In honor of Hispanic Heritage Month, the Florida Panthers announced their annual ‘Celebration of Hispanic Excellence’ series, presented by Amazon, recognizing South Florida residents making a difference in the local community.

From Hispanic business owners and educators to creators, healthcare workers, public servants, executives and more, the Panthers ‘Celebration of Hispanic Excellence’ program recognizes individuals nominated by their peers, colleagues, families or friends for the positive impact they are making in South Florida and beyond.

Honorees’ stories will be highlighted throughout Hispanic Heritage Month at FloridaPanthers.com/VamosGatos and Panthers social media platforms, @FlaPanthers and @FlaPanthersCARE.

Later this season, the Panthers will host two ¡Vamos Gatos! Nights powered by Ford on March 3 and March 6, 2025. This year’s ‘Hispanic Excellence’ honorees will be recognized on March 6 at Amerant Bank Arena. For more information and to purchase tickets, please visit SeatGeek.com or FloridaPanthers.com/ThemeNights.

In the first two weeks, the Panthers have recognized ‘mission-driven’ leaders, leaders in healthcare and public service, and educators.

Week for will highlight business leaders.

Territory General Manager, Coca-Cola Florida

Carlos Diaz-Granados serves as the Territory General Manager for Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, where he oversees operations for the Miami-Dade and the Keys distribution centers. With over 30 years of strategic leadership and operational excellence, Carlos manages key functions including sales, distribution, warehousing, and marketing. His commitment to Coca-Cola Florida’s core pillars—Education, Sustainability, and Economic Empowerment—is evident in his leadership and community engagement. Carlos is a dedicated advocate for the community. He sits on the Board of Directors for the Boys and Girls Club and serves on the Government Affairs Committee at the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. He actively supports various South Florida organizations, including Pace for Girls, Kiwanis of Little Havana, and Breakthrough Miami. His community contributions range from planting trees and donating laptops to distributing backpacks and food to those in need. A proud graduate of Florida International University (FIU) with a degree in Economics, Carlos balances his professional life with a passion for travel and quality time with his family.

Senior Centric District Manager, ADP

Mirtea Diaz serves as a Senior Centric District Manager for ADP. She has a passion for empowering businesses and driving growth. She is dedicated to providing innovative solutions and exceptional service to her clients. She brings a strategic mindset, results-driven approach, and a commitment to delivering excellence in everything she does. Born and raised in San Juan, Puerto Rico, Mirtea studied criminal justice and is also an advocate for women with endometriosis and adenomyosis, raising awareness and offering support to those affected. Despite the debilitating effects of endometriosis and adenomyosis, she wakes up every day with gratitude, always striving to do her best. Hard work and determination led her to Florida, where she sought a better life and is now able to provide stability and support for her family. Beyond her professional life, Mirtea has a passion for helping animals in need and enjoys spending time with family and friends, as well as visiting theme parks, museums, concerts, and beaches. After discovering a love for ziplining, she is eager to try new adventures that challenge her mind and push her limits.

Owner, Pati Vargas Entertainment

Pati Vargas is the founder of Pati Vargas Entertainment, a full entertainment agency catering to festivals, community and private events of all types, which includes musicians, dancers, painters, etc. With more than 20 years of experience in the arts and entertainment industry, Pati has dedicated her efforts to mastering the inner workings of promotion, marketing and artistic development. Pati started at New York University, was a junior foreign exchange trader for Banque de Paris et de Pays Bas, New York. She eventually made it her personal mission to tackle the industry challenge of closing the gap between the English and Hispanic markets. Her time spent working in the nonprofit sector allowed her to identify a need for unique cooperative efforts through use of sound strategy, strong administration, constant involvement with the community and excellent communication. As a champion for creativity, she is motivated to empower leaders and professionals to advance local arts and entertainment. Pati’s clients include the Lincoln Center, Disney, Noches Tropicales a Miami-Dade Parks, Greater Miami Conversation & Visitors Bureau, and the City of Miramar. She is the past President of the Greater Miami Festival & Events Association, Board Member of the United Nations South Florida Women Chapter, and she was named Ford’s Mujer Legendaria Latina. Pati’s gallery holds free monthly classes for children and seniors.

Private Wealth Market Executive, SVP, Synovus Bank

Julio Roque is a Private Wealth Market Executive at Synovus Bank. He leverages 37 years of banking experience in financial planning, investment, and banking background to lead his team in the planning and execution of various complex wealth management issues. These issues typically include investment management, trust administration, estate planning, custom credit, banking, asset protection, philanthropy, and retirement planning. Julio always thinks about what is best for his clients and how he can best make a positive impact in their lives. Julio embodies the spirit of service, representing and uplifting the voices of the underrepresented with grace and dedication. He is actively involved in his community on a national and local level, as a philanthropist and volunteering his time, treasure, and talent. He often dedicates his time to advise local youth on career pathways. Some of his community involvements are the Junior Achievement Board of Directors, the United Way Broward County Finance Committee and Tocqueville Society, the American Heart Association where he chaired their fundraising committee, March of Dimes, Cystic Fibrosis, Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies, Crockett Foundation, LifeNet for Families and ChildNet. Aside from his professional success, Julio is a devoted partner, friend, and father to his children.

Founder, Cobreiro Law + Top Notch Title

Claudia Cobreiro is a Miami-based attorney with over a decade of legal experience who has climbed the ladder from support staff to founding her own female and minority-led law firm, all before turning 35. As a result, Claudia is widely regarded as an authority in complex legal matters today, and her expertise has garnered national attention and recognition. She is known as a staunch champion of women at all levels and across all industries, and she’s already brought several women along for the wins she’s amassed in her short time as a business owner. Claudia, of course, is still doing so as the wins keep coming. Not stopping there, Claudia readily shares her knowledge about topics ranging from the South Florida real estate market to business contracts through free training and masterclasses that she provides at no charge, contributing to the growth and development of local professionals from all backgrounds and walks of life. Because of the reputation she’s garnered across South Florida from her training sessions, she now sits on the 2024 Board for the National Association of Hispanic Real Estate Professionals South Florida Chapter, where she will serve as Education Director. Additionally, her pro-bono efforts with the FIU Law Domestic Violence Clinic and the American Civil Liberties Union further underscore her commitment to advocating for justice, particularly for women (who are statistically more likely to be victims of domestic violence). Claudia, who came to Miami from Cuba at a young age, is a textbook example of what happens when you go for your dreams and completely disregard any obstacles.

Founder & Managing Partner, GMS Law, PLLC

Gabriel M. de las Salas is the Founder and Managing Partner of GMS Law, PLLC. He proudly dedicates his practice to the representation of commercial and residential property owners. His practice focuses on handling property damage claims, real estate closings and contractor disputes. He loves to aggressively advocate on behalf of his clients to ensure their rights are protected and that they receive the compensation they deserve. Born and raised in South Florida, he is the proud child of Cuban exiles. Gabriel completed his undergraduate studies at the University of Florida in three (3) years with cum laude and Phi Beta Kappa honors. After college, he continued his studies at Stetson University College of Law. In law school, he was involved with Equal Justice Works (EJW), an organization that provides training and skills to law students seeking to aid the poor and other vulnerable populations. He’s also helped raise money for the Innocence Project, an organization committed to exonerating the wrongly convicted, while bringing attention to the failures of our criminal justice system. In addition, Gabriel has provided award-winning pro bono legal service that changes lives significantly. Gabriel now brings his heart to Big Brothers Big Sisters of Broward County, where he has served on the nonprofit’s board of directors for the past 3½ years. He has a strong commitment to the agency’s mission of igniting the power and promise of youth.

Mortgage Loan Originator, Sunset Home Mortgage & Financial Services

Yami Taveras, an experienced Mortgage Loan Originator at Sunset Home and Financial Services, provides a diverse range of home loan programs for clients, catering to first-time home buyers and investors, alike. With a focus on delivering competitive interest rates, she is dedicated to offering exceptional and personalized customer service. As a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, Yami has a particular dedication to assisting military buyers, utilizing her expertise in Veterans Administration loans to help numerous military families achieve homeownership. Beyond her professional commitments, Yami finds joy in traveling with her family. She is happily married and has two lovely children.

State & Local Policy Manager, Amazon

Giovanni Castro is the State & Local Policy Manager for Amazon for the US South Region, responsible for Florida, Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi and Puerto Rico. Previously, he was the Public Policy & Communications Manager for the US South Region for Uber Technologies. Prior to joining Uber, he was the Manager for State and Local Government Affairs for Verizon in the State of Florida. Before joining Verizon, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff for City of Miami Mayor Francis Suarez. Previously, Giovanni worked as a Senior Aide to the Lt. Governor of Florida, Carlos Lopez-Cantera. Giovanni earned his Bachelor of Business Administration in International Business from Florida International University. Giovanni is a certified scholar in affordable housing from the University of Miami, he is an alumnus of the Leadership Florida program, and a member of Florida International University’s Order of the Torch, the university’s highest honorary distinction. He was featured in Influence Magazine’s 30 under 30 for Florida Politics, a recipient of the MAVPAC Future 40 award, recognized in The News Service of Florida’s 2023 Florida Forty Under Forty and a recipient of Florida International University’s Top 5 Under 35 Award. Giovanni is currently the Co-Chairman of MAVPAC’s Miami Chapter, Co-Chairman of the United Way of Miami-Dade’s Public Policy Committee, Chairman of the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s Government Affairs Committee, and a board member for the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, WOW Center of Miami, the Underline and Florida International University’s President’s Council.