Leslie Pantín

President of Pantin/Beber Silverstein Public Relations

February 2020

Gables resident Leslie Pantín is among the most prominent public relations figures in South Florida. His decades-old firm has represented such clients as Ford Motor Company, American Airlines, Merrill Lynch and Univision, among many others. An avid collector of Cuban art, Pantín founded both the Arteamericas and CubaNostalgia expos, and among many other civic commitments is now in his second year on the Coral Gables Cultural Development Board, which reviews cultural grants and art in public places for the city.

Latest Achievement

Pantín was recently appointed to the Board of Directors of the Ringling Museum. With its collection of old masters’ paintings, its circus museum, and its Vizcaya-like mansion and botanic gardens, the Sarasota museum is among the state’s top tourist attractions.

What He Says

“I first moved to Coral Gables in 1960 [when our family left Cuba] and I have lived in our house on Sunset Road for more than 25 years,” says Pantín. “This is a city of art and culture, and that is what we support with the Coral Gables culture board. We recommend to the city [funding] for cultural organizations based here.” The board also scrutinizes grant applications for artists and art in public places. “A city without art is a city without a soul,” says Pantín. “We take a lot of time in researching [art and artists] before we recommend anything to the city commission.”