Jorge M. Pérez

School of Architecture Campaign Co-Chair

Jorge M. Pérez is chairman, chief executive officer, and founder of The Related Group, a major real estate development company and one of the largest Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States. A knowledgeable art collector, he is a previous board member of the National Endowment for the Arts and serves on the board of directors of the Miami Art Museum. Upon the museum’s opening in its new location at Miami’s Bicentennial Park, it will be renamed the Jorge M. Pérez Art Museum of Miami-Dade County in honor of his generous support.

Perez’s professional and philanthropic achievements have been widely recognized. TIME Magazine named Perez in 2005 as one of the top 25 most influential Hispanics in the United States, and he has been featured on the cover of Forbes twice.

Perez is past chair and currently a member of the Miami-Dade Cultural Affairs Council and was a director of the Miami International Film Festival. He is also involved at the University of Miami as a member of its Board of Trustees. The proud parent of a UM graduate, Perez has donated generously to the University. The Jorge M. Pérez Architecture Center is named in recognition of his wonderful support for the School of Architecture.

Gilberto Neves

School of Architecture Campaign Co-Chair

Gilberto Neves is the president and chief executive officer of Odebrecht USA. He played a key role in its significant expansion as one of the leading general construction and construction management firms in Florida and the Southeast United States.

Prior to assuming the role of CEO, Neves served as Odebrecht USA’s executive vice president and was a senior project executive for projects such as the successful expansion of Miami International Airport’s South Terminal. As CEO, he also supervised the completion of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the expansion of Miami International Airport’s North Terminal—the largest contract ever awarded for public construction in Miami-Dade County and one of the largest ongoing airport construction projects in the world.

Actively involved in the community, Neves is a member of the boards of numerous organizations, including Enterprise Florida, the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, and the FIU Center of Leadership. His son and daughter are ’Canes, and through Odebrecht Construction, Neves has supported various areas of the University, including the College of Engineering, Festival Miami, and U.M. C.A.R.D.