Fanjul Family Recognized for Vital Contributions to Glades-Area Agriculture and Communities

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Pepe Fanjul, Jr. and his family have been recognized by the Western Palm Beach County Farm Bureau as the Everglades Agricultural Area (EAA) 2016 Farm Family of the Year. The award was presented on November 9 by John L. Hundley, Chairman of the Board of the Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida, at Ray’s Heritage Packing House in Belle Glade.

The award is given to farm families who exhibit excellence in their commitment to agriculture and civic engagement in the Glades region of western Palm Beach County, where the Fanjul family has been farming since 1960. The family’s companies, Fanjul Corp. and Florida Crystals Corporation, produce sugarcane, rice and sweetcorn.

“We’re really humbled,” said Andres Fanjul of the award, echoing the sentiments of the rest of the Fanjul family. “It’s an incredible opportunity. When I read all the families that have won this award in the past, it’s an honor to be included as part of that group.”

The Everglades Agricultural Area is among the world’s most productive and sustainable agricultural basins. In addition to providing thousands of jobs for Glades residents through farming and agribusiness, the Fanjul family has been an integral part of the community for decades through their charitable support, particularly their efforts to improve children’s access to high-quality education and help reduce hunger.

“They’re an integral part of this community,” said Commission of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam of the Fanjuls. “They’re a large family themselves, and they recognize that this is a larger agricultural family, and that’s why you see the commitment that they make to support the local farm bureau, the education system, the housing situation.”

For instance, the Fanjul family founded New Hope Charities, a grassroots nonprofit that provides services for children and families in western Palm Beach County ranging from daycare and health care to food distribution. The Fanjul family also founded two charter schools in Pahokee, Everglades Preparatory Academy and Glades Academy, to increase educational opportunities for families in the Glades.

Pepe Fanjul, Jr. and Florida Crystals “Do the Write Thing” for Palm Beach County’s Youth

Pepe Fanjul, Jr. and Lourdes Fanjul with Quinton Williams
Pepe Fanjul, Jr. and Lourdes Fanjul with Quinton Williams, one of this year’s Palm Beach County Do the Write Thing Ambassadors

Pepe Fanjul, Jr., Executive Vice President of Florida Crystals Corporation, and his West Palm Beach-based company are sponsoring Do the Write Thing, a youth violence prevention program, for the 10th year in a row.

Do the Write Thing is an initiative of the National Campaign to Stop Violence (NCSV), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping middle schoolers make a commitment to end violence in their homes and communities. Through the program’s primary initiative, the “Do the Write Thing Challenge,” students are encouraged to take personal responsibility to prevent violence around them.

This year, more than 28,000 students from more than 30 schools in Palm Beach County took part in the Challenge, submitting essays and poems about their experiences with bullying and teen violence and their ideas on how to end them. The top two entrants, 7th grader Kirsten Brown and 6th grader Quinton Williams, were selected as Palm Beach County’s 2016 Ambassadors and were introduced by Fanjul and his wife, Lourdes, at their home in April.

Florida Crystals has underwritten the costs of the program’s annual Recognition Luncheon and the travel expenses for Brown, Williams, and their parents and teachers to attend this summer’s Do the Write Thing Recognition Week, both of which will be held in Washington, D.C. In Washington, Brown and Williams will discuss solutions for ending teen violence with other Ambassadors from across the country and members of Congress, the Secretary of Education and the Attorney General.

To learn more about the National Campaign to Stop Violence and Do the Write Thing, visit http://www.dtwt.org/about-dtwt.

“Do The Write Thing” Challenge Awards Luncheon at the Palm Beach County Convention Center

Pepe Fanjul, Jr. and FCI Residential Team Open New Community

Pepe Fanjul, Jr., President of FCI Residential, a division of Florida Crystals , presided over the grand opening of the company’s newest luxury rental community, called Atlántico at Kendall.

Located in Miami-Dade County, Atlántico at Kendall features midrise resort-style amenities, including 322 luxury apartment rentals.  The units range from one, two and three bedrooms.

A signature of FCI Residential’s communities is its attention to detail and significant emphasis on the community’s amenities.  Atlantico at Kendall features a Wi-Fi Cyber café, Network Lounge, Video Gaming Center, Fitness Center and Spin/Yoga room with a Virtual Trainer and Treatment room.

