Together, fighting for a #StrongerMiami

Steven J. Brodie, Robert E. Sanchez and Alexandra Villoch are co-chairing United Way of Miami-Dade’s 2017 campaign, which annually engages more than 350 workplaces and their employees, and thousands of individual contributors in giving, volunteering and advocating to improve the education, financial stability and health of the community. United Way is holding a Campaign Rally from 5 – 7 p.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2017, at United Way’s Ansin Building, 3250 SW Third Avenue, to officially mark the beginning of the campaign.

“With 6 out of 10 households struggling to make ends meet according to the recent United Way ALICE (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) Report, our campaign has never been more important,” Maria C. Alonso, president and CEO, United Way of Miami-Dade, said. “And, we know that as a result of Hurricane Irma, many of those households are struggling even more. We are grateful to Alex, Robert and Steve for their leadership as they join our fight for a stronger Miami for all.”

Revenues generated through the annual campaign support United Way’s work in education, financial stability and health, which includes: investing in more than 117 programs at 56 local nonprofit agencies; advocating for better public policy decisions; engaging people in the community to find solutions to emerging issues; and bold initiatives like the United Way Center for Excellence in Early Education, United Way Center for Financial Stability, Mission United and Youth Institute among others.

During the campaign that ended in June 2017, Publix Super Markets and its associates topped all giving in United Way’s 93-year history with donations totaling $3.5 million. Miami-Dade County Public Schools, its students, employees and bargaining units, Miami-Dade County and its bargaining units, Lennar Corporation and University of Miami are also top contributing workplace campaigns.

Brodie, Sanchez and Villoch will lead a team of volunteers who work closely with United Way staff to engage and motivate government, businesses, labor unions, faith groups, nonprofits and everyday citizens to support the community through employee campaigns, individual gifts, special events and volunteer activities.

Steven J. Brodie is the Miami co-office managing shareholder of Carlton Fields, P.A and serves as co-leader of the firm’s insurance practice group and insurance industry group. Brodie counsels a wide variety of insurance companies, including a leading international organization with operations in more than 130 countries and jurisdictions as well as leading insurance brokers. He has also lobbied before the State of Florida and local governments on behalf of a wide variety of businesses.

In addition to his role as a United Way board member and 2017-18 campaign co-chair, Brodie serves on the board and executive committee of the Greater Miami Jewish Federation and is on the board of the Miami Citizens, University of Miami. He has been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America and Florida Super Lawyers as well as named one of the Top Lawyers in South Florida. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Tulane University with honors and juris doctorate degree with high honors from the University of Miami School of Law.

Robert Sanchez is chairman and CEO of Ryder System, Inc. He has worked at the company for more than 20 years, holding many senior executive leadership positions such as president and COO, executive vice president and CFO. In his earlier roles, Sanchez played a key part in implementing the strategy to improve Ryder’s cost management, driving an improvement in the return of capital and earnings of the company.

In addition to his role as a United Way board member and campaign co-chair for the second year, Sanchez is on the board of directors of Texas Instruments, Truck Renting and Leasing Association (TRALA), St. Thomas University and the Foundation for Human Rights in Cuba. He is also a mentor for the Big Brothers Big Sisters School-to-Work program. In 2016, Sanchez was named one of the Top 100 Power Leaders by South Florida Business Journal. He holds a bachelor’s in electrical engineering from the University of Miami and MBA from the University of Pennsylvania.

Alexandra Villoch is regional publisher for the east region of the McClatchy Company. She supervises the Miami Herald, el Nuevo Herald and Bradenton Herald in Florida; the Macon Telegraph and Columbus Ledger-Enquirer in Georgia; the Biloxi Sun Herald in Mississippi; the Lexington Herald Leader in Kentucky; and the Centre Daily Times in State College, Pennsylvania. Villoch previously served as president and publisher of the Miami Herald Media Company and was the senior vice president for advertising and marketing at the Herald beginning in 2005.

In addition to her role as a United Way board member and campaign co-chair for the second year, Villoch has served as chair for The Beacon Council and Big Brothers Big Sisters of Miami-Dade. She is on the executive committee of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and serves on the Miami Dade College Foundation board. Villoch has also received several awards such as the 2015 Thelma Gibson Award of Excellence by the Women’s Chamber of Commerce, the FACE Excellence Award in the Business sector, the Walk in Her Shoes award from the Chapman Partnership for the Homeless and the 2012 International Economic Development Council’s Citizen Leadership Award. She holds a bachelor’s in political science and MBA from the University of Miami.