Jorge A. Plasencia

Plasencia's experience in professional sports started with the Florida Marlins in 1996, where he worked as the Major League club's first director of Hispanic Marketing, overseeing all sales and marketing programs. His efforts garnered him the Hispanic Marketer of the Year Award from the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce in 1997, the same year the Marlins won their first World Series title.

During the height of the Latin music explosion in the late 1990s and early 2000s, Plasencia began working at Estefan Enterprises,[3] the entertainment and hospitality conglomerate founded by superstar Gloria Estefan and her husband/producer Emilio Estefan. As vice president, Plasencia oversaw all marketing, publicity and corporate strategy for the company's various divisions, including artist management. He also helped launch the crossover career of pop phenomenon Shakira in key regions including the United States, Europe and Asia.

Prior to launching República, Plasencia was the corporate vice president and operating manager of Univision Radio, a post he got after leading marketing, corporate communications and public affairs for the company. While at Univision, Mr. Plasencia worked for the interests of diverse audiences and consumers on both local and national levels.

Plasencia and his business partner, Luis Casamayor,[4] cofounded República in 2006. It has been described as one of the fastest growing companies in the US by Inc. Magazine[5] and has been ranked by Advertising Age as one of the top 15 Hispanic agencies in America.[6] República has received national accolades for its creative and strategy, including several ADDY,[7] Telly,[8] Davey,[9] and PRSA Silver Anvil awards.[10] Plasencia and República have also been featured in Fortune Magazine, in a story titled "Jorge Plasencia's República: Mad Men, Miami-style."

Throughout his career, Plasencia has played a key role in the production of marquee events, including "The Last Goodbye," a September 11 tribute at the White House, as well as Super Bowl XXXIII, the 1997 World Series, Shakira's MTV Unplugged, the Latin Grammy Awards and the "Queen of Salsa" Celia Cruz's historic funeral, among many others.

In 1991, at age 17, Plasencia co-founded Amigos For Kids,[11] a nonprofit organization helping underprivileged children and families. Plasencia is currently chairman emeritus of Amigos For Kids, and his work with the organization earned him the March of Dimes' Humanitarian of the Year award, among others. Most recently, Plasencia was honored by Amigos For Kids with The Lollipop Award. The award is the organization's highest honor and was instituted in memory of the tragic death of Lazaro "Baby Lollipops" Figueroa, one of the several children who inspired Plasencia to found Amigos for Kids.

In 2011, the agency announced it was creating an annual pro-bono initiative, Repúblicares, where each employee would have a vote to select a nonprofit to receive agency services.[12] The agency launched the initiative in 2012 and Strong Women, Strong Girls was selected as the first recipient from over 20 nonprofits from across the US that submitted. República announced recently the 2013 Repúblicares submission period had opened. Employees will select the second recipient this Summer.[13]

Touted one of America's most influential Hispanic leaders by both PODER[14] and PRWeek,[15] Plasencia served as chairman of the board of UnidosUS,[16] the nation's largest Hispanic civil rights and advocacy organization. He is the first Cuban American, first Floridian and youngest to have held this position.

Plasencia is also a co-founder of the Congressional Hispanic Leadership Institute (CHLI); former chairman of the board of the Cuban American National Council [17] (CNC); and serves on the advisory board of the Association of Hispanic Advertising Agencies[18] (AHAA). He is a member of the Council on Foreign Relations and the Young Presidents' Organization (YPO). In 2004, Mr. Plasencia was nominated by President George W. Bush – and confirmed by the U.S. Senate – to serve on the advisory board of the Broadcasting Board of Governors' Office of Cuba Broadcasting (OCB). In Miami, Plasencia serves on the boards of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts and the Miami Dade College Foundation. Plasencia is also a former director of TotalBank and a former trustee of his alma mater, Barry University.