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Horatio Alger
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Carlos J. Arboleya, Vice Chairman-Retired of Barnett Bank of
South Florida, N.A., the largest affiliate of Barnett Banks, Inc., today Bank of America.
He is a
past Chairman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and serves on its
Executive Committee. He arrived in Miami
exiled in 1959 from Cuba
with his wife Marta and two-year old son. Carlos Jr., and has lived in
Greater Miami ever since.
He received
degrees in Business Administration, Commercial and Administrative law,
Accounting and Commercial Sciences from the University of Havana.
Upon his arrival, unable to find employment in the banking field where he
had 16 years of experience, he was forced to take a job as an inventory
clerk In a shoe factory, where soon he worked his way up to Vice President.
At that point, he was finally given the opportunity to reenter the area he
held closest to his heart, banking. In the short period of seven years, he
rose to be named the first naturalized Cuban-American President of a
national bank in the United
States. Subsequently, he founded his own
bank, the Flagler Bank, now Bank of
America. After selling his interests in that financial Institution he
joined Barnett Bank in 1974. He rose to the position of Vice Chairman in
1981 for the Southern Region while simultaneously holding the Presidency of
Barnett Leasing Company and the Presidency of Barnett Visa and MasterCard
operations for the Southern Region, a position he held until his retirement
In 1994. He subsequently held the position of Director and Chairman of the
Executive Committee.
In addition
to his successful banking career, Carlos J. Arboleya has dedicated his
energies to working for the advancement and guidance of youth in our
community, his greatest passion and concern. His involvement in the
scouting movement is proof of his tireless commitment. The Carlos J.
Arboleya Camping and Picnic Grounds were named after him in recognition of
his 40 years of adult leadership in scouting. He is the recipient of
scouting's highest award, the Silver Beaver, the Silver Antelope and the
St. George Award of the Catholic Church. The Golden Plate Award of the American Academy of Achievement was presented
in recognition of his outstanding example in inspiring youth. In 1995 he
became President of the Boy Scouts of America South Florida Council and
currently serves on the local, Regional and National Boards of the Boy
Scouts of America.
Arboleya's
fervent civic involvement has cultivated national as well as International
attention. He has received the coveted Invest in America National Council's
American Eagle Award for his living example of the American Dream. He has
also received the Freedoms Foundation at
Valley Forge George Washington Honor Medal five times for Americanism
activities and for his exceptional achievements in bringing about a better
understanding of the American way of life. In 1981 f his name was placed
before the President of the United
States for the Presidential Medal of Freedom. He
received the Ellis Island Statue of Liberty honor medal in 1995.
For his
dedicated efforts in the field of education, Arboleya received in 1976 the
very prestigious Horatio Alger Award of the Horatio
AIger Association of Distinguished Americans and of the American Schools and Colleges Association. He
holds Honorary Doctorate Degrees from Florida
International University, St. Thomas
University, Universita Leonardo Da Vinci in Italy and Universidad
International Monctezuma In France, among several others. His biography is
covered in five public school textbooks as an example of the achiever of
the American Dream.
Arboleya
has received numerous other acknowledgments from a wide variety of
associations, institutions, etc, at which he has served as Chairman,
Director, Trustee, President, Member, and other capacities. Among these are
the Herald's Spirit of Excellence, El Premio Don Quijote from the Hispanic
Heritage Council, the Silver Medallion of the National Conference of
Christians and Jews, and the Golden Plate Award from the American Academy
of Achievement.
Most
recently, Arboleya received the honor of having a portion of Southwest Eight Street
in Miami, Florida named, "Carlos Arboleya Boulevard."
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