MIAMI, FLORIDA — August 18, 2026
With elegance, music, fine dining and extraordinary attention to every detail, the United States Minority Chamber of Commerce announces its 32nd Leadership Gala of the Americas 2026, taking place on September 4, 2026, from 6:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. at the Sheraton Miami Airport Hotel.
The exclusive, invitation-only Gala will bring together more than 300 distinguished business executives, investors, professionals, government representatives and civic leaders from the United States, the Caribbean and the Americas.
The evening will honor a select group of leaders whose careers represent achievement, innovation, public service, entrepreneurship and commitment to their communities.
“We have produced 31 galas recognizing hundreds of leaders from the public and private sectors in the United States, Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Colombia, Honduras, Mexico, Costa Rica and Israel. This edition is different. We have been exceptionally deliberate about every detail, from the moment our guests enter until the final presentation, because we believe the leaders we are recognizing are creating stories that deserve to be remembered in the history of our nation and our region,” said Doug Mayorga, President and Founder of the United States Minority Chamber of Commerce.
The 2026 Gala also marks the Chamber’s 27th anniversary and carries a broader regional message:
“PEACE AND SECURITY IN THE AMERICAS — A NEW ORDER OF PROSPERITY, DRIVEN BY THE UNITED STATES.”
A NIGHT OF DISTINGUISHED LEADERSHIP
The 2026 Leadership Gala of the Americas will bring together a carefully selected group of distinguished leaders from government, business, technology, media, energy, transportation, construction and the civic community.
Some honorees will be personally present to receive their awards, while others will participate through exclusive video messages prepared especially for the Gala.
The Chamber is intentionally preserving the private and exclusive character of the evening. This is not a public entertainment event. It is a distinguished gathering of leaders committed to service, innovation, economic opportunity and the future of the Americas.
“We are not inviting people simply because of who will be in the room. We are bringing together people who understand the importance of what is being built in this room,” Mayorga said.
THE 2026 HONOREES
Dina Powell McCormick, President and Vice Chairman of Meta — 2026 Global Leadership Award — Technology, Education & Economic Opportunity.
Keith Sonderling, Acting U.S. Secretary of Labor — 2026 Public Servant of the Year Award.
Joseph B. Edlow, Director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) — 2026 Leadership in Public Service Award.
Brandon Bornancin, CEO & Founder of Seamless.AI — 2026 American AI Innovation Leadership Award.
Amerijet International, Inc. — 2026 Company of the Year in the Americas Award.
Doug Kelly, CEO of America Edge Project — 2026 Global Community Leader in America Award.
Michelle Morin — 2026 Corporate Female Executive of the Americas Award.
Ramón Barquín, President & CEO, Centro Unido de Detallistas of Puerto Rico — 2026 Caribbean Community Leader of the Year Award.
Damon Egglefield — 2026 Renewable Energy Legacy & Innovation Award.
Peter A. Millian, Vice President, Clear Channel Outdoor — 2026 Executive of the Year of the Americas Award.
Carolina Peguero, CNN Correspondent — 2026 Latina Media Leadership Award.
Alex Mena, El Nuevo Herald / Miami Herald — 2026 Journalist of the Year — The Americas.
Ann-Marie Campbell, Senior Executive Vice President, The Home Depot — 2026 Employer Leadership Award.
The Honorable Byron Donalds, Member of the United States Congress — 2026 American Leadership & Community Impact Award.
Karen Carvajalino, Daniela Carvajalino and Stephanie Carvajalino — 2026 Women Entrepreneurship & Education Awards.
Balsera Communications — 2026 Hispanic & Minority Market Public Relations Leadership Award.
Bundy Signs / Carlos Coria, CEO — 2026 Visual Communications & Signage Leadership Award.
Juvira Briceño, Caribbean Executive & National Director, U.S. Minority Chamber of Commerce — 2026 Caribbean Corporate Executive of the Year.
Rafael Cabrera — 2026 South Florida Entrepreneurial Leadership Award.
AN EVENING DESIGNED FOR DISTINCTION
The Gala will feature an elegant dinner, a musical celebration of the 1970s and 1980s, and a mariachi performance during the reception, creating a distinctive atmosphere before the dinner and awards ceremony.
Clear Channel Outdoor is supporting the event, highlighting the importance of strategic communications and the power of outdoor media to connect businesses with communities throughout Miami-Dade.
EXPANDING THE AMERICAN BUSINESS NETWORK
The Gala comes as the Chamber prepares for its next phase of national expansion.
On October 1, 2026, the U.S. Minority Chamber of Commerce will open operations in New Orleans, followed by Atlanta, Georgia, on October 15, expanding its network of business relationships, markets and opportunities designed to strengthen economic development throughout the United States and the Americas.
“Our objective is to build relationships at the highest level and create opportunities that strengthen American businesses and connect them with markets throughout our hemisphere,” Mayorga added.
The 2026 Leadership Gala of the Americas is not open to the general public. Attendance is strictly by invitation.
ABOUT THE U.S. MINORITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
Celebrating 27 years of service, the United States Minority Chamber of Commerce is a business organization dedicated to advancing entrepreneurship, trade, investment, economic development and opportunities for minority and diverse businesses throughout the United States and the Americas.
For additional information:
www.minoritychamber.net
Rosse Garcia
Director of Public Affairs
786.406.2190
