Founding member of the Board of Directors and Secretary of the Cuban Banking Study Group (CBSG). George R. Harper was Chairman of the Miami law firm Harper Meyer LLP and a leading attorney in business transactions with Latin America, especially in the commercial aviation field.
Among other civic and community involvements, George was President of the Inter-American Bar Association and chaired the University of Miami Alumni Association. He was a founder of the Cuban Claims Association and had a keen interest in all matters related to his native Cuba, which he visited on various occasions in later years to gain a better understanding of its legal environment and the changes that would be necessary to facilitate an orderly growth of private economic development.
Born in 1922 in Cuba's tobacco heartland, Jorge Rogelio Plasencia Algara’s life reflected integrity, resilience, and service. His family’s roots in tobacco date back to 1865, when his grandfather emigrated to the island and began a legacy that endures through the Plasencia family today, who remain one of the world’s most respected families in the cigar industry.
Jorge grew up working on his family’s finca, El Retiro, before moving to Havana to pursue higher education. In 1948, he earned a degree in Commercial Sciences from the University of Havana and went on to become Certified Public Accountant. His banking career began that same year in Havana where he was an officer at The Trust Company of Cuba, gaining a reputation for professionalism, ethics, and leadership. In 1961, when Castro nationalized the Cuban banks, Jorge—along with thousands of other Cuban professionals—was forced to resign and start anew abroad.
Jorge continued his banking career in Venezuela working as an auditor for British American Tobacco, and later to Texas, where he joined the Foreign Department of First City National Bank of Houston. In 1968, he settled in Miami, where he built a distinguished three-decade career at Republic National Bank of Miami. He played a pioneering role in expanding financial opportunity for Cuban exiles and other immigrants with “character loans”—loans based on honesty, reputation, and potential rather than collateral. These loans helped launch thousands of small businesses and family enterprises, fueling South Florida’s economic development. After retiring from Republic in 2000, he continued serving clients and the community as an executive at Ocean Bank.
Jorge was also a gifted writer and cultural advocate. He authored Pinceladas Criollas, a witty and nostalgic collection of essays that capture the richness of Cuban traditions, humor, and rural life. The book has become a cultural treasure among Cuban exiles.
Jorge shared more than 30 years of marriage with his beloved wife, Gilda Machado Plasencia, and raised two sons, Emanuel and Jorge Jr., instilling values of humility, faith and service.
After his passing in 2004, his wife discovered a letter revealing Jorge’s early dream to work in advertising, and two years later, his son, Jorge Jr., honored that legacy by naming his advertising agency, Republica, that embodied his father’s principles of trust and opportunity.
Today, Jorge’s legacy continues through the Gilda M. & Jorge R. Plasencia Family Foundation, which supports causes dear to their hearts. He is also honored at the American Museum of Cuban Diaspora.
His life and legacy stand as the testament to a man who opened doors for others and believed in the promise of the human spirit
Juan del Busto is the former Regional Executive of the Miami Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Atlanta and current Chairman and CEO of Del Busto Capital Partners, Inc. At the Federal Reserve, he oversaw branch operations, the Board of Directors, community outreach, and regional input for monetary policy, while also supporting economic and financial education initiatives.
He has served as an Advisory Board member for Easy Solutions and as a Strategic Advisor for the accounting firm MBAF.
Deeply involved in the community, Juan has been a longtime United Way trustee and has held positions on multiple education boards, including the Florida Council of Economic Education, FIU President’s Council, and Miami-Dade College Business School Advisory Committee. He continues to serve on the board of the Center for Financial Training and as Vice Chairman of several Miami-Dade County Public Schools advisory committees.
Juan is a member of numerous professional associations, including the Florida and Hispanic American Bankers Associations, the Cuban Banking Study Group, FIU and Ohio State University Alumni Associations, and the NFL Alumni Association. He joined the Ocean Bank Board of Directors in 2013, where he remains an active member.
Born in Havana, Cuba, Juan moved to Miami in 1961. He studied at Miami Dade College, earned a B.S. in Engineering from Florida International University, and completed the Executive Development Program at The Ohio State University.
Beyond his career, Juan is passionate about travel—having visited over 170 countries—and is one of only 28 rum experts on the World’s Rum XP panel. He enjoys time with his family and friends at his Hutchinson Island beach home.
A pioneer and highly respected leader in the Banking industry for more than four decades, Miriam Lopez was one of the first female Hispanic women to rise to the top of the male-dominated field.
Born in Havana, Cuba in 1950, Miriam immigrated to the United States at the age of nine and was quickly forced to adapt to life in a new country including a new language and culture. This experience fostered a resilience and determination that would later define her professional success.
Miriam attended Citrus Grove Elementary, Citrus Grove Junior High, and went on to graduate from Miami Senior High School in 1968. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Accounting from Barry University in 1972.
Her banking career began in 1976 with Southeast Bank. In 1985, Miriam was appointed President of TransAtlantic and went on to serve as the Bank’s Chairman for 24 years, as well as the Chairman of the Board from 2003 to 2007. In 2010, she joined Marquis Bank as President and Chief Lending Officer.
Miriam made history in 2000, as the first female President of the Florida Bankers Association. Also, during her banking tenure, she held several positions within the Federal Home Loan Bank of Atlanta, including its director from 2010-2018. She is also a former member of the American Bankers Association's Board of Directors, Government Relations Council and Executive Committee.
Miriam retired from her executive banking career in 2024. She was elected to the Board of Directors of Pacific National Bank in 2025.
Miriam and her husband, Pedro Lopez, have been married for more than 50 years, and have two adult sons, and four grandchildren.
Carlos Palomares, Born in Havana, Cuba, Carlos Palomares earned a Bachelor of Science in Quantitative Analysis from New York University after relocating to the United States.
With more than four decades in financial services, he has held senior executive roles including President, CEO, Chairman, and COO at major U.S. and international institutions. He currently serves as President and CEO of SMC Resources, advising executives on business growth and marketing strategy. Carlos is also Non-Executive Chairman of Banesco USA and Regional Financial Corporation, and previously served on the boards of Pan American Life Insurance Group and Coral Gables Trust Company.Earlier, at Capital One Financial, he oversaw U.S. Hispanic credit, personal lending, and digital banking as COO of Capital One Savings and Loans.
Before that, at Citigroup, he led global consumer banking in Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America, and served as Chairman/CEO of Citibank Italia and Citibank Florida.In 1992, he joined a Federal Reserve Bank of New York task force advising Russia’s Central Bank on free-market banking reforms, helping build its modern financial system.Carlos has also been active in civic leadership as Chairman of the Miami-Dade Beacon Council, Enterprise Florida board member, and Chairman of the New World Symphony. He is an inductee of the Cuban Bankers Hall of Fame.
He and his wife, Robin, live in Guilford, CT, and are proud parents of four sons and five grandchildren.