Tamar Jacoby, a senior fellow at the Manhattan Institute. She is a leading conservative voice in the media and elsewhere in favor of immigration reform, and works to organize the center-right behind reform proposals taking shape in Washington. Before joining the Manhattan Institute, from 1987 to 1989, she was a senior writer and justice editor for Newsweek, where she wrote weekly articles on criminal justice, the Supreme Court and other law-related topics. Between 1981 and 1987, she was the deputy editor of The New York Times op-ed page. Before that, she was assistant to the editor of The New York Review of Books.

Tamar has authored numerous publications including two books: Someone Else′s House: America′s Unfinished Struggle for Integration and The New Immigrants and What It Means To Be American, as well a numerous articles and essays. In addition to her published writings and media commentary, in the past few years she has been working behind the scenes in Washington to help develop immigration policy, writing policy papers, testifying in Congress and working with a range of congressional offices.

Tony Villamil has over twenty-five years of successful experience as a business economist and high-level policymaker at both federal and state governments. He has served as a U.S. Undersecretary of Commerce for Economic Affairs and is currently Chief Executive Officer of The Washington Economics Group, an economics and business consulting practice now in its second decade of operation.

Dr. Villamil is a member of the President′s Advisory Committee on Trade Policy and Negotiations, and is Chairman of the Governor’s Council of Economic Advisors of Florida. During 1999–2000, he directed the Tourism, Trade and Economic Development activities of the State in the Executive Office of the Governor. Presently, he is on the Board of Directors of Enterprise Florida – the State’s principal economic development organization. Among other leadership positions, he serves on the Property Tax Reform Committee of Florida and is an active member of the National Association for Business Economics (NABE).

Tony received undergraduate and advanced degrees in Economics from Louisiana State University (LSU), where he completed coursework for the PhD degree. In 1991, Florida International University (FIU) awarded him a doctoral degree in Economics (HC). Dr. Villamil publishes widely on economics and trade policy topics, and is an adjunct professor of Competitive Strategy in the Executive and Professional MBA programs of Florida International University (FIU). He was Senior Fellow of the Latin American and Caribbean Center of FIU from 1993-1994.

Dr. María Crummett is the Dean of International Affairs at the University of South Florida (USF).

Dr. Crummett is responsible for international admissions, study abroad, international student and scholar services, and the Institute for the Study of Latin America and the Caribbean. She also coordinates the faculty and curriculum development efforts at USF, and advises the Deans, Provost, and President on matters related to international programming and outreach.

Her areas of specialization include macroeconomics, Latin American economic development, and international business. Her research focuses on regional trade agreements in the Americas and Mexico-U.S. migration. Publications include: “Heritage Re-created: Social and Cultural Capital among the Hñahñu in Florida and Hidalgo, Mexico, in”Indigenous Mexican Migrants in the United States (University of California Press, 2004.) and "Growth, Markets, and Competitive Strategies: Successes and Challenges in Latin America" (Thunderbird International Business Review, 2003).

She has worked as a consultant to international development agencies including the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), the International Labour Organization (ILO), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), the Fund for Population Activities (UNFPA), and the Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM). In 2002, she was appointed chair of Tampa Sister Cities linking Tampa and two cities in Mexico, Veracruz and Boca del Río. In 1996, she received a Fulbright scholarship to undertake research and lecture at the Universidad Nacional in Santa Fe de Bogotá, Colombia. In July 2000, she was an electoral observer to the Mexican Presidential elections. Dr. Crummett received her B.A. in Latin American Studies from Stanford University and her M.A. and Ph.D. in Economics from the Graduate Faculty, New School for Social Research.

Sid Florey is a Division Manager for Hubbard Construction Company located in Orlando, FL. Hubbard Construction Company with annual revenues in excess of $250,000,000 one of Florida’s largest employers of construction personnel. Hubbard Construction Company relies on their construction personnel in the construction of roads, utilities, paving and bridge construction through out the State of Florida.

Sid is active in the Florida Transportation Builders Association and serves on both the specification committee and the structures committee for the Florida Transportation Builders Association. Through his work with the Training Committee established at Hubbard Construction Company, they are preparing to train the workers necessary to construct the future infrastructure projects that are critical to Florida’s growth.

Eileen Forrow is VISIT FLORIDA’s Vice President of Sales, directing all domestic and international interaction with travel agents, tour operators, meeting planners as well as participation in travel-trade and consumer shows. Before coming aboard in 1999, she was president of EFC Marketing America, a private tourism promotional firm. She began her tourism career as Director of Canadian sales for the Florida Department of Commerce Division of Tourism.

