Mr. Monestime was first elected to District 2 on November 2, 2010. After 30 years as a resident of Miami-Dade County, he became the first Haitian-American to ever serve on the Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners. District 2 includes portions of the City of Miami, North Miami, North Miami Beach, Opa-locka, and the unincorporated areas of Liberty City, Biscayne Gardens and North Dade Central.
Jean, his wife Kettia and their two sons, Darnell & Clarence are long-time residents of District 2.
Commissioner Monestime is President of Jacob – Monestime & Associates, LLC, a full service real estate and Insurance company located in North Miami. He is also a small business consultant, and works part-time as an Adjunct Professor of Management at the University of Phoenix, South Florida Campus. During the previous eight years, he was President and CEO of MJM Capital Realty, Inc.
Commissioner Monestime is a former Councilman and Vice-Mayor for the City of North Miami. During his tenure, he was nominated for the Greater North Miami Chamber of Commerce Quality of Life Improvement Award for the year 2003. He has served on several boards including The North Miami Mayor’s Economic Task Force, the North Miami Community Redevelopment Agency, and The Minimum Housing Appeal Board of Miami-Dade County.
Mr. Monestime has represented the City of North Miami at both the Florida League of Cities and the National League of Cities and served on Business, Transportation and Economic Development committees and the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) Subcommittee.
He has served as a member of the African-American NON-GROUP Coalition, HAAP, NAACP, National Black MBA Association, Haitian-American Grassroots Coalition, Turner Tech High School Academy of Finance Board, HAPAC, Little Haiti Optimist Club, and HAHS. Mr. Monestime also served on the Governor’s Haiti Advisory Group and the University and Community Zone Schools Advisory Committee for the Miami-Dade County School Board.
Commissioner Monestime is a former Miami-Dade public school teacher. He has been a member of Eden SDA Church since 1981. He has served the church as Youth Director, Music and Choir director and First Elder (church leader).
He has lectured, presented dozens of seminars, and has been a guest on several radio and TV programs on issues relating to Community Leadership, Business and financial matters, local government and Civism. Jean Monestime has been an advocate for equal justice and economic development.
Mr. Monestime obtained his MBA from the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business & Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University. He also received a bachelor’s degree in Finance from Florida International University. He has been the recipient of numerous awards and recognitions.
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