Biography
Agustin Garcia is a Human Rights Activist, Civil Rights Activist, international businessman, and corruption fighter. He is a multifaceted individual with local and national affiliations and currently serves as president of Garcorp International, a firm founded with several divisions: Domestic and International Public and Governmental Relations, Private Investigations and Security, Medical Security Consultants, Domestic and International Business Development, and Political Campaign Consulting, domestic and international.
Garcia has served as National Co-Chairman of the Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee's Speaker's Trust, Executive Director and consultant for the Miami-Dade County Democratic Party, and consultant, director, and management expert to numerous companies. He is also a Latin media expert; Garcorp's client history includes Spanish Broadcasting System, environmental groups in the United States, major Latino media and grassroots campaigns, and consulting work for the South Florida AFL-CIO.
Garcia has held leadership positions with the Democracy Movement, Lambda Theta Phi Foundation, Lambda Theta Phi Institute, and Solidaridad Inspiracion Amistad Community Foundation. He is acknowledged as a National Founding Father of Lambda Theta Phi Latin Fraternity, the oldest and largest Latin fraternity in the United States, established at Kean University in Union, New Jersey in 1975. Lambda Theta Phi has grown to more than 100 chapters nationally.
He has organized more than 150 political campaigns in the United States and Latin America. His political record includes a Democratic State Senate race in Florida's District 34 in 1998, service as a Gore delegate to the Democratic National Convention in Los Angeles, Miami-Dade County campaign steering work, Hispanic and Cuban-American steering committee work, election as a delegate at large to the 2004 Democratic National Convention in Boston, and appointment by the Florida Democratic Party as Director of Cuban-American Outreach Victory 2004.
Garcorp International President and CEO
Garcia has led Garcorp International since 1988. The firm's historical divisions include domestic and international pharmaceutical and medical security consulting, gaming industry consulting, public relations and governmental consulting for national and international corporations, national and international political campaign consulting, national consulting on Latin media for national and international events promotion, and a national and international telecom division.
Human and Civil Rights Activities
Garcia has organized and taken part in four civil-rights actions against the federal government in which all four court challenges were successful on international human-rights issues. His record includes the Miami voter fraud case that unseated an elected mayor, voting-rights activity connected to the 2000 Florida presidential ballot dispute on behalf of Vice President Gore, a civil-rights case involving a Hispanic homeless plaintiff against the City of Miami, and involvement in the internationally recognized Elian Gonzalez matter.
The record also includes rescue missions in the Florida Straits involving Haitian boat people and Cuban rafters, Cuban exile and Democracy Movement work, public advocacy for freedom of speech and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and civic action around communities facing emergency conditions at sea, in court, and in public institutions.
Professional Timeline
April 2011-Present. National Political Consultant to Tequila Party.
April 2003-Present. Vice President for National Marketing, Millennia Credit Card Services.
January-December 2010. Consultant to New Jersey State Democratic Party.
June 2007-2009. Consultant to South Florida AFL-CIO.
May 2008-2009. Boriquin Clinics of Miami, Administrator of Community Relations and Project Development.
January 2004-May 2008. Consultant to the City of Sweetwater, Florida.
March-September 2006. Consultant to Florida State Democratic Party.
December 1998-January 2001. PL&P Associate, Advertising, Marketing, Graphic Communications, and Public Relations.
June 1997-January 2000. Consultant to Equity Management Partners, developing international markets with emphasis on Latin America, the Caribbean, and the domestic Latin market.
May 1994-October 1998. Miami-Dade County Democratic Party, Executive Director and consultant, recruiting and advising candidates, administering party business, office operations, media development, staff training, and spokesperson preparation.
March 1993-June 1994. Office of Dade County Commissioner, Chief of Staff.
December 1988-March 1993. State of Florida Department of Professional Regulation, Investigation Specialist, covering unlicensed medical activity and Medicare and Medicaid fraud; coordinated operations with Customs, FBI, Florida Department of Law Enforcement, State Attorney's Office, and local police departments.
July 1987-December 1988. I.C.D.A., Miami, Investigation Specialist specializing in domestic and international security and investigations, including criminal and financial matters handled by attorneys.
September 1980-March 1987. State of New Jersey Division of Gaming, Enforcement Agent, Employee Licensing Section, Revocation and Exclusions Unit.
April 1977-September 1980. Office of Assemblyman Raymond J. Lesniak, 21st District, Elizabeth, New Jersey, Legislative Aide.
April 1978-1979. Student Government Organization, Inc., Kean University of New Jersey, Treasurer, administering funds for 38 funded groups with a yearly budget of $565,000.
