Peter Schorsch
The Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) has selected Ron Book as its Lifetime Achievement Award honoree.
The group bestows the award to honorees after consideration and selection by the awards selection committee and the AFP Miami Chapter.
“Ron Book has been a pillar in our community for decades,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava said. “In chairing the Miami-Dade Homeless Trust, Ron has worked tirelessly to ensure all people in our community have the most basic dignity of sleeping with a roof over their head. Through Ron’s leadership, Miami-Dade is better equipped to provide not only a safety net for those experiencing homelessness, but the resources and systems needed to end the cycle once and for all. I applaud Ron for receiving The Lifetime Achievement Award and thank him for his lifelong commitment to combating homelessness in Miami-Dade County and beyond.”
The award comes just after the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce honored Book with the Alvah H. Chapman Jr. Award of Excellence for vision and leadership in downtown Miami and work ending homelessness.
“I’ve worked with Ron Book for more than 20 years and have seen first-hand the strong personal commitment he has to service,” said Kelly Mallette, senior director of government affairs for Ronald L. Book, P.A. “Whether it is assisting individuals experiencing homelessness or protecting children from abuse, he simply does not stop fighting for those in need. Frankly, when it comes to these types of issues, I don’t think the word “no” is in his vocabulary. This award couldn’t be more deserving.”
Book is a lobbyist who works in government affairs and administrative law in a career that has spanned more than 40 years. He is the CEO of his firm, which was founded in 1987, and is considered one of the top lobbyists in the state of Florida. Before launching his firm, he served as an aide in the state Legislature and as director and special counsel of cabinet and legislative affairs under former Gov. Bob Graham.
Book represents a wide range of businesses, health care institutions, higher education organizations, local governments and professional associations. Over the course of his career, Book has dedicated hundreds of thousands of hours of pro bono work to various groups and causes.
“Ron Book couldn’t be more deserving of this award because service isn’t just something he does — it is at the core of who he is,” said NBA Hall of Famer and OYC founder Alonzo Mourning. “For over 20 years, Ron has partnered with us to impact and transform the lives of children and families in our community. He’s made it his personal mission to protect and provide for the most vulnerable among us, and, as an active member of our board of directors, we’ve seen the fruits of that labor first-hand. We are just one of the countless causes to which Ron gives his time, talent, and treasure because he is steadfast in his dedication to fighting for those in need. Congratulations to him on receiving such a distinguished honor.”
Book has served in a number of community leadership roles, including as chair of the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust for 30 years.
“Since its creation nearly three decades ago, Ronald L. Book has helped to shape and guide the Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust as a committed volunteer member of the board,” Miami-Dade County Homeless Trust Executive Director Victoria Mallette said. “As the board’s current Chair, his leadership, passion, and commitment to helping the least, last, lost, and forgotten is unparalleled. Under Mr. Book’s leadership, unsheltered homelessness in Miami-Dade County has been reduced by nearly 90 percent, more than 14,000 people experiencing homelessness are served each year, by Miami-Dade’s continuum of care as it continues to be recognized as a national model.”
Book has also served as a trustee for the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, a member of the Broward Sheriff’s Advisory Council and as a board member for the Mourning Family Foundation, Best Buddies, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Neighbors 4 Neighbors, and more.
Book also chairs the Lauren’s Kids Foundation, a charitable organization he co-founded with his daughter, Sen. Lauren Book, to prevent childhood sexual abuse through education and awareness.
“On behalf of the Lauren’s Kids Foundation, congratulations to our Chairman and my dad, Ron Book, as he is honored by The Association of Fundraising Professionals for his lifetime of service helping those in need,” Book said. “His tireless advocacy has shaped dozens of laws to make the State of Florida safer for children, and his leadership has helped Lauren’s Kids shatter the stigma surrounding child sexual abuse while raising awareness, educating communities, and helping survivors heal. Florida’s children are safer because of Ron Book.”
Book received the award Thursday at the Annual National Philanthropy Day Anniversary Awards Luncheon in Miami.
“Receiving the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Association of Fundraising Professionals is a humbling and deeply meaningful honor,” Book said. “Throughout my career, I have strived to be a tireless advocate for those in need and to make a positive impact on our community. It has been a privilege to work alongside dedicated individuals and organizations in the pursuit of a better tomorrow. This award is a testament to the power of service, the importance of giving back, and the potential we all have to create lasting change. I am truly grateful for this recognition, and I am more committed than ever to continue my journey of service and philanthropy. As I continue to work to make this place better than I found it.”
