In the nine years since the South Florida Business Journal published its inaugural Power Leaders list, we’ve seen this editorial product grow into one of our most important franchises. This list is more than a collection of local industry leaders. Alongside our annual Book of Lists, Power Leaders has become our readers’ invaluable resource reflecting the “who’s who” among the business elite across South Florida.

Over time, the Power Leaders franchise has grown to include Banking and Finance, Health Care, Real Estate, Human Resources, and other key industries. Each has become a staple for our publication and a critical resource for the community.
As we’ve grown the number of lists, South Florida’s regional economy has grown, as well. We realized that so many companies and leaders have played a critical role in changing and shaping it, that 150 just wasn’t sufficient to reflect who and where we are. Frankly, we were leaving too many people off the list.

This year, the “all industries” Power Leaders publication profiles executives from 250 of the region’s top employers in the private and public space. It includes brief biographical information, as well as a question and answer that lends some insight into their business philosophy or personality.
Many of the names you’ll read should be familiar, whether from our reporting in the Business Journal or as a longtime business, civic, and community leaders. About half our Power Leaders, however, are new to these pages.
You will also notice executives are divided into several categories: Icons, whose legacy impact touches business, civic and community life; Five-Timers, whose consistent results have earned recognition in at least five installments of Power Leaders; New Additions, who appear for the first time; Newsmakers, who were newsworthy in the past year; and Listmakers, whose leadership has propelled their company to the top of our weekly lists.
This year’s Power Leaders 250 publication, along with the Book of Lists, provide a year-round resource of the companies and executives advancing South Florida’s regional economy. From Miami-Dade through Broward and Palm Beach counties, the region is proving itself a dynamic, thriving marketplace. Power Leaders are just as dynamic. Thank you for your support now and all year long.

Art Falcone
Co-founder/managing principal, Encore Capital Management
Founding principal, Miami Worldcenter Associates

www.encorecm.com
1 Town Center Road, Suite 600, Boca Raton 33486
(561) 961-1256

Birthplace: Floral Park-Elmont area, New York
Education: Graduated high school

Falcone began his development career almost four decades ago, investing in fast-food restaurants, hotels and health clubs in New York. As head of Miami Worldcenter, he oversees a downtown development that spans more than 3o acres across nine blocks.

What was your first job, and what was the most lasting lesson you learned from it?
At 22, I became the youngest McDonald’s franchise owner before eventually owning more than 100 McDonald’s and Wendy’s franchises across New York, Florida, and California. The best way to become a strong leader is to set a strong example, work hard and understand what everyone’s job is.