Carlos Planas | Honorary Directors

Chairman and CEO
Tamiami Chrysler Jeep
 
As Chairman and CEO of Tamiami Automotive Group, Carlos Planas has built an institution that is committed to delivering exceptional service from the time potential buyers enter the showroom, throughout the life of their vehicles and beyond. An automobile industry veteran with 37 years of experience under his belt, Carlos Planas, has become not only a successful business owner but is also a recognized philanthropist in South Florida serving on many boards and having received several awards and recognitions.
 
Carlos first entered into the automobile industry working as a Financial Analyst for the Ford Motor Company, where he stayed until 1984. He then worked at Palmetto Ford and later Metro Ford as a sales manager. In 1986 he took a break from the car business to pursue a career at Meryl Lynch as a Senior Financial Consultant. Then, in 1989 Carlos purchased Tamiami with contemporary imports such as Chrysler, Plymouth, Alpha Romero, Saab and Lotus. At the beginning the dealership was in bankruptcy and Carlos was finally able to take the dealer out of its poor financial state. Today, the dealership includes the Chrysler and Jeep franchises and is the number one in volume Chrysler Jeep dealer in the South East.
 
Carlos is committed to civic and community affairs; he was a previous Chairman of the Board for the Jackson Memorial Foundation; Past Vice Chairman for Public Health Trust; Board Member of New World School of Arts; Current member of the Orange Bowl Committee; Past Board Member of St Thomas University; Past Board Member of Miami Dade Community College Foundation; Trustee GMCC; Member of the 1998 Constitution Revision Commission; Founder of the Kiwanis of Little Havana; Board Member of the Latin Builders; Past President of the South Florida Automobile Dealer Association; Current President of the Chrysler Jeep Automobile Association.
 
He has also been recognized by various organizations and has received numerous awards including the Time Magazine Dealer of the “Year Award in 1995, as well as the Pace Setter Award for the Top 100 Chrysler Jeep Dealers in the U.S. for 12 consecutive years; He is also in the Hall of Fame for Miami-Dade Community College, recipient of the Ronald McDonald House 12 Good Men Award.
 
Carlos holds a Bachelor of Marketing and Finance Degree and a Masters in Business Administration from the University of Miami. He is married to Ivette Planas who owns a successful Interior Design Firm in the Design District and has five children, State Representative, Juan Carlos “JC” Planas, 36; Alex Planas, 34; Ivette Arevalo, 32; Jose Arango, 29; and Cristina Planas, 26. He is an avid Miami Hurricanes fan and, in his spare time, he enjoys golfing, traveling and spending time with his family.