Former University of Miami president Donna Shalala and international reggae star Shaggy will be honored alongside two other local leaders when the Coral Gables Community Foundation holds its 35th annual gala on Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel.
The black-tie fundraiser, titled "La Dolce Notte: Celebrating 35 Years," will recognize four honorees for their contributions to education, the arts, banking and philanthropy, according to a foundation press release published July 1.
"As we celebrate 35 years of service to Coral Gables, we are honored to recognize these leaders whose dedication to the arts, economic opportunity, education, humanitarian assistance and healthcare uplifts our community," said Mauricio Vivero, president and CEO of the Coral Gables Community Foundation.
Meet the four honorees
Jorge Gonzalez will receive the Community Legacy Award. Gonzalez is vice chairman and CEO of City National Bank of Florida, which the foundation describes as the state's second-largest financial institution. A native Miamian and Florida International University graduate, he has led the bank's growth from $3 billion to more than $28 billion in assets since 2009, expanding to 30 banking centers and more than 1,200 employees statewide.
Donna E. Shalala will receive the Education Legacy Award. Shalala served as UM's president from 2001 to 2015, overseeing two fundraising campaigns that raised $3 billion in private support. Before that, President Bill Clinton appointed her U.S. secretary of health and human services, a role she held for eight years. President George W. Bush awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2008.
Shaggy (Orville Richard Burrell) will receive the Arts & Culture Legacy Award. The reggae star's Shaggy Make a Difference Foundation has raised more than $1.6 million for Jamaica's Bustamante Hospital for Children, financing what the foundation says was the first catheterization laboratory and cardiac unit for a children's hospital in the English-speaking Caribbean.
Rudy and Lydia Touzet will receive the Philanthropy Legacy Award. Rudy Touzet is founder and CEO of Banyan Street Capital, a South Florida real estate development firm.
What to expect at the black-tie gala
The gala begins at 7 p.m. Friday, Oct. 16, 2026, at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel, 2950 Coconut Grove Drive. The evening includes a cocktail reception, dinner, awards program, silent auction and live music by Danny Beck Entertainment. Attire is black tie.
Proceeds benefit the foundation's scholarship program and endowment. The foundation has invested more than $30 million in scholarships, grants and community initiatives since its founding in 1991. Its 2024 scholarship program distributed $1.42 million in awards.
Event co-chairs are Brian and Nicole Goldmeier and Cozy and Jorge Salazar. Last year's "Golden Age" gala drew 400 guests to the same venue.
For sponsorship and table information, contact Development Director Jessica Cachaldora at 305-446-9670 or [email protected].
Upcoming
- Friday, Oct. 16, 2026 — La Dolce Notte: Celebrating 35 Years gala, 7 p.m., Loews Coral Gables Hotel, 2950 Coconut Grove Drive. Contact: [email protected].
