The Miami-Dade Beacon Council has named Rodrick Miller as its new president and CEO, replacing Michael Finney, who died suddenly in April 2022. The appointment comes after an exhaustive seven-month search.
Miller is a seasoned economic developer known for his deep expertise in urban recovery, trade and foreign investment, strategic planning and project finance. Most recently, he served as CEO of Invest Puerto Rico, which he joined in 2019. Prior to that, he led Ascendant Global, an economic development firm focused on providing growth solutions to help economies sustain themselves and gain jobs and private investment. Miller has also served as president and CEO of the Detroit Economic Growth Corporation, and as the founding president and CEO of the New Orleans Business Alliance.
“We are excited to welcome Rod Miller to the Beacon Council,” said Yolanda Cash Jackson, chair of both the search committee and Beacon’s board of directors, in a news release. “Rod’s understanding of diverse, international markets and the importance of intentionally inclusive, sustainable development make him the right leader for this organization at this time in Miami-Dade’s growth.”
“I am thrilled to join one of the most well-respected economic development organizations in the country and lead it into its next phase of growth,” said Miller in the same release. “Miami-Dade County is a dynamic global community that thrives on diversity and is unabashedly entrepreneurial at its core. We are at a unique inflection point that allows us to drive long-term growth by capitalizing on the incredible momentum and inbound investments of the last few years. Applying sustainable, inclusive development strategies will not only drive transformational change for our economy – it will position Miami as a model for others. At the forefront of my priorities, however, is to immerse myself in the community, to listen to, learn from and engage with the diverse stakeholders who work with us to shape Miami’s economic future.”
The 45-year-old Miller will officially step into this new role Feb. 15. He’ll become Beacon’s sixth president in its 38-year history as Miami-Dade County’s official economic development organization.
Miller has led diverse economic initiatives for clients including Living Cities, the Kellogg Foundation, the Fund for Our Economic Future and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, and was recently a visiting fellow at the Harvard Kennedy School Taubman Center for State and Local Government.
He holds a master’s degree in public policy from the Harvard Kennedy School of Government, a graduate diploma in finance from the Monterrey Institute of Technology in Mexico, and a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business from St. Augustine College. He was also a Fulbright Fellow, and is currently a board member of the New Growth Innovation Network, the Harvard Kennedy School Alumni Board, New Corp (CDFI) and St. Augustine’s University.
“The announcement of Rodrick Miller as the next President and CEO of the Beacon Council is very exciting,” said Miami-Dade County Commission Chairman Oliver G. Gilbert III in a written statement. “Rodrick’s extensive background leading economic development efforts across the nation and promoting policies that support a vibrant business community make him a natural leader for the County’s official economic development organization.”