Kelly Hunt is Manager of Immigration Policy for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. Ms. Hunt joined the Chamber in August of 2002. The Chamber is the world’s largest business federation, representing over three million businesses of every size, sector, and region, as well as more than 100 American Chambers of Commerce in 91 countries. As Manager of Immigration Policy, Ms. Hunt is responsible for working with members of the business community to develop the Chamber’s position on comprehensive immigration reform including a temporary worker program and an earned legalization component, targeted immigration programs such as high-skilled H-1Bs or seasonal H-2Bs, border security and the movement of people, and visa-processing issues. She also advocates on behalf of the Chamber and its members before the U.S. Congress and various administrative agencies, including the Department of Homeland Security, the Department of State, and the Department of Labor.

Ms. Hunt holds a Master of Arts in International Politics from American University and earned her undergraduate degree in Political Science and Environmental Science at Mary Washington College.

Tony Macaluso is Broker/Owner of Portside Properties, Inc. located in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. He holds the National Association of Realtors Certified International Property Specialist (CIPS) designation and is a CIPS Instructor. Tony’s company has conducted international real estate business transactions since the 1980s.

Tony has served on the Florida Association of Realtors International Committee since its inception and presently is the National Association of Realtors Vice-Chairman for the International Operations Committee. He has Chaired the “Patriot Act” Task Force for NAR for the last 2-1/2 years, identifying challenges & problems created for travel and commerce. Mr. Macaluso represented the National Association of Realtors in meetings with the Deputy-Director of INS (now known as Homeland Security).

Through his real estate seminar company, Tony has taught internationally in Western Europe, Eastern Europe, and Asia. He continues business contact with previous students in those countries.

Manuel (Manny) A. Mencia, is Sr. Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the International Trade and Business Development unit of Enterprise Florida, Inc. Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) is a not-for-profit government business partnership established to guide the development of Florida’s economy. Mr. Mencia joined Enterprise Florida in 1996. Prior to that he served as Vice President of World Marketing at The Beacon Council and served in various executive positions at the Florida Department of Commerce.

Mr. Mencia also serves on the Board of Directors of the Florida Export Finance Corporation, World Trade Center-Miami, Florida Trade Partners Alliance, Southeast U.S. - Japan and the Florida District Export Council. Mr. Mencia obtained a Bachelor of Science degree from Florida International University in Education and a Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Thomas University in Political Science.

Chris Nugent works as a Senior Counsel with the Community Services Team of Holland & Knight LLP in Washington, D.C. He is responsible for developing cutting-edge immigration-related pro-bono projects and trainings for firm offices and casework involving immigration and public policy.

Mr. Nugent has over fifteen years of experience in immigration law and policy including his previous tenure as a Director of the ABA Commission on Immigration Policy, Practice and Pro Bono; Executive Director of the Florence Immigrant and Refugee Rights Project (Florence, Arizona) serving immigration detainees; and an National Association for Public Interest Law Equal Justice Fellow working with Mexican and Guatemalan indigenous farmworkers in California in community development projects.

Mr. Nugent has written extensively about immigration policy and practice issues. Chris is a licensed attorney, a member of the District of Columbia, holding a B.A. from Sarah Lawrence College and a J.D. from the City University of New York School of Law.

ALFRED ZUCARO, JR., is an attorney practicing immigration and nationality law and is Of Counsel to the law firm of Devore & Devore, P.A., Mr. Zucaro received his Bachelor of Science degree in Economics in 1983 from Fordham University in New York, New York, and his Juris Doctor degree in 1986 from Nova Southeastern Law School, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Mr. Zucaro was admitted to The Florida Bar in October, 1986 and joined Devore & Devore, P.A. as counsel in August, 1995.

Mr. Zucaro’s practice is limited to Immigration and Naturalization law and he has been recognized as an expert in immigration law by the Florida Courts. He has litigated several cases against the Departments of Justice and State in Federal Court and has lectured and written on matters dealing with the exclusion and deportation of criminal aliens from the United States.

From April, 1995 through November, 2002, Mr. Zucaro was elected to the West Palm Beach City Commission. In April, 1999, Mr. Zucaro acquired the World Trade Center license for Palm Beach County, the Treasure Coast and the Glades areas of Florida. He is the Founder and President of World Trade Center Palm Beach. Mr. Zucaro is a past recipient of the Immigration Law Award presented by the Legal Aid Society of Palm Beach County in recognition of outstanding Pro Bono service to the community.

For more information, contact:

Victoria Zepp, Executive Director

Florida TaxWatch Center for Competitive Florida
106 N. Bronough St.
Tallahassee, FL USA 32301-7723

Telephone: +1-850-386-8151
Fax: +1-850-386-8153
E-mail: vzepp@floridataxwatch.org