About The Alliance

Since the Alliance’s inception 17 years ago, we have made numerous licensed trips to Cuba. We have participated in numerous meetings with Cuban citizens and senior Cuban officials, including nine meetings with former President Fidel Castro and one with President Raul Castro. We have arranged, advised and taken present and former members of the Senate and Congress, business leaders and local elected officials to Cuba. Some of the Alliance’s guests on these trips include:

Senators: Jeff Flake, Jerry Moran, Pat Roberts, Dennis DeConcini, Steven Symms, Larry Craig, James Inhofe, Arlen Specter

Congressmen: Bill Delahunt, John Tanner, Jim McGovern, Beryl Anthony, Bruce Morrison, Jeff Flake

Governor: Butch Otter

Religious Leaders: Rev. Joan B. Campbell, Monsignor Laurence Higgins

American Artist: Leroy Neiman

While the Legislature remains a significant factor in US-Cuba relations, the Alliance believes US-Cuba policy will ultimately be changed from “the bottom-up” not “the top-down.” Accordingly, the Alliance believes Tampa is more relevant to the future of US-Cuba relations than Miami. When a majority of the Tampa City Council, Hillsborough County Commission, Tampa Aviation Authority, Tampa Port Authority, the Mayor of Tampa, and prominent religious & business leaders speak with one voice to establish friendly relations with Cuba it will happen.

The Alliance has also worked with corporate America in improving relations with Cuba and has arranged travel for FedEx/Kinko’s, J.R. Simplot Company, The Southern Companies, TECO Energy, Tyson Foods, the Wikert Group, the International Association of Drilling Contractors and Vulcan Materials by taking their executives to Cuba on fact-finding missions.

The Alliance has been vital in arranging trips to the United States for high ranking Cuban officials. The Alliance has formed a close relationship with the Cuban Embassy as well as government officials in Cuba, having invited the Ambassador and his staff to the Tampa Bay/St. Petersburg area.

Advisors

Honorable Beryl F. Anthony, Jr.*
Partner, Sundquist Anthony
House of Representatives (1978-1992)

Jason Busto
Busto Plumbing, Tampa FL

Reverend Joan B. Campbell
Director, Department of Religion
Chautauqua Institution
Chautauqua, New York

Dr. Ruth Cowan
Founding President, Pro Mujer
New York, New York

Honorable Dennis DeConcini*
Parry, Romani, DeConcini, & Symms
United States Senate (1977-1995)

Honorable Bill Delahunt
House of Representatives (1997-2011)

Steven M. Ellman
Chairman & CEO, The Ellman Companies
Phoenix, Arizona

Albert A. Fox, Jr.*
Co-founder, Access Management, Inc.
Bethesda, Maryland
Commissioner, Martin Luther King, Jr.
Federal Holiday Commission (1990-1992)

John L. Macdonald*
Chairman, JLM Industries, Inc.
Tampa, Florida

Patrick Mantiega
Editor and Publisher
La Gaceta, Tampa FL

Honorable Bruce A. Morrison
Chairman, Morrison Public Affairs Group
House of Representatives (1983-1991)

Honorable John Ray
Partner, Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, LLP
District of Columbia City Council (1979- 1997)

Daniel F. Sansone*
Senior Vice President & CFO,
Vulcan Materials Company
Birmingham, Alabama

Honorable Walter J. Stewart*
Griffin, Johnson, Dover & Stewart
Secretary of the United States Senate (1987-1994)

Honorable David A. Straz, Jr.*
Ambassador at Large and Honorary Consulate General
Republic of Liberia
Tampa, Florida

Honorable Steve Symms
Parry, Romani, DeConcini, & Symms
United States Senate (1981-1993)
House of Representatives (1973-1981)

James R. Wikert
President & CEO
The Wikert Group
Dallas, Texas

Honorable Alexander B. Trowbridge
(deceased)
President, Trowbridge Partners, Inc.
President, National Assoc.
of Manufacturers (1980-1990)

Joshua M. Freeman
(deceased)
Chairman & CEO, Carl M. Freeman Companies
Olney, Maryland