Nine Board Members Join ICA Miami; Major Gifts To Support Endowment And Programming

The Institute of Contemporary Art, Miami announced today the expansion of its Board of Trustees with nine new members and a series of major gifts totaling more than $6 million to support the museum's endowment and the ongoing growth of its operations and cutting-edge contemporary art programming.

Reflecting ICA Miami's role as a resource for the community, a range of philanthropists, business leaders, community advocates, and dedicated art collectors from South Florida and around the world continue to come together in support of the growing museum and its mission to advance the exchange of art and ideas.

Joining the ICA Miami Board of Trustees are Eduardo Burillo; Michael Chavies; Ralph Gindi; Steven Guttman; John Marquez; ChrisTina Martin; Diana Morrison, who previously served on ICA Miami's Chairman's Council; Sarah Scali; and Kay Torshen. As the board welcomes these new members, the museum continues to develop the range of its exhibitions, programs, and community resources, through major gifts from visionary patrons in support of the museum's ongoing initiatives and operations. Among the generous support is a $2.5 million gift from Edward J. Nicoll and Helen Kent-Nicoll for the museum's endowment, $2.5 million from Craig Robins and Jackie Soffer, and $500,000 from Jay Franke and David Herro to support the ongoing growth and high caliber of performance and exhibitions at ICA Miami. Having served as a vital supporter of the museum since its inception in 2014 and an integral part of the donor community, Cartier continues its role as Leadership Partner for the seventh consecutive year with a $550,000 gift.

"The new members of ICA Miami's Board of Trustees build on our board's already deep portfolio of international viewpoints and expertise. Together they truly represent Miami and its future, as well as the future of philanthropy in our region," said ICA Miami Artistic Director Alex Gartenfeld . "The growth of our board combined with extraordinary gifts from Jackie Soffer and Craig Robins, Ed and Helen Kent-Nicoll, Jay Franke and David Herro, and our Leadership Partner Cartier demonstrate the collective commitment of leaders locally and globally to the future of ICA Miami."

"We are pleased to welcome these outstanding additions to our board, who share a deep commitment to expanding the reach and appreciation of contemporary art in the Miami region and internationally," said Irma Braman, Co-Chair of the Board of Trustees. Added Co-Chair Ray Ellen Yarkin, " The ongoing growth of the board and these major gifts to the museum reflect the groundswell of support for ICA Miami. We thank them for their incredible vision and generosity, and are especially grateful to Cartier as our Leadership Partner, and for being champions of ICA Miami from the very beginning."

"We are proud to contribute to the continued success of ICA Miami by helping to build the museum's endowment. We believe in the crucial role of contemporary art to Miami, and in ICA Miami's leadership in exploring important developments in art-and making them accessible to our community," said Edward J. Nicoll and Helen Kent-Nicoll.

About the New Board Members:

Eduardo Burillo is an investor, entrepreneur, and collector of contemporary art, based in Key Biscayne, Florida. With his family, he is an owner in the media company Televisa, the largest multimedia and mass media company in Latin America. Burillo is an avid collector of contemporary art, with a focus on emerging artists and digital work.

Michael Chavies is one of the most prolific and recognized trial lawyers in South Florida, having served as lead counsel on and presided as a judge over hundreds of bench and jury trials. His 13 years on the civil bench has uniquely positioned him to try cases in nearly every courtroom, State and Federal, in Florida. Recognized by Law360 in its "Minority Powerbroker" series for his leadership and influence in the legal community, Chavies focuses on mentorship and professional development programs aimed at helping minorities advance their legal careers, serving on Akerman's Diversity & Inclusion Committee. Chavies serves as president and chair of the Orange Bowl Committee Board of Directors, and served as a board member for Jobs for Miami.

Ralph Gindi is Executive and Principal at Gindi Capital, a New York City-based family office that specializes in real estate and alternative investments. He oversees investment opportunities and various ongoing development projects for the company. Gindi graduated from New York University's Gallatin School of Individualized Study with a B.A. in Business and the Arts.

Steven Guttman is an American real estate developer and art collector. He served as chairman and CEO of Federal Realty Investment Trust and led the company as CEO from 1980 until his departure in early 2003. Guttman founded Storage Deluxe when he began investing in self-storage in 1998 and founded UOVO Fine Art Storage in 2013. He joined the American Friends of the Centre Pompidou Foundation in 2007, becoming chairman of the organization in 2012. In 2016, Guttman was named a Chevalier of the Legion of Honour by the French Government for his work with the foundation.

John Marquez is a Miami-based real estate developer and investor, and owner of Michelin -star omakase restaurant Sushi Noz. Over the past decade, he has fostered a collection of contemporary art with a focus on emerging and mid-career artists. In 2021, Marquez will inaugurate the John Marquez Family Collection in Miami, a foundation dedicated to showcasing new artworks and fostering excellence among young artists.

ChrisTina Martin is a philanthropist, with a professional background in communications, public relations, and modeling, including as a reporter for NBC and in roles with the Miami Mayor's Office. She has served on the Miami-Dade County Hispanic Affairs Advisory and The Commission for Women. Martin is currently involved in numerous philanthropic and community organizations including the Vizcaya Museum & Gardens, Lotus House, American Red Cross, Genesis Foster, American Cancer Society, and Miami Children's Museum where she sits on the Board of Directors and has chaired the organization's gala. She has also chaired events including the Vizcaya Ball, Vizcaya Preservation Hat Luncheon, and the American Cancer Society Annual Gala, among others. She has been honored for her philanthropic efforts by Big Brothers Big Sisters, American Cancer Society, and Chapman Partnership.

Diana Morrison is an entrepreneur, philanthropist, and avid art collector. She is involved in boards in the arts and health sectors, including Buoniconti Fund, The Miami Project, A Cure for Paralysis, and RangerGoodWorks.org, where she was a founding board member. Morrison was also the chairwoman of the board of Miami City Ballet in Broward County and Symphony of the Americas and served on the development committee at the Pine Crest School in Ft. Lauderdale. She earned her bachelor's degree, Magna Cum Laude in Organizational Behavior, and her MBA, Summa Cum Laude in International Business and Marketing at Lynn University and the University of Miami, where she was in the President's Circle and a member of the George E. Merrick Society. With Itchko Ezratti, she created the Ezratti Fund for Sculpture at ICA Miami, which supports the annual commissioning of important new works and their presentation at ICA Miami.

Sarah Scali is the Store Director for Cartier in Miami Design District, having previously worked at Cartier boutiques in San Francisco and Orlando. During her tenure at the San Francisco location, Sarah was the first at Cartier to serve in the newly created role of Sales Experience Manager and helped to expand the position company-wide. Scali began her retail career in the Florida market working for luxury brands, such as Burberry and LVMH. She began in sales and progressed through various management positions, during which she has sought year-round to involve her staffs with local art communities. Sarah has also been a member of the de Young Museum and Legion of Honor in San Francisco.

Kay Torshen is CEO and Founder of Torshen Capital Management, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor. She currently serves on the Board of Directors of the Chicago Council on Global Affairs including the Investment Program Committees, the Working Markets Committee of the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago, the Acquisition Committee of the Museum of Contemporary Art, the Photography Associates Committee of the Art Institute, and the Board of the Chicago Council on Science and Technology. She earned her B.A. degree at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, her M.Ed. degree at Harvard University and her Ph.D. at the University of Chicago. She is the author of The Mastery Approach to Competency-Based Education, published by Academic Press in 1977.

For more information visit www.icamiami.org.

To post a comment, you must register and login.