The Honorable Manuel A. Diaz Mayor, City of Miami Miami, Florida
Mayor Manuel “Manny” Diaz was first elected as Mayor of the City of Miami on November 13, 2001 and then re-elected to a second term in 2005. As Mayor, he has focused on operating the government as a service-focused organization, improving the quality of life in all neighborhoods, and advancing the economic health of the entire city.
Born on November 5, 1954, in Havana, Cuba, Mayor Diaz and his mother, Elisa, fled Cuba in 1961. He attended Belen Jesuit Prep School and continued his education at Miami-Dade Community College, Florida International University and the University of Miami Law School, graduating with high honors at both Miami-Dade and FIU. Mayor Diaz’s work in Miami is earning him national recognition. Considered one of America’s leading Mayors, Diaz was recently honored as the Manhattan Institute's Urban Innovator of the Year for 2004. Previous winners of the prestigious recognition include Washington, DC Mayor Anthony Williams (2003), Baltimore Mayor Martin O’Malley (2002), and Chicago Mayor Richard Daley (2000). Mayor Diaz is also a member of the Manhattan Institute’s Center for Civic Innovation advisory board and is currently a partner in the law firm of Diaz & O’Naghten, L.L.P.