Service Industry Licensing Section
Garcia's service-industry licensing work included background investigations of corporate qualifiers and officers, domestic and international investigations of corporate financial stability, and reviews of ledgers, accounts receivable, and financial documents.
Employee Licensing Section
His employee licensing work included background investigations of casino employees covering personal identifying data, citizenship data, civil suits, criminal history, investigatory proceedings, motor vehicle data, financial stability, document translation and correspondence, temporary assignments to Hilton and Sands, and corporation and entity investigations.
Special Training and Skills
Garcia's training includes the State of Florida Health Care Fraud Workshop; New Jersey and Florida Realtor course work; training certifying investigations in medical professions and fields; an IRS investigative course for financial investigation; FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office of New York training on Asian organized crime; and New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement courses, seminars, and training sessions on casino games, international crime, financial crimes, and international gaming rules.
His skills include foundation creation, charitable project development, community organization programs, lobbying, problem solving, preparation of materials, goal setting, publicity preparation, Spanish-language communications, campaign and voter issue development, and petition-drive strategy.
Positions Held
June 2008-Present. South Florida Fundraising Chairman to U.S. Congressman Albio Sires, 13th Congressional District, New Jersey.
January 2008-June 2008. National Co-Chair, Latino Leadership Council to Hillary Clinton for President Campaign.
January 2006-Present. Finance Committee Member to U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, New Jersey.
May 2003-Present. Director of International Affairs for the Democracy Movement.
2000-2014. National Chairman of Lambda Theta Phi Foundation.
July 2005-September 2007. Trustee of Solidaridad Inspiracion Amistad Community Foundation, Inc. and First National Chair.
January 1992-2006. Finance Committee Member to U.S. Congressman Robert Menendez.
November 1998-August 2000. Florida Delegate to the National Democratic Convention; Democratic State Senatorial Candidate, 34th District, State of Florida.
October 1997-January 2001. Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee, National Co-Chairman, Speaker's Trust.
1994-1998. Founder in charge of governmental affairs for Movimiento Democracia; State of Florida Democratic Party Regional Coordinator.
1994-1998. Coordinator of Lambda Theta Phi national expansion as National Founding Father, focused on the Northeast and Southeast United States.
August 1992-October 1992. Operation Miami Coordinator for South Florida, directing three New Jersey National Guard planeloads and ten trailer trucks of Hurricane Andrew relief supplies.
Honors
2006. Awards of Appreciation for Chivalry and Brotherhood and Candidate Forum presentations at Lambda Theta Phi's National Convention in Austin, Texas.
2005. Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Board of Lambda Theta Phi for service, leadership, commitment, and contributions to the fraternity.
2005. Award of Recognition and Appreciation from HACE of Kean University for continued dedication and commitment to the Hispanic community.
2003. Award for dedication and service on the National Board of Lambda Theta Phi as Foundation Chair.
2002. Honored by the Democracy Movement for courageous defense of freedom of speech and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
1997. Proclamation declaring Agustin "Gus" Garcia Day from the City of Miami; Citation of Merit from the Borough of the Bronx; letter of recognition from Senator Bob Graham; Miami-Dade County Democratic Party award for human-rights activism.
1992. Award of Recognition from the Democracy Movement and Award of Appreciation from Lambda Theta Phi National Board.
1991. Mark of Excellence Award from the State of Florida Department of Professional Regulation.
1982. Outstanding Hispanic in Casino Law Enforcement from La Tribuna Newspaper and Outstanding Young Man in America.
1981-1971. Alumni, Cuban exile, student government, Lambda Theta Phi, Model United Nations, Puerto Rican Organization of Unity Through Development, Cuban Lions Club, and Cuban Freemasons honors.
Government Boards Served
2000. Board Member, City of Miami Community Relations Board.
1997. Presidential Rank Review Board, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, Washington, D.C., with distinguished counsel to the body reflecting substantial contribution in the federal workforce.
Education and Speaking
Garcia studied History and Political Science at Kean University. As a nationally known Latino motivational speaker, he has appeared at universities and colleges including Arizona State, The College of New Jersey, Fresno State, Florida International University, Florida State University, Kean University, Montclair University, Penn State, Ramapo College, Rutgers University, Nova Southeastern University, Stockton State College, Texas A&M, the University of Connecticut, the University of Florida, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, the University of Miami, the University of Michigan, the University of Pennsylvania, the University of South Florida, the University of New Mexico, and numerous high schools, corporations, and institutions.
He has been recognized by television and print media for expertise in Latino affairs, Latin America, political corruption, immigration, human and civil rights, and the Latinization of the American nation.
Photo Gallery
