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Lois Whitman-Hess
President and Founder at HWH PR
Lois Whitman-Hess is the President and Founder of HWH PR, a public relations agency she co-founded in 1977. With a strong background in various sectors, including technology, entertainment, law, and publishing, she has established herself as a significant figure in the public relations industry. Under her leadership, HWH PR focuses on delivering measurable results based on quantified objectives, showcasing a commitment to effective communication strategies.
Her career spans decades, during which she has worked with diverse clients and industries. Whitman-Hess is based in Miami Beach, Florida, and continues to play an active role in shaping the direction of her firm while also engaging with broader industry trends and innovations.1234
Highlights
Welcome to Art Lovers Forum, episode 25. This episode of Art Lovers Forum is dedicated to the late Rosa de la Cruz who was one of the leading art collectors in the United States.
I am talking to Ibett Yanez del Castillo, Director of the Emerson Dorsch Gallery in Miami, who worked side-by-side with Rosa and Carlos for 19 years. This is probably one of the most intimate and detailed interviews you will ever hear about Rosa. Ibett thinks about Rosa every day and credits her with the successful and fulfilling life she has had in art.
Ibett tells us all about Rosa and how she and Carlos assembled one of the finest collections of contemporary art, particularly postwar German paintings. She will also give us the background on how and why Rosa and Carlos opened one of Miami’s first private art museums. She also reveals how Rosa selected the art in her collection, and she didn’t buy a piece just because she loved it.
Rosa and Carlos repeatedly earned a spot on the ARTnews Top 200 Collectors list. Rosa died at the age of 81 in her home on Key Biscayne, Florida on February 25, 2024, following a long battle with an undisclosed autoimmune disorder. Rosa had five children, 17 grandchildren and six great grandchildren.
Ibett has been with Emerson Dorsch Gallery since 2019 and is the Founder of Ground Control Miami, where she provides tailored collection management and art consultation services for institutions and collectors. With over 20 years of experience, she has worked with galleries, collectors, non-profits, and private and public educational institutions within the greater Miami community. She earned a BFA from the University of Florida (New World School of the Arts). She began her career at the Moore Space, serving as assistant director from 2004-2007. In 2008, she became the founding director of the de la Cruz Collection, where she oversaw the construction phase of the collectors' 30,000 square-foot museum in Miami's Design District. She established all aspects of the collection’s mission, from its educational programming to its annual exhibitions, achieving worldwide recognition.
In 2009, with the vision and philanthropic dedication of Rosa and Carlos de la Cruz, along with support from the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and numerous educators and community members, Ibett, together with gallerist and NWSA faculty member Fredric Snitzer, initiated the New World School of the Arts Travel Abroad Program.
In 2017, Ibett was nominated and accepted into the International Association of Curators of Contemporary Art (IKT) and has been an active board member at the Fountainhead Residency since 2019.
Listen to episode 25 of the Art Lovers Forum podcast here - https://lnkd.in/eQX38AKp
Apple Podcasts – https://lnkd.in/eZXwxKP5
Ibett Yanez del Castillo #emersondorsch @tyleremerson @brookdorsch
We are in love with this unusual but meaningful sculpture (7 inches by 7 inches) from Israeli artist Ruth Patir. It represents the millions of women who are alive today (me too) because mammography machines detect breast cancer. Eliot and I bought it from the Baverman Gallery, Tel Aviv (gallerist Adi Guri)when the world learned that Ruth Patir, who was the exclusive artist representing Israel at the 60th Venice Biennale, decided to keep the doors to the Israel pavilion shut until there was a Ceasefire and Hostage Release. Through our good friend Tami Katz-Freiman, (art curator, writer, lecturer, and collector) we were able to buy “Motherland” as a way to celebrate Patir for her selfless decision. Patir made the decision together with the exhibition’s curators, Tamar Margalit and Mira Lapidot. We met Patir when she was a resident at Fountainhead Arts.
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Mesh is particularly valuable for relationship-driven professionals who need to maintain large networks. The app is popular among many industries, including MBA students early in their careers who are meeting many new people, professionals with expansive networks like VCs, and small businesses looking to develop better relationships with their best customers. Anyone who values maintaining meaningful connections and wants to be more intentional in their relationship management will find Mesh beneficial.
Mesh offers competitive pricing in the personal CRM market. Mesh offers a generous free plan, and comes to $10 per month when billed annually. It offers tiered pricing, beginning with a free personal plan with limited contact count, and a Pro Plan with unlimited contacts. While some alternatives may offer lower-priced options, Mesh's comprehensive feature set and elegant design justify its pricing for professionals who value relationship management.
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