Benjamin Leon
Benjamin Leon, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| United States Ambassador to Spain Nominee | |
| Assuming office TBD | |
| President | Donald Trump |
| Succeeding | Julissa Reynoso Pantaleón |
| Personal details | |
| Born | December 4, 1944[1] Oriente, Cuba |
Benjamin Leon, Jr. (born December 4, 1944) is a Cuban-American businessman and horse enthusiast who has been announced by President Donald Trump to serve as the next United States ambassador to Spain.[2][3]
Career
[edit]Leon was born in Oriente, Cuba in 1944.[1] Leon migrated to Miami, Florida in 1961.[1][4] Leon's father founded Clinica Cuba in 1964 in order to help meet the healthcare needs of newly immigrated Cubans.[1] Leon and his father also founded Clínica Asociación Cubana (CAC), one of the first health maintenance organizations in the United States.[5] In 1994, Leon sold CAC to UnitedHealthCare for $500 million.[5] In 1996, Leon founded Leon Medical Centers, which provides healthcare to Medicare patients.[6] Leon Medical Centers is currently led by Leon's son, Benjamin Leon III, who serves as the company's CEO.[7]
Besilu Stables
[edit]In the 1980s, Leon established Besilu Stables, and began to show and breed Paso Fino horses.[4] In 2008, Leon bought his first Thoroughbred, and soon after started racing horses.[4] In 2011, Leon bought Royal Delta for $8.5 million. She would win the Eclipse Award for American Champion Three-Year-Old Filly in 2011 and again in 2012 and 2013 as the American Champion Older Dirt Female Horse.[5]
Political activity and philanthropy
[edit]In 2015, Leon donated $2.5 million to the presidential campaign of Marco Rubio.[8] Leon has also donated to the Republican Party of Kentucky and Mitch McConnell.[9]
In 2008, Leon donated $10 million to establish the Florida International University Family Center for Geriatrics Research and Education.[10]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d "About Our Founder". Leon Medical Centers. Archived from the original on 8 December 2015. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ Wehner, Greg (2025-01-02). "Trump taps team to work with US Treasury nominee Scott Bessent". Fox News. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ "Trump nominates Florida businessman Benjamin León Jr. as US ambassador to Spain". www.msn.com. Retrieved 2025-01-21.
- ^ a b c Novak, Claire (11 March 2012). "Patience a virtue for Benjamin Leon". ESPN. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ a b c Genaro, Theresa (27 August 2013). "The $8.5 Million Mare, Royal Delta Keeps On Winning". Forbes. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ "Benjamin Leon Jr". Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ Gale, Kevin (27 July 2012). "Leon Medical Centers offers model for health care reform". South Florida Business Journal. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ Nehamas, Nicholas (1 August 2015). "Top donors to political committees backing Jeb Bush, Marco Rubio hail from Miami". Miami Herald. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ Loftus, Tom (20 July 2014). "Wrestling promoter Vince McMahon gives big to Ky GOP". The Courier-Journal. Retrieved 15 October 2015.
- ^ "FIU College of Medicine receives major gift to establish the Benjamín León, Jr. Family Center for Geriatric Research and Education". Florida International University. 28 May 2008. Retrieved 15 October 2015.