Foundation Board Chairman

Architect Willy A. Bermello, of Cuban origin and raised in Miami, is the founder of Bermello, Ajamil & Partners, Inc. ("B&A"), an award winning international firm of architects and engineers. B&A’s corporate headquarters are in Miami with office branches in Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, New York and Copenhagen.

Educated in the United States with a Master of Architecture and Urbanism from the University of Pennsylvania; and a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Florida, where Mr. Bermello graduated Magna-Laude in 1973.  Mr. Bermello has developed his professional career in South Florida.  However, specialties of B&A with regards to Maritime; Aviation; Healthcare and Hospitality, has led the company to an internationally renowned practice with projects around the globe.

Mr. Bermello and his firm B&A, catalogued by the South Florida Business Journal as the third largest A&E Company in South Florida, with an annual revenues of $34Million in 2018, is today the largest privately held A/E firm in South Florida.

At a community and civic level, Mr. Bermello is a member of the City of Miami’s Urban Development Review Board, which evaluates and approves all major projects built in Miami. In addition, former Florida Governors Graham, Martinez and Bush previously appointed Mr. Bermello to serve on the State of Florida Commission on Human Relations, given his long career in the community and political life of Miami.  In fact, Mr. Bermello was the first Hispanic to be elected Chairman of the State of Florida Human Relation Commission; and in 1997 received The State of Florida Civil Rights Advocacy Award for his work on behalf of minorities and the disadvantaged.

A part of the "Who's Who" in Miami, Willy A. Bermello was president for three years of the politically influential LBA (Latin Builder's Association); and, is also a former President and founding member of the Kiwanis Club of Little Havana.  During his tenure with Kiwanis, Mr. Bermello was co-founder of the world famous "Calle Ocho" festival. Calle Ocho is now part of Carnival Miami.  Calle Ocho attracts over one million visitors to Little Havana in Miami; and, is the largest street festival in the USA. Mr. Bermello was the first Hispanic elected President of the Chamber of Commerce of the City of Coral Gables, where he lives with his wife Daysi since 1976. Additionally, Mr. Bermello founded the Coral Gables Community Foundation, a non-profit community foundation, and served as its president the first two years of its existence.  The Foundation's annual community legacy award is given annually in his name; the "Willy A. Bermello Legacy Award". Today, Mr. Bermello presides over the C.U.A.R.T.O. organization (Cuban American Round Table Organization), a very exclusive association of Cuban American businessmen and women.  In addition, Mr. Bermello chairs AGAPE Foundation, Inc., a faith based non-for-profit Foundation.  Agape’s mission is to fundraise and finance capital programs for Agape Network in South Dade, where it monthly serves over 1000 underprivileged women who have been victims of domestic violence, human trafficking and substance abuse.

Mr. Bermello is an avid art aficionado and art collector.  His Latin American art collection includes works by Mario Toral; Fernandez de Szyszlo; David Manzur; Agustin Fernandez, and other great Latin American artists. A lover of horse riding and a car racing enthusiast, in the years 2001/2002 Willy A. Bermello along with partners Emerson Fitipaldi and Peter Yanowitch, co-promoted open wheel auto racing in Downtown Miami and brought back the Grand Prix of Miami to the streets of downtown.

Aside from traveling and sharing time with his beautiful family, which today includes four granddaughters and one grandson (children of his son Willy Jr; and, his daughter Alexia Isabel), Bermello always feels at home in the company of his friends enjoying the fellowship and gastronomy of the culturally rich South Florida community. 
Willy A. Bermello is an evangelical Christian, and for 25 years has been part of the Alpha and Omega Church in Miami.  Last year, Mr. Bermello published his first book titled "Saliendo de la Oscuridad”.  The English version of his book “Coming out of The Dark”, was just recently released in March 2019. 

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