Bill Bonn, Eric Gros-Dubois, Adriana Verdeja and Peter Zubizarreta.

CORAL GABLES, FL (July 1, 2022) – Four dynamic community leaders were tapped to join the Board of the Coral Gables Community Foundation. Already an impact is being felt as  Eric P. Gros-Dubois, an accomplished lawyer with deep community service ties to the Coral Gables civic community, and William A. (“Bill”) Bonn, a veteran attorney and philanthropist who served as a past Board Chair, begin guiding philanthropic investments to Coral Gables non-profit organizations.

 Also starting out with a high profile are Adriana Verdeja, Executive Director of Government Relations for the University of Miami and Peter Zubizarreta, Senior Vice President for UBS Financial Services, who recently opened a Donor Advised Fund with the Foundation.  All four were unanimously elected to the Board by the directors of the Coral Gables Community Foundation at Board meetings in 2022. 

Board Chair Venny Torre, principal of Torre Companies, said in welcoming the new members, “I’m delighted to get four wonderful leaders who contribute so much to the community and are generous with their time and expertise in assisting the Coral Gables Community Foundation. Eric has hit the ground running, and you will almost find it difficult not to bump into into him in around The City Beautiful as he advocates for development and growth of the Foundation. Bill is just a fantastic person and an absolute heavyweight when it comes to opening doors and creating opportunities for making our community a great place to live, learn, work and play. His accomplishments while he was chair were amazing and we’re happy he’s rejoined us. Adriana Verdeja is a solid, invaluable bridge for us to the University of Miami community; it seems everyone in the Gables is connected in one way or another to The U, while Peter Zubizarreta’s reputation as a force in the investment community will benefit endowments held by the Foundation and our fund holders.” 

Bill and his husband Ruben Ceballos are top-tier members of the Merrick Society, which recognizes their generous donation of unrestricted funds that the Community Foundation needs to provide Community Grants in the area of Arts & Culture, Education, Placemaking & Historic Preservation, and Social & Health Services. Verdeja-Arango, Gros-Dubois and Zubizarreta are also members of Merrick Society recognized for their giving.  This year the Foundation expects to give more than $150,000 in Community Grants to deserving area non-profit organizations. 

ABOUT ERIC GROS-DUBOIS 

Eric P. Gros-Dubois has served the Coral Gables non-profit community in myriad ways, and he is an accomplished lawyer whose practice ranges from Business and Corporate Law, to Tax Law and Trust & Estate Planning. He is admitted to the Bar in five states including Florida. Eric founded EPGD Business Law and is the current head of the firm’s corporate, estate planning, and tax practice.  He’s a graduate of Southern Methodist University, the MBA program at American University Kogod School of Business, and the Juris Doctor program at Washington College of Law. 

His community service in South Florida includes Chair of Trustee Council, Executive Committee Member, Board Member of the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce; Board Member, Coral Gables Museum; former president of the Rotary Club of Brickell; former president of BNI Coral Gables; member of Coral Gables Bar Association; member of Coconut Grove Sailing Club; former member of the International Affairs Coordinating Counsel for the Sister-Cities of Coral Gables on behalf of the Chamber of Commerce; former member of the board of directors of Global Ties Miami; and supporter of many fundraisers devoted to the community.  He lives with his family in North Coral Gables.

ABOUT BILL BONN

William A. (“Bill”) Bonn dedicates his time to supporting the community in areas such as civic, cultural and environmental causes in South Florida and in the Northeast. Bill has been involved with the Coral Gables Community Foundation for many years, having served as Chairman during a pivotal period for the organization from 2011 to 2012. He was instrumental in establishing the Merrick Society in 2013, the Foundation’s prestigious giving society, which has grown exponentially over the years. In 2016, Bill was bestowed the Foundation’s distinguished Director Emeritus recognition. Bill has served as Chair of the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown, Massachusetts. IN 2020 he was honored with the Foundation’s Legacy Award at the annual Gala, L’Art de’ Recevoir.

 Prior to his retirement, Bill was the Senior Managing Director and General Counsel at Beacon Capital Partners, a commercial real estate company based in Boston. Prior to that, Bill held positions as an attorney with Property Capital Trust, The Prudential Insurance Company of America and a Los Angeles-based law firm. He is admitted to practice law in Massachusetts, New York and California. Bill resides in Coral Gables with his husband Ruben Ceballos. His B.S. was awarded by University of California at San Diego, and his juris doctor was awarded by the University of San Diego School of Law. 

ABOUT ADRIANA VERDEJA-ARANGO 

Born and raised in Miami, Ms. Verdeja-Arango has worked in higher education for over a decade serving in various roles from fundraising as Senior Director of Development, to Deputy Chief of Staff to the President, and Executive Director of Government and Community Relations at the University of Miami. She brings a combination of her successful fundraising career raising over $50M for the University’s Momentum2 Campaign, her international business experience, her passion for education, customer service, marketing and sales background.

Adriana’s service on in the Foundation’s Scholarship Committee was instrumental in offering over $400k in scholarships to students from five local high schools.

Ms. Verdeja-Arango earned a B.A. in Business from Barry University and is a master’s candidate University of Miami. She’s fluent in Spanish, serves as an active volunteer on several organizations and is passionate about helping others in the community. Her household includes husband Ignacio Arango, JD, with whom she’s raising two teens, and they dote on two toy poodles.

ABOUT PETER ZUBIZARRETA 

With over 35 years of experience in the financial services industry, Peter Zubizarreta serves the wealth management needs of small business owners, entrepreneurs, doctors, attorneys, retirees throughout the United States and Latin America.  He has led several missions abroad with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and currently serves on the Board of Nova Southeastern University Honors College, University of Miami Lowe Museum Advisory Council, and the Cuban Heritage Collection Amigos board.  He and his wife, Aymee, reside in Coral Gables and have four children. He studied Management at Nova Southeastern University. Zubizarreta attended the University of Miami Graduate School of Business, University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business Certified Investment Management Analyst program, and University of Chicago School of Business Certified Private Wealth Advisor Program. Professional credentials include Series 3,7,8,24,31,63 and 65 securities licenses. 

Peter serves on the Growth & Development Committee and Strategic Planning Committee. 

ABOUT THE CORAL GABLES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION 

Led by community leaders, the Coral Gables Community Foundation works to improve the quality of life for those who live, work, learn and play in the City Beautiful. The Foundation has been at the forefront of the evolving needs of Coral Gables by effectively bringing together beneficiaries and benefactors to fund programs with the greatest impact and benefit to “The City Beautiful.” Established in 1991, the Coral Gables Community Foundation, through its discretionary, donor-advised, and scholarship funds, awarded over $11 million to worthy causes. For more information, please visit gablesfoundation.org.

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MEDIA CONTACTS

• Coral Gables Community Foundation Marketing and Program Manager Robertson Adams (robertson@gablesfoundation.org, 305-446–9670) is the media contact.