August 7, 2006

The August 2006 issue of HISPANIC Magazine brings a pair of honors to Miami. While Miami was once again named the top city in the United States for Hispanics to call home, Mayor Manny Diaz received the magazine’s Hispanic Achievement Government Award for the first time – a distinction placing him on the cover of the publication.

“I am honored that HISPANIC Magazine recognizes the accomplishments of my administration in ushering in a new age of prosperity for Miami,” said Diaz. “Yet, our city being named the top city for Hispanics eclipses any personal award that I may receive.”

The magazine analyzed labor, census, commerce, crime and other ranking figures in compiling their list. In the issue, HISPANIC states that as “an epicenter of international business, Miami crowns the list of our ten most desirable locales and with good reason.”

In awarding Diaz the Government Achievement Award, HISPANIC calls him “part of a new crop of entrepreneurial mayors who have set their sights on solving their cities’ problems.”

Founded in 1987, HISPANIC Magazine has an audited circulation of 280,000 monthly issues distributed nationwide. The August issue is on newsstands now.

The feature article notes that Diaz is “… part of a new crop of entrepreneurial mayors who have set their sights on solving their cities problems, first and foremost and then, maybe just then, thinking about reaching for higher office.” For now, Miami’s mayor says he is focused on the task at hand: improving the quality of life for all the city’s denizens.

The feature says, for Diaz, the key to making life better in Miami is running a proactive, pro-business city hall – and city.

Diaz took office in 2002 and, since then, high crime rates dropped dramatically, this year reaching a 35-year low, according to Miami’s Police Chief John Timoney. Timoney, a former New York City police chief, was part of Diaz’s strategy to make the city safer.

The article also notes that Diaz is spearheading a comprehensive plan to make Miami “greener,” a plan that includes the building of, or conversion to, eco-friendly buildings. The mayor’s office is also converting its fleet of vehicles to more environmentally friendly hybrids.

As to his relationship with The United States Conference of Mayors, Diaz says he has found many kindred spirits among the nonpartisan body. He credits the Conference with helping the mayors identify their challenges and with “… developing good public policy and best practices.”