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Florida Trend's Floridian of the Year — 2009

For our inaugural Floridian of the Year section, Florida Trend tried to identify the Florida newsmakers who had the biggest impact on the state or embodied the year’s dominant trends in 2009.

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Above, some of the Newsmakers of the Year. Full list is below.

Floridian of the Year

Our selection as Floridian of the Year — Miami Dade College President Eduardo Padrón — has been a major influence over the past year in shaping education policy and advocating for community colleges, which are taking on bigger roles as laid-off workers look for retraining and four-year universities hit capacity. This section also identifies other high-impact Floridians in fields ranging from philanthropy to science to tourism. At the links below, you'll find stories of those Floridians who most shaped the state in 2009.

Eduardo Padrón
Miami Dade College President
Eduardo Padrón

A relentless advocate for community colleges, Miami Dade College President Eduardo Padrón gained the ear of President Barack Obama and helped change the way the United States views community colleges.

"In the past year, there has been a transformational change in the conversation" about American community colleges,” says Will Holcombe, chancellor of Florida's College System. "President Obama is part of it, and many other leaders are part of it, and Eduardo is probably the best example of those leaders who are having an impact."
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Florida Newsmakers of the Year

Business & Economy
Rasesh Thakkar / John Hitt
Foreclosed Homes
The Emigrants
Harry Potter
Arthur Nadel

Education
Brain Drain
Ray Ferrero
Jr.

PhotoOther notable newsmakers who shaped Florida in 2009:

Environment
Augusto 'Gus' Casamayor
Python
Florida Power & Light

Government
Marion County
Sen. Mike Bennett
Ray Sansom
Rail Transit and State Sen.
Paula Dockery

Media
St. Petersburg Times /
Miami Herald Tallahassee Bureau

Military
Florida's Fallen Soldiers

Philanthropy
Lawrence E. Ruf
Jack Wilkinson

Science
Photo William Hauswirth

Sports
Tim Tebow
Gay Culverhouse

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