[ad_1]
Benjamín León Jr.
Herald file
Benjamín León Jr., the founder of Leon Medical Centers and the nominee for U.S. ambassador to Spain, will be honored this week for his contributions to South Florida by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce.
The Cuban American businessman and philanthropist, whose senior-focused health empire has made him a household name in the region, will receive the 2025 Sand in my Shoes Award on Thursday at Jungle Island.
The award is considered to be “one of South Florida’s most prestigious community leadership accolades” and recognizes people who “have made lasting contributions to the South Florida region, reflecting a commitment to making Miami the best possible place to live, work, and play,” according to the chamber. It was first awarded to businessman Lester Freeman in 1981.
“To receive the Sand in My Shoes Award is a deeply humbling honor,” León said in a statement. “Miami has given so much to me and my family — from the moment we arrived here, this community embraced us. I’ve always felt a profound responsibility to give back to the community and country that gave us a future. I share this recognition with all those who have supported our mission over the years.”
A health empire
Born in Cuba, León arrived to Miami in 1961 at 16. A few years later, his father helped establish Miami’s first prepaid medical center to provide care for newly arrived Cuban exiles, according to his online biography. Later, the two founded Clínica Asociación Cubana, which became Florida’s first licensed HMO, essentially a one-stop shop for healthcare.
León is most well known for founding Leon Medical Centers in 1996 to provide primary, specialty, pharmacy and other care for Miami’s seniors. His health empire is now one of the largest healthcare institutions in Florida, caring for more than 40,000 Medicare patients across Miami-Dade County, with several centers, a fleet of vans to transport seniors, and Leon Health, a Medicare Advantage Health plan that works with Leon Medical Centers.
You won’t just see his name on the many vans traveling across South Florida. You’ll also find it on college campuses. He helped support the creation of the Benjamin León Center for Geriatric Research and Education at FIU’s medical school and the Miami Dade College Benjamin León School of Nursing.
But his reach extends beyond healthcare. León is also a real estate investor and a philanthropist, supporting nonprofits, medical and nursing educational institutions, and community projects related to the Cuban exile, including a recent $10 million gift for the new home of FIU’s CasaCuba, a Cuban cultural and academic center. Last year, he received the 2024 Dr. Ramiro Collazo Outstanding Citizen Award from the Miami Cuban Lions Club for his decades of service to the community, just like his father did years ago.
He was also nominated earlier this year by President Donald Trump to be the country’s next ambassador to Spain.
On Thursday, León will join a long list of other well-known South Florida recipients of the Sand in my Shoes Award, including philanthropists Trish & Dan Bell, who were recognized last year. The couple has gifted millions through the years to supports the arts, religious institutions, educational and medical organizations, and Miami’s underserved.
“This award symbolizes more than lifetime achievement — it represents an enduring legacy,” said Alfred Sanchez, the chamber’s president and CEO. “Benjamin León, Jr. exemplifies the entrepreneurial spirit, community devotion, and leadership that continue to shape Miami’s future.”
Sand in my Shoes Award recipients
Other recent award recipients include Founder and Managing Partner of Medina Capital and eMerge Americas Founder and Chairman Manuel “Manny” Medina, Gloria and Emilio Estefan, former Miami Herald publishers David Lawrence Jr. and Alberto Ibargüen, Jackson Health System CEO Carlos Migoya and former Baptist Health President and CEO Brian E. Keeley.
Here’s the full list of Sand in My Shoes recipients:
- Trish & Dan Bell (2024)
- Alberto Ibargüen (2023)
- Manuel D. Medina (2022)
- David Lawrence Jr. (2021)
- Penny Shaffer (2020)
- Tony Argiz (2019)
- Brian E. Keeley (2018)
- Carlos A. Migoya (2017)
- Patricia & Dr. Phillip Frost (2016)
- Harve A. Mogul (2015)
- Donna E. Shalala (2014)
- Gloria & Emilio Estefan (2013)
- Eduardo J. Padrón (2012)
- Peter J. Dolara (2011)
- Modesto A. Maidique (2010)
- Adolfo Henriques (2009)
- Sherwood M. “Woody” Weiser (2008)
- Jayne & Leonard Abess (2007)
- Jorge Pérez (2006)
- Carlos J. Arboleya, Sr. (2005)
- William O. Cullom (2003)
- Armando Codina (2002)
- Sue & Leonard Miller (2001)
- Edward T. Foote II (2000)
- Sister Jeanne O’Laughlin (1999)
- Robert H. Traurig (1997)
- Jim Batten (1995)
- Congressman Dante Fascell (1994)
- Congressman William Lehman (1993)
- M. Anthony Burns (1991)
- Martin Fine (1990)
- Ted Hoepner, Jr. (1989)
- R. Ray Goode & Leslie Pantin, Sr. (posthumously) (1988)
- Dr. Luis Botifoll (1987)
- Bill Colson (1986)
- Hank Meyer (1985)
- Charles I. Babcock, Jr. (1984)
- Alvah H. Chapman, Jr. (1983)
- Harry Hood Bassett (1982)
- Lester Freeman (1981)
[ad_2]
Michelle Marchante
Source link