The community’s outdoor offerings include a resort-style pool as well as an adjacent lap pool.  Surrounding the pool, residents are treated to an expansive sundeck with Cabanas and a second-floor veranda complete a second outdoor space.  A final outdoor space is an exclusive urban park featuring a playing field, dog park, tot lot and gazebo with an outdoor kitchen.

Watch the grand opening video:

Pepe Fanjul, Jr. and FCI Residential Team Open New Rental Community

Pepe Fanjul Jr.: Economic Contributions of Agriculture

Florida’s economy is driven through tourism, construction and agriculture.  Florida Crystals Corporation is one of many agricultural operations that provide great jobs and contributions to the entire Western Florida community.  Pepe Fanjul Jr. is a fifth generation sugarcane producer with roots that date back to 1860 in Cuba.  His belief in Florida’s farming community was on display at the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches breakfast that took place on June 20, 2013.  As the host, Pepe Fanjul Jr. introduced the guest speaker Adam Putnam, who is Agriculture Commissioner.  Everyone knows that agriculture is a mainstay in the Florida economy.

Attendees learned more about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, which is a Florida state agency.  The mission of this agency is to promote Florida agriculture, provide an abundant food supply that is safe, foster energy development through innovation, manage the state’s forestry land and safeguard consumers.  In conjunction with this mission, the major farming operations have been engaged in efforts to improve the water quality throughout Florida.  Implementation of the best farming practices has reduced phosphorous levels in the water that leaves the farmland.  Natural waterways have returned to their pristine condition even though the agricultural operations continue to grow.

Florida Crystals Corporation owns the largest biomass in North America.  Pepe Fanjul Jr. participated in the design and implementation of the green energy power plant that would use the methane produced from decaying plant matter to product electricity.  Every year seven million tons of sugarcane are harvested and produced at the processing plant.  Following the production processes, the remaining sugarcane debris is placed in the biomass.  All of the unused electricity is sent to the local power grid for tens of thousands of homes in the surrounding community.  Creative approaches such as these support the state’s quest for multiple energy sources that will not affect the environment.

Pepe Fanjul Jr. says Florida Crystals Corporation is Committed to the Development of an Intermodal Logistics Center in western Palm Beach County.

Florida Crystals Corporation recently announced that the company has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Port of Palm Beach, which means the two entities will collaborate and share information and resources with the goal of developing an Intermodal Logistics Center.

Pepe Fanjul Jr., who heads the real estate and land management division of Florida Crystals Corporation, said the company has identified a parcel of land that is located between the cities of Belle Glade and South Bay.  The parcel is close to US Highway 27 and is located in an area with an available and eager workforce.

Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay – collectively known as the Tri-cities — have been experiencing record unemployment levels that are three to four times the statewide average. Pepe Fanjul Jr. said his family and the company have been farming sugar cane and producing sugar in the communities for five decades.  Because of the long relationship with the cities and their residents, the company isdedicated to being a stable job provider and helping the rural cities with much-needed economic development opportunities.  It has been estimated that an intermodal logistics center could create roughly 20,000 jobs in the area.  The cities have been vocal advocates of the project.

The completion of the Panama Canal expansion in 2014 will increase trade in South Florida and makes the creation of an intermodal logistics center in the western portion of the county ideal as it will serve as an outlet to quickly alleviate container traffic at the crowded east coast ports.

Florida Crystals Corporation has been strategically planning the intermodal logistics center project for several years and is confident that the project will be developed in the most efficient and sustainable way to provide benefits for the cities, Palm Beach County and South Florida.

Pepe Fanjul Jr. Named to the Board of Directors of the Foundation For Florida’s Future

Pepe Fanjul Jr., executive vice president of Florida Crystals Corporation, has joined the board of directors of the Foundation For Florida’s Future, an organization whose stated goal is to help foster an education system that allows each child to achieve his or her God-given potential and prepares all students to succeed in the 21st Century economy.

The mission of the Foundation, which is led by former Florida Governor Jeb Bush, who serves as chairman, is to make Florida’s education system a model for the nation.  In order to achieve this, the Foundation advocates for policies to help the state of Florida remain at the head of the national education reform movement.  Working in collaboration with students, parents, educators, business leaders and lawmakers, the Foundation educates about reforms and aids in their adoption by the Legislature.

As governor, Mr. Bush implemented major policies and programs to advance Florida’s education system.  Since leaving office, he has established a national reputation as a leader in education reforms. Lawmakers in more than 15 states have explored implementing policies based on Florida’s education model.

