“Diversifying the economy is one of my top priorities. It involves promoting a wide range of economic sectors and businesses so we reduce our dependence on tourism or finance. The consequences of not having a diversified economy were that we saw a lot of our bright young minds leave Miami because they didn’t have opportunities here.”

“Miami combines so many unique elements that cannot be found anywhere else in the world. It goes back to our diversity – the mix of people, cultures and sounds. Miami is a great role model for the U.S. because everyone is supportive of one another’s success. We’re not just Latinos but people from all over the world with great ideas.”

“Atlanta is becoming known around the world as a tech town on par with other startup hubs like San Francisco and New York. In fact, according to one small business research firm, we ranked third as a startup city. The tremendous talent we have coming out of our colleges and universities, as well as the strong business climate within our city, region and state, has helped Atlanta add the most businesses to the Inc. 5000 since 2012.”

“We have a successful history of engaging fiercely, competing and winning through various cycles, and that’s what you’re going to see us continue to do,”

“The difference between today and the previous cycle is the level of financing from banks has been greatly reduced, which decreases the risk exposure of developers. Banks are lending at a much lower rate. On the other hand, there are more equity sources coming into Miami, making available a greater diversity of funding.”

“In Miami, there is a strong international presence. While we predominantly serve domestic clients, at times it is difficult to distinguish between what is local and what is international. Many aspects of local businesses are international, while many Miami-based businesses are actually branches of international businesses.”

“I humbly ask for the citizens of this great state to stand with me in the days ahead. Together we will realize the opportunities and tackle the challenges that we have before us.”