MARIE R. GILL

Helping small minorities, women, veterans and disadvantaged businesses to develop and succeed in the market, Marie R. Gill believes there is a great need for help for small businesses. There is a great sense of joy she experiences when a small business receives a loan that will help them succeed. Since 1990, she has served as the president and chief executive officer of her own company, M. Gill & Associates, Inc., a specialty consulting firm that develops, administers and manages strategic growth and economic development initiatives for small and minority businesses, government agencies, corporations and educational institutions that operate in the local and global economies. M. Gill & Associates, Inc., also operates the MBDA Export Center. Prior to this post, Ms. Gill contributed to governmental economic development in her home country of Jamaica and was a private consultant in Colorado.

Before the start of her professional career, Ms. Gill immigrated to the United States in 1970. She enrolled in a dual program at the University of the West Indies in Mona, Jamaica, and the University of Toronto, earning a Bachelor of Science in economics in 1970, a Master of Arts in mass communications in 1972 and a Master of Business Administration in 1974. After graduating with these academic honors, Ms. Gill returned to Jamaica in 1975, later journeying back to the United States in 1982.

Ms. Gill attributes her success to her upbringing and her early years growing up in Jamaica. In school, she had teachers who paid attention and made sure she made good decisions. She has many mentors that saw the potential in her and gave her the push to move forward. She feels fortunate now to have a team/staff that is strong, committed and devoted to the association and its mission. Involved in her local community, Ms. Gill has been a founding member and president of the Jamaica U.S.A. Chamber of Commerce since 2008, which promotes international trade and opportunities between the United States of America and Jamaica. Additionally, she was the vice president of the Association of Bi-National Chambers of Commerce in Florida, which promotes, fosters, articulates and advances the common interests of all bi-national chambers of commerce in Florida.

In honor of her achievements, Ms. Gill was awarded the African American Achievement Award in Entrepreneurism by JM Family Enterprises of Florida in 2004. More recently, in 2019, she received the Gold Medal Award from Miami Today Newspaper and was named among the 100 Successful Women in Business in Florida. Today, Ms. Gill resides in Miami and is the proud mother of two wonderful children, Maria and Chevon, who both live in the United Kingdom. Likewise, she is a doting grandmother to four beloved grandchildren.

Moving forward, Ms. Gill would like her peers to think of her with high integrity, morals and authority; her word is her bond. For those looking to pursue a similar field, she advises that you never get to the end of the book of life; you don’t know it all and you are a forever student. There are many ups and downs in entrepreneurship, but if you are committed and choose to love it, you will always have the spirit to continue. Ms. Gill’s motto is to never compromise your integrity.

This year, Ms. Gill is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the annual Women Mean Business conference, now known as Women Mean Business International. Their new name allows them to incorporate all women that have made a difference worldwide. Moreover, Ms. Gill received the Women’s Day Award on March 6, 2020. She was one of six others to receive this prestigious award. Given to her at the World Trade Center in Miami, the ceremony was held at a large event of over 500 people, where her staff family and pastor attended.