The appointment to the Foundation’s board was a natural fit for Pepe Fanjul Jr.  Among his various duties at the company, Pepe Fanjul Jr. leads Florida Crystals’ community relations and philanthropic activities.  Under his guidance, the company focuses on educational, scholarship and mentoring programs, including annual support of Take Stock in Children, New Hope Charities, charter schools and another Bush family program: Celebration of Reading.

Along with former Governor Jeb Bush, other current board members include Phil Handy, former Lt. Governor Toni Jennings, Susan Pareigis, John Winn, Brian Yablonski, and Zachariah Zachariah.Joining Pepe Fanjul Jr. as new members of the board are Allan Bense, T. Willard Fair, Al Hoffman, Jr., Julia Johnson, Peter Rummell, Linda Taylor and Trey Traviesa.

Pepe Fanjul Jr. Welcomes the Partnership between the AnquanBoldinFoundation and Florida Crystals Corporation to ProvideYouth Summer Programs in the Glades Communities

Florida Crystals Corporation and the AnquanBoldin Foundation (Q81 Foundation)announced a new partnership last week that will establish and sponsor a series of summer enrichment activities for students in the Glades communities of Palm Beach County.

“The collaboration with the AnquanBoldin Foundation is an ideal fit within the framework of support Florida Crystals strives to build in the communities,” said Pepe Fanjul Jr., who serves as executive vice president of Florida Crystals Corporation.

Pepe Fanjul Jr.
Pepe Fanjul Jr. - Anquan Boldin

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The summer activities will be hosted by Everglades Preparatory Academy in Pahokee.  Everglades Prep is a charter high school established by Emilia Fanjul to give parents and students in the Glades communities more options for high school education.  The programs will be offered to students in the Tri-cities — Belle Glade, Pahokee and South Bay — and will include a two-day sports camp headed by three-time Pro Bowl receiver AnquanBoldin, who is from Pahokee, and other top-name professional athletes from western Palm Beach County.

Florida Crystals has been a member of the Glades communities since 1960 when its first sugar mill, Osceola, was constructed in Pahokee.  The company is now a leading sugar producer and is proud to support the communities that have played a role in the company’s success.

“We are always ready to do our part as a proud member and partner in the community to help its next generation of leaders with their personal growth and development,” Fanjul Jr. added.

The Q81 Foundation was established in the Pahokee area in 2004 by Baltimore Ravens receiverAnquanBoldin to provide quality after-school programming in Pahokee, primarily for kids 13 and up who have very limited resources and support.

Pepe Fanjul, Jr. Leads Sugar Firm’s Public Affairs, Land Management and Investments

Pepe Fanjul Jr. serves as Executive Vice President of Florida Crystals Corporation, a global leader in sugar, based in Palm Beach County, Florida. At the sugar firm, Fanjul heads the state and national governmental affairs efforts, corporate communications, land development and real estate investments.

Pepe Fanjul Jr. is also a vice president of Fanjul Corp., the parent of the Fanjul group of companies, which includes Florida Crystals. Fanjul Corp. is a privately held,

Pepe Fanjul Jr.
Pepe Fanjul Jr.

diversified agricultural, real estate, luxury resort and power generating company with global operations and holdings in North America, the Caribbean and Europe. Fanjul Corp. owns more than 400,000 acres of land, including the world-renowned 7,000-acre Casa de Campo resort in the Dominican Republic. Fanjul Corp. can produce more than seven million tons of sugar per year and has $5 billion in annual revenues.

Florida Crystals Corporation is a leading cane sugar producer and the United States’ first fully integrated cane sugar company, guiding its sugar from the field to the table. Florida Crystals owns and operates the largest biomass renewable energy facility in North America, which powers the company’s sugar operations as well as tens of thousands of homes. Florida Crystals pioneered organic sugar cane farming in the country and remains the sole producer of certified organic sugar 100 percent made in the USA. The company’s organic sugar is grown, harvested and produced in Florida and is marketed under the Florida Crystals® brand.

Florida Crystals also refines sugar through its subsidiary, American Sugar Refining, Inc. (ASR). ASR is the world’s largest sugar refining company. ASR’s products are sold under the leading brands Domino®, C&H®, Redpath®, and Tate & Lyle®.

Fanjul presently serves as a director of Florida Crystals Corporation, American Sugar Refining, Inc.; Central Romana Corporation; BlueGate Partners, LLC; the Sugar Association and the Florida Sugar Cane League.