Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Recognition
Historic Stranahan House Museum Executive Director April Kirk was recently recognized by the Broward County chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals as the Outstanding Fundraising Professional of the Year during the 31st annual National Philanthropy Day luncheon. Under Kirk’s leadership over the past six years, Stranahan House has moved from a deficit to a balanced budget. Kirk began her fundraising career nearly 20 years ago, for local organizations including Ann Storck Center, United Way of Broward County and Fort Lauderdale Children’s Theatre.
Rachel Sapoznik, founder, chief executive officer and president of Sapoznik Insurance, based in North Miami Beach, was recently named the 2017 Silver Stevie Award winner for Women in Business, in the category Female Entrepreneur of the Year — Business Services — 11 to 2,500 Employees — All Other Industries. The Stevie Awards for Women in Business are the world’s premier business awards for female entrepreneurs, executives, employees and the organizations they run.
Alexis Leal, chief operating officer of Munilla Construction Management, is among the seven recipients who will be honored for their outstanding achievements and contributions to society at the 2018 Barry University Distinguished Alumni Awards on Feb. 8, 2018, at the Coral Gables Country Club. The other recipients include: Donald De Lucca, chief of police, city of Doral; Ira J. Gonzalez, Law, Fowler White Burnett; the Rev. Carol HoffmanGuzman, executive director, Miami Urban Ministries and Arts at St. Johns; Michelle
Major, clinical director, The Caribbean Center for Child Development; Ann McNeill, president, MCO Construction & Services Inc.; and
Ruth Shack, president emeritus, The Miami Foundation. For his commitment and effort in promoting educational equality for Hispanic/Latino students in South Florida, Dr. Peter Lamelas, founder and chief of medical staff at MD Now Urgent Care, is the 2017 Community Leadership Award recipient as named by the Hispanic Education Coalition of Palm Beach and José Martí Foundation. Before he founded MD Now Urgent Care in 2005, he was the emergency department medical director at West Palm Beach Hospital for 17 years. Today, MD Now is composed of 200 doctors and 900 employees in more than 30 locations throughout Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties.