Following Banner Second Year, eMerge Americas Announces New CEO And Main Dates For 2016 Conference

MIAMI, May 19, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Following a highly successful second year, eMerge Americas today announced the main dates for the third year of the annual conference. From April 18 through 19, South Florida's eMerge Americas conference will once again welcome the region's leading entrepreneurs, industry luminaries, tech enthusiasts, global thought leaders and strategic investors. Additionally, eMerge Americas announced the appointment of Michael T. Rodriguez as Chief Executive Officer. Rodriguez is the former Vice President and General Manager of WLTV and WAMI, Univision's flagship stations in South Florida.

All eyes were on Miami earlier this month where more than 10,000 attendees from over 50 countries were present at eMerge Americas 2015, with millions around the globe sharing in the experience thanks to NBCUniversal's live broadcasts and online streaming. Furthermore, this year's event attracted more than 500 participating companies from varying industries, including 125 startups from throughout the Americas and the world, the strong support of 175 sponsors and more than 200 expert speakers. In all, the conference generated well over 7,500 hotel room nights and millions of dollars of economic impact for Greater Miami.

"eMerge Americas 2015 exceeded our most optimistic expectations in its second year and has once again set a high standard for years to come," said Manuel D. Medina, Founder and Chairman of eMerge Americas. "With the significant progress of the eMerge movement over the last year and the amazing potential we see for its continued growth, I have the utmost confidence in Mike's ability to lead and propel eMerge into a new, exciting chapter of success. He is an accomplished leader with a proven track record for driving growth through sales, organizational and financial management."

Rodriguez joins eMerge Americas as a seasoned 20-year media executive who has served in a variety of leadership roles at CBS, NBCUniversal and most recently, Univision Communications Inc., where he was fundamental in driving revenue, ratings and bottom line growth for WLTV and WAMI.

"Miami is quickly emerging as the technology capital of Latin America and the Southeastern United States, and eMerge Americas has been a catalyst for that growth," said Rodriguez. "I'm excited to be a part of eMerge as we work together with the community and all of our partners to continue to build on this new chapter in South Florida's history."

Rodriguez and the eMerge Americas leadership team are already working to enhance various elements for the 2016 event building on the tremendous momentum the eMerge movement generated in its second year. With stimulating keynote addresses by thought leaders like Deepak Chopra, U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Julian Castro, Martine Rothblatt and Armando Christian Perez (Pitbull) and unique experiences like the Women, Innovation and Technology (WIT) Summit, eMerge Americas 2015 set the stage for what will be an even bigger and better conference in April 2016.

"In two short years, eMerge Americas has proven to fill a void in the market for a platform that focuses on the innovations disrupting industries and connects the Latin American, North American and European markets," said Xavier Gonzalez, Executive Director of eMerge Americas. "eMerge has had a significant positive impact on the growth of the technology sector in Miami, and eMerge Americas 2016 will take that impact to a whole new level."

Visit eMerge Americas' website (www.emergeamericas.org) to stay informed regarding new details for the 2016 event, as well as videos and photos from the 2015.

About eMerge Americas
eMerge Americas serves as the preeminent innovative thought exchange helping transform Miami into the technological hub of the Americas. By connecting global industry leaders and investors with the America's top business executives, IT decision-makers, and innovative entrepreneurs, new partnerships that will spur visionary innovation and technological advancements in the Americas for the betterment of business and society are being forged. Summits focused on healthcare, entertainment and media, finance, cities, and education address the most pressing issues of today and provide solutions and resources to continue the rapid advances of the 21st century. eMerge Americas Founding Partners are the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, Miami-Dade County, Greenberg Traurig, P.A., and Medina Capital. For more information about eMerge Americas, please visit: www.emergeamericas.org.

SOURCE eMerge Americas