Center for Leadership hosts CEO of Perry Ellis International

Written by Jocelyn Talavera/Staff Writer

The University’s Center for Leadership Lectures kicks off with a lecture by the CEO of Perry Ellis International.

George Feldenkreis arrived in Miami from Cuba in 1961 with $700 to his name.

He started his career by representing and distributing motorcycle, automotive and electronic parts and supplies in Miami. Two years later, he got into the business of importing auto parts, cloth, buttons and more. According to the company’s website, he founded Carfel, which was his first company.

This led to the founding of Supreme International in 1967, a company that manufactured school uniforms and traditional Latin linen shirts, or Guayaberas.

“For a Cuban refugee who came here with $700, it’s a great American story as far as I’m concerned,” Feldenkreis told the Miami Herald. “I’m so proud to be in America. This could only happen in America. Whatever I have achieved, I owe to this country.”

Throughout the years, the company steadily expanded domestically and internationally and transformed the brand to an all-around sportswear supplier.

In 1999, the company officially changed its name to Perry Ellis International.

“George Feldenkreis is someone who has been there, done that,” said Garth Headley, associate director of the Center for Leadership.

“He has seen how time has changed and what companies need as far as leadership and executive competence,” Headley said.

The leadership lectures began in 2011 with the goal of providing the Miami community access to leadership education. The series invites accomplished practitioners of leadership from all around the world to have them share their experience and knowledge to the community, according to Headley.

Headley also said that Feldenkreis was the perfect person to bring to the University.

“We’re hoping that he’ll give us some pointers about how things have changed and what trends he sees for the future in developing leaders [like] what you need to know today to lead competence for tomorrow,” said Headley.

Every year, the lectures have been more successful, with hundreds of people attending. But Mayra Beers, director of operations at the Center for Leadership, would like to see number of attendees reach the thousands.

“One of my stretch goals is to eventually grow this into a one day worldwide leadership conference,” said Beers.

“I think that, for me, the lectures fulfill the role of showcasing what we do best at FIU and, in this case, it’s leadership,” she said.

The leadership lectures are about being an overall source to a community of students, faculty and other businessmen, according to Beers.

Lana Pohlmann, a junior international relations major, has attended the lectures but would like to see speakers that pertain to her major.

“There are so many subjects at this University,” said Pohlmann.

“A lot of people don’t really know what they want to do yet, so I think it’s a great opportunity for us [to hear] representatives in a specific career path. We could be like ‘Oh, I never thought of that career path.”’

The lecture will be held in the Modesto A. Maidique Campus Graham Center Ballrooms at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 9.

The event is free and open to the public. Participants must register through the Center’s website.

jocelyn.talavera@fiusm.com

Photo courtesy of Creative Commons