Distinguished Gentlemen Honoree: Matthew Beatty, MBA

Matthew Beatty, MBA

Director of Communications, The Miami Foundation

President, The National Black Public Relations Society (South Florida Chapter)

Matthew Beatty is the director of communications for The Miami Foundation, Greater Miami’s $200 million endowed community foundation. In this role, he leads and manages the foundation’s communications and public affairs work ensuring all marketing, public relations, advertising, social networking and branding efforts are integrated and reflect the organization’s core messaging. He also sets strategic goals for the communications department and manages its budget reporting to the CEO.

Since joining The Miami Foundation in 2012, Matthew has made measurable impact on their communications work. He developed the communications strategy for Give Miami Day, contributing to a more than 200 percent increase in dollars raised during the most active day of philanthropic giving in South Florida history: $3.2 million in 2013 up from $1.2 million in 2012. He also grew the foundation’s social network following and audience to highest-ever levels, reaching 73,845 Facebook users on Give Miami Day 2013 and garnering 7.8 million user impressions for the #GiveMiamiDay hashtag on Twitter. He also manages their grant and leadership programs’ outreach, inducing a record number of applicants for the 2013 Community Grants and Miami Fellows programs.

Prior to joining the foundation, Matthew served as the communications director for Sonshine Communications, Florida’s largest African-American marketing communications firm. In his role leading the communications division, Matthew managed the marketing, public relations, media relations and events for the company. He also worked closely with the CEO in advancing strategic business development and managing client accounts, including Port of Miami Tunnel, National Public Lands Day, Super Bowl XLIV and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. In 2010, Matthew also led the account team for The Shaw Group, a Fortune 500 energy infrastructure firm that hired Sonshine to assist with PR outreach after the devastating Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Brought on to assist with public affairs initiatives, Matthew was stationed on site in the Florida Peninsula Command Post’s Joint Information Center, working closely with the U.S. Coast Guard, Department of the Interior and BP executives handling national and international crisis communications. Prior to his position at Sonshine, Matthew participated in the post-graduate internship program at Edelman Public Relations Worldwide in Atlanta, Georgia. On their Corporate Communications team, he supported numerous clients, including Coca-Cola Enterprises, Shaw Industries and SunTrust Banks. Matthew also secured national media coverage for Georgia Pacific’s enMotion Impulse 8 product launch.

A graduate of the Professional MBA Program at Florida A&M University’s noted School of Business and Industry, Matthew has earned his Bachelor of Science degree in management (cum laude), and a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in marketing.

In 2011, Matthew was recognized by Legacy magazine of The Miami Herald as one of South Florida’s Top 40 Under 40 Black Leaders of Tomorrow. He was also selected to Class V of Connect Florida’s 2014-2015 Statewide Leadership Institute, the premier statewide resource for educating, engaging and inspiring Florida’s top emerging leaders. Matthew serves as president of the National Black Public Relations Society – South Florida Chapter. He is also active in his community through Church of the Open Door, UCC, where he chairs the Church Council as moderator and is the youngest ordained deacon in the church’s 57-year history; The Cushman School, where he serves on the founding committee of the Cushman Alumni Association; and volunteering with local nonprofits, including Habitat for Humanity of Greater Miami, Tropical Audubon Society and The Good Government Initiative.

About Distinguished Gentlemen

Distinguished Gentlemen: Honoring the Gentlemen Making An Impact, powered by The K. Jules Project, celebrates our emerging African-American male business and community leaders while also raising funds to support boys & men of color initiatives.

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