People of Palm Beach

She is a 22-year-old college student who figured out a way for her family farm business to thrive during the coronavirus shutdown. Palm Beach County's East Coast Farms & Vegetables had to do something fast. Within a week of the pandemic hitting south Florida, the Lantana distributor's sales went to zero. East Coast Farms and Vegetables partners with farmers to sell fruits and vegetables to companies like Sysco and Cheney Brothers, ...

Past POPB guests, Gary Miller and Andi Vallely recently joined me for my Facebook Live Coronavirus Check-in. Gary Miller ("The Insurance Wizard") of USHealth Advisors shared his personal concerns about his daughter, who is a nurse on the front lines in New York City. Then, Andi Vallely of Spread Happy gives some helpful advice on how we can all not only cope, but also be creative, while cooped up. Listen in...

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She was looking for a charity that didn't require much of her time. Tandy Robinson was a working mom, but still wanted to impact her community. She joined a non-profit in Indian River County that allowed her to pool her money with other women and show up once a year to vote on where their money would be spent. It was called Impact 100. And they had nothing like it in Palm Beach County, so Robinson decided to start one. Impact 100 P...

She was born in Jamaica and moved to Palm Beach County with her single mom when she was 9. She was painfully shy and had a hard time learning. She found track and field in high school and immediately loved the sport and her coach. Antoinette Wilks qualified for the Olympic trials twice, but a devastating injury after college ended her Olympic hopes. She says it's the best thing that ever happened to her, because it put her on a pat...

Twelve years ago, new mom Leslie Nifoussi was alone in the New Jersey Shore surf shop she owned with her husband when, out of nowhere, a customer went on a violent rampage - attacking her with a rock and throwing her into a glass display case. She fought back and survived, but that moment changed how she looked at herself. Nifoussi and her family now live in Jupiter, Florida where she has a thriving career as a commercial model and...

He started as a competition DJ in Dallas and got a job in West Palm Beach radio in 2005. Reggie Dee is now a well-known radio personality on X102.3 and uses his platform to make a difference in this community. Thanks to a promise to his dying mom, Reggie vowed to shine a light on the issue of racism by walking thousands of miles across the country. His Walk for Unity has been met with both support and criticism along the way. In fa...

Do you ever wonder why some people are innately happy and others seem to walk around with a permanent frown on their face? Today's guest knows the answer, and she says we don't have to live in the feeling of our thinking. We CAN be happy with a simple mindset switch. Andrea Vallely knows this, because she has lived it. Listen to why Spread Happy's Andi Vallely is one of the happiest people of Palm Beach...

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She's a natural salesperson; so, when the Bronx native got a job after college doing inside sales at Atlas Event Rental, she became the go-to person for customers of the rental business. Heather Rouffe eventually became such an integral part of Atlas Event Rental, they made her a managing partner. Today, she handles almost everything in the huge Atlas warehouse in Boynton Beach--from ordering to running the daily operation to helpi...

If you live in Palm Beach County, you've likely heard of Jack the Bike Man. Jack Hairston got the name by mistake after a young man's bike broke down right in front of his house. Next thing he knew, kids all over the neighborhood were bringing bicycles to Jack for repairs. Today, the 78-year-old runs a huge non-profit where he gives away thousands of bikes a year to kids and adults who need them. In this episode, find out what he r...

She grew up in south Florida and loved being on camera and on stage as a child; but, when Sam Kerrigan got home from college, her first job in television was behind the camera. So, how did she make the difficult leap from video editor to the main traffic anchor for CBS12? And how did she get that name - Traffic Jam Sam? Sam Kerrigan reveals the secret character trait that most people don't know about her, her pet peeves and what sh...

He's not unlike most New Yorkers who decide to move to south Florida. He wanted better weather, fewer taxes and a fresh start. But, Gary Miller also renewed his faith and his passion when he moved to Jupiter. And he got a new nickname - The Insurance Wizard. In fact--go check out his new show on Facebook and YouTube. Find out why Gary Miller is one of the most down-to-earth People of Palm Beach...

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You've probably heard of the Junior League. But do you have any idea what they do? Suzanne sits down with the President of the Junior League of Boca Raton to talk about the organization's mission, its huge project to help working moms, and why volunteerism is in her blood. Plus, her day job that has had to take a back seat to being a mom and the leader of one of the largest charities in Palm Beach County. Listen to why Cristy Stewa...

She has battled some chronic health issues throughout her life, but nothing hit Royal Palm Beach's Lisa Fitter harder than breast cancer. With young twins and a husband at home, the English-born real estate agent was facing a deadly disease without health insurance. Little did she know, a local organization was about to be her angel, and now she is pouring her time and energy into giving back to the charity that is getting her thro...

She was born with a birth defect that forced doctors to amputate her leg and send her off to a facility for disabled children where she lived from the age of 2 to 5. Rosalind Murray has never let her prosthetic leg define what she can and cannot do. She is a criminal justice analyst and skilled at Bikram yoga, pilates, and spin. She is a mom, a wife and a Girl Scout Troop leader, even though she has no daughters. M...

I've been meaning to record a podcast with this woman since our fateful meeting at the Podfest Multimedia Expo in Orlando back in March. We hit it off instantly! She has been a realtor for 16 years, but realized that social media and digital marketing was the key to growing her business. She was upset when her dad moved the family from Canada to Boca when she was in high school, but that move would change her life. She found lifelo...

After a spring break trip to Fort Lauderdale during his college years, Tom Prakas knew what he wanted to do: own nightclubs. He spent years running highly successful clubs and restaurants in Ohio, Georgia, and south Florida before the father of seven decided it was time for a change. He founded Prakas and Company in 1999, specializing in real estate deals for the hospitality industry. His company has brokered more than 450 sales an...

She's a wife, a mom, and one of the most talented fashion designers in south Florida. Amanda Perna started her career at Calvin Klein in New York; but, the neutral tones of CK didn't fit the bright, eclectic style she wanted to design. The admitted overachiever and Project Runway star cashed in her 401k and started her own line--the House of Perna. But, she didn't stop there. Her creations now include a little girl, another ready-t...

You may remember Tim Byrd as one of the original radio personalities in the West Palm Beach market. He started in the business by walking into his local radio station in South Carolina when he was a kid and asking for the "man in charge." That began a long and successful career in the radio business, from New York to West Palm Beach. He connects with music in a way that makes you think he is a musician himself. But he's now using h...

Christina Nicholson started her career as a TV reporter. With two small children at home, she realized the hectic schedule of the news business was not going to work. After a move to PR and a nightmare boss, she decided to go work for herself. She has created a successful business as a professional freelancer in the public relations field. She has an agency, a team and she does it all from home. In this episode, she reveals the one...