of the Year in Broward County.
The Small Business Leader of the Year award in Broward went to Angelo Elia, owner-operator of Fort Lauderdale-based Angelo Elia Restaurant Group.
In Palm Beach County, Peter R. Baron off was honored as Business Leader of the Year. Baronoff is chairman and CEO of Boca Raton-based Promise Healthcare.
The Small Business Leader award in Palm Beach County was presented to Tarra Pressey, president and CEO of Tarra Enterprises in West Palm Beach, which operates concessions in five major airports nationwide.
“This is a wonderful award,” said Palmer, thanking the Sun Sentinel at the awards ceremony Thursday evening.
Palmer, 75, has been a mentor, board member and patron of the performing arts. South Florida properties developed by his company include Sea Ranch Club of Boca Raton, a luxury waterfront community with 550 residences, and the 2,000-home Forest Ridge subdivision off Pine Island Road in Davie.
Elia, 55, grewup near Salerno, Italy, where his mother taught him howto cook. As an adult, he moved to South Florida to realize his dream of being a restaurant owner.
Today, Angelo Elia Restaurant Group is 19 years old, with nine Italian eateries. In 2016, the group generated $30 million in revenues.
Elia said the award is special to him. “I just want to thank you very much. This is an honor for me,” he said.
Baronoff, 58, founded privately held Promise in 2003; last year the health care company generated $515 million in revenue. In 2008, Baronoff founded a sister company, Success Healthcare, that manages two short-term acute care hospitals.
“I’m very honored,” Baronoff said at the ceremony. Business, he said, is all about values, and there is “no greater responsibility when someone’s loved ones are in your hospital.”
Pressey, 49, began working as a teen at businesses owned by her mother, Lou Ella Jordan. Today, their company, Tarra Enterprises, operates restaurants and shops in Palm Beach International Airport, Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International Airport, Miami International Airport, John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York and Atlantic City International Airport.
Tarra Enterprises is a partner in airport concessions with Hudson Group and HMS Host, which manage brands including Starbucks, Hugo Boss, Michael Kors, Victoria’s Secret, Shula Burger, Dunkin’ Donuts, California Pizza Kitchen, Burger King and Chili’s.
On Thursday, Pressey thanked her mother for teaching her tenacity. “Wow! A dream really did come true,” she said.
“Wow! A dream really did come true.” Tarra Pressey, president and CEO, Tarra Enterprises, West Palm Beach