Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon and Blue Origin, takes the stage Thursday at the America Business Forum at the Kaseya Center in Miami.
pportal@miamiherald.com
One of the richest men in the world and an alum of Miami Palmetto Senior High, Jeff Bezos closed the 2025 America Business Forum at the Kaseya Center expressing nostalgia for his childhood, showing appreciation for his South Florida roots and giving business advice to thousands of well-heeled spectators.
After Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, who was interviewing Bezos, reminded the crowd that the Amazon and Blue Origin founder attended high school in Miami-Dade County, Bezos let out a “Go, Panthers, Go” to loud cheers, followed by the entrepreneur’s trademark deep, loud laugh.
The Palmetto High valedictorian and Miami Herald Silver Knight winner in 1982 also reminisced about an early job he had in South Florida that he said helped him greatly: He worked at a McDonald’s. He flipped burgers, mopped the floors and cleaned the bathrooms.
“I learned a lot,” Bezos said, and he even recently took his wife, Lauren, there.
“That was a great job.”
His mother was still living in Coral Gables until nearly two months ago. Jackie Gise Bezos, a philanthropist, died in her home on Aug. 14 at 78.
Gise raised Jeff as a single mom, meeting Cuban immigrant Miguel Bezos, now 79, while she was going to night school and working during the day at a bank. They were married in 1968, with Miguel Bezos adopting her young son, and had two more kids, Christina and Mark.
Appearances at the America Business Forum
Jeff Bezos after receiving a key to the city of Miami rom Mayor Francis Suarez and Ignacio Gonzalez, right, at the America Business Forum on Thursday. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com
The America Business Forum, held Nov. 5 and Nov. 6, was an eclectic business meeting that drew business leaders, celebrities, sports stars and political leaders.
The conference dates back to 2016 and is usually held in Uruguay. The original purpose was to build a sort of leadership platform, bringing together people in business, politics, sport and culture, founder Ignacio Gonzalez said in an interview with the Miami Herald in October.
Mayor Suarez, who attended last year’s edition in Uruguay, played a key role in bringing the event to Miami and the U.S for the first time. He also persuaded many of the big-name speakers to participate, including President Donald Trump. Other speakers included financial titans Ken Griffin, founder of Citadel, and Jamie Dimon, the JPMorganChase boss.
Rafael Nadal, Serena Williams and Formula 1 chief Stefano Domenicali also spoke on stage.
As expected, two of the biggest draws who received the loudest applause were South Americans: Venezuela’s Maria Corina Machado, who just won this year’s Nobel Peace Prize for years of fighting to restore democracy to her country, and Lionel Messi. Another popular speaker was Javier Milei, President of Argentina, who spoke on Thursday.
But hometown boy Bezos, who has a residence in South Florida, drew as loud applause on several occasions, first talking about the city.
A suggestion for Miami
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez interviews Jeff Bezos during the final day of the America Business Forum at the Kaseya Center. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com
“I love the Latin part of the culture here,” he said. “As soon as I land, I feel the energy.”
He also observed that “Miami has completely transformed over the last four years” — and for the better.
Yet it was a comment on AI that brought the house down.
Suarez asked Bezos for his view on the technology, and Bezos replied he was bullish. “The fundamentals of what are happening are very powerful and it will impact every industry.”
Bezos then waded into local issues, questioning the length of time it takes to get a permit for a new house or a new building.
“Miami should have an AI app to give you a yes or no in 10 seconds,” he said, as attendees erupted in cheers and supportive yells. It came close to the reaction soccer god Messi received the day before.
“Why does it take months and months and months to get a building permit?” asked Bezos.
Again, massive applause and cheers broke out. The audience stood.
A business plan from Bezos
Miami Mayor Francis Suarez, left, and Jeff Bezos on stage. Pedro Portal pportal@miamiherald.com
Outside downtown Miami’s Kaseya Center, on the steps, people congregated.
“Out of all the big speakers, Bezos was the only one who actually gave you a viable sketch of a business plan that you can take home and build anytime,” said Julio Cassels, a 50-year-old Miami-based business development specialist. “Everybody else talked in generalities.”
Others were pleased for different reasons.
Santiago Rodriguez-Villamil, who is 58 and has lived in Miami for 20 years, beamed with pride.
The tech professional was born in Montevideo, Uruguay, and to see a compatriot organize such an event with all the big-name speakers affected him.
“It was wild,” Rodriguez-Villamil said. “I’m very proud of Uruguay.”
Still, it may have been Bezos who had the most hometown pride, including when he discussed space exploration.
“We’re eventually going to have to move all of our heavy industry off of Earth,” he said.
He noted that he didn’t know how long that would take, and it’s something multiple generations will work on. “But it will happen.”
That Bezos up on stage bore a strong resemblance to the one who attended high school in Miami.
“This little kid who was here in high school 40 plus years ago was dreaming at that time of building a space company that would one day take heavy polluting industry off Earth,” Bezos said.
“And this guy sitting here on stage with you is still dreaming the same dream 40 years later.”
Toward the end of the discussion, Bezos was asked what kind of legacy he would like to leave, The Washington Post owner replied he’d like to see a news headline that says: “World’s oldest man is still inventing ”
Again, big applause.
“It’s good to be home,” said Bezos.
This story was originally published November 6, 2025 at 10:27 PM.
