Bernard Fils-Aimé: Difference between revisions
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'''Bernard Fils-Aimé''' (24 May 1953{{spnd}}8 August 2020) was a [[Haiti]]an entrepreneur and activist. |
'''Bernard Fils-Aimé''' (24 May 1953{{spnd}}8 August 2020) was a [[Haiti]]an entrepreneur and activist. He was part of community assistance organizations for Haitians in America, cofounding the Haitian Refugee Center and serving on the board of the Haitian Education & Leadership Program. He also served as the managing director of [[Comcel Haiti]] from its founding in 1998 until its sale to [[Digicel]] in 2012. |
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==Early career and activism== |
==Early career and activism== |
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Bernard Fils-Aimé was the youngest of four children. His father, Camile Fils-Aimé, died soon after Bernard was born.<ref name="nyt">{{cite web|last1=Leland|first1=John|date=28 August 2020|title=Bernard Fils-Aimé, Haitian Activist and Cellphone Mogul, Dies at 67|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/26/obituaries/bernard-fils-aime-dead-coronavirus.html|website=The New York Times}}</ref> His mother, Uranie Gabriel Fils-Aimé, was the ''directrice'' of the [[Republic of Guatemala]] Primary School in [[Petionville]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bros |first1=Emmanuel |title=ARRETE |url=http://lcweb5.loc.gov/glin/jurisdictions/Haiti/pdfs/6161-33263.pdf |work=[[Le Moniteur (Haiti)|Le Moniteur]] |issue=29 |publisher=Presses Nationales d'Haiti |date=27 April 1978 |location=Port-au-Prince, Haiti |language=fr}}</ref> She opposed [[François Duvalier]], and was briefly arrested for criticizing his policies.<ref name="nyt" /> |
Bernard Fils-Aimé was the youngest of four children. His father, Camile Fils-Aimé, died soon after Bernard was born.<ref name="nyt">{{cite web|last1=Leland|first1=John|date=28 August 2020|title=Bernard Fils-Aimé, Haitian Activist and Cellphone Mogul, Dies at 67|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/26/obituaries/bernard-fils-aime-dead-coronavirus.html|website=The New York Times}}</ref> His mother, Uranie Gabriel Fils-Aimé, was the ''directrice'' of the [[Republic of Guatemala]] Primary School in [[Petionville]].<ref>{{cite news |last1=Bros |first1=Emmanuel |title=ARRETE |url=http://lcweb5.loc.gov/glin/jurisdictions/Haiti/pdfs/6161-33263.pdf |work=[[Le Moniteur (Haiti)|Le Moniteur]] |issue=29 |publisher=Presses Nationales d'Haiti |date=27 April 1978 |location=Port-au-Prince, Haiti |language=fr}}</ref> She opposed [[François Duvalier]], and was briefly arrested for criticizing his policies.<ref name="nyt" /> |
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Fils-Aimé and his family left Haiti for [[New York City]] in 1966.<ref name="nyt" /> |
Fils-Aimé and his family left Haiti for [[New York City]] in 1966.<ref name="nyt" /> He graduated from [[John Jay Educational Campus (Brooklyn)|John Jay High School]] in 1971,<ref>{{cite book |title=Prospect 1971 |date=1971 |publisher=John Jay High School |location=Brooklyn, NY |url=https://www.bklynlibrary.org/brooklyncollection/finding-aid/brooklyn-yearbook}}</ref> then studied at [[Columbia University]] for two years. He became involved in student activism, and remained active after he left the university. At a Haiti-related event for student organizers, Fils-Aimé met Marise Piverger; they married in 1980 despite her parents' disapproval, and moved to [[Miami]].<ref name="nyt" /> |
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In Miami, Fils-Aimé co-founded the Haitian Refugee Center, which organized protests and litigated cases on behalf of detained Haitian refugees.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bernard Fils-Aimé, who helped launch Haiti’s 1st cell network, dies of COVID-19 at 67|url=https://www.today.com/video/bernard-fils-aime-who-helped-launch-haiti-s-1st-cell-network-dies-of-covid-19-at-67-90865221659|access-date=24 September 2020|website=[[TODAY.com]]|language=en}}</ref> |
In Miami, Fils-Aimé co-founded the Haitian Refugee Center, which organized protests and litigated cases on behalf of detained Haitian refugees.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Bernard Fils-Aimé, who helped launch Haiti’s 1st cell network, dies of COVID-19 at 67|url=https://www.today.com/video/bernard-fils-aime-who-helped-launch-haiti-s-1st-cell-network-dies-of-covid-19-at-67-90865221659|access-date=24 September 2020|website=[[TODAY.com]]|language=en}}</ref> |
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==Business in Haiti== |
==Business in Haiti== |
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In 1995, Fils-Aimé moved back to Haiti, although he would regularly visit Miami.<ref name="herald" /> |
In 1995, Fils-Aimé moved back to Haiti, although he would regularly visit Miami.<ref name="herald" /> His first business venture was SabbAimé S.A., an importer and distributor of frozen chicken.<ref name="global"/> Around this time, a group of American investors wanted to start a [[wireless carrier]] in Haiti, and approached Fils-Aimé to serve as a local partner. He took part in the license negotiations with the Haitian government, and became the first CEO when the company was inaugurated in 1998 as [[Comcel Haiti]].<ref name="nyt" /> |
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He recognized that Comcel faced unique hurdles as one of the few large private enterprises in Haiti. |
He recognized that Comcel faced unique hurdles as one of the few large private enterprises in Haiti. When subscribers complained of being unable to charge their phones, Fils-Aimé would let them charge their phones for free at Comcel headquarters.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Romero |first1=Simon |title=TECHNOLOGY: A Cell Phone Surge Among World's Poor; In Haiti, Entrepreneurs as Suppliers |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2000/12/19/business/technology-cell-phone-surge-among-world-s-poor-haiti-entrepreneurs-suppliers.html |website=The New York Times |date=19 December 2000}}</ref> He also directed Comcel's resources toward philanthropic initiatives; when the company changed its name to Voila, Fils-Aimé became the president of the Voila Foundation.<ref name="nyt" /> |
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From 2006 to 2007, he served as the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Haiti.<ref>{{cite web |title=Passing of Bernard Fils-Aimé |url=https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31528-haiti-social-passing-of-bernard-fils-aime.html |website=Haiti Libre |date=13 August 2020}}</ref> |
From 2006 to 2007, he served as the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Haiti.<ref>{{cite web |title=Passing of Bernard Fils-Aimé |url=https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-31528-haiti-social-passing-of-bernard-fils-aime.html |website=Haiti Libre |date=13 August 2020}}</ref> |
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Fils-Aimé retired from Voila's management after its sale to [[Digicel]] in 2012. |
Fils-Aimé retired from Voila's management after its sale to [[Digicel]] in 2012. He then joined the board of the Haitian Education & Leadership Program. He also served as president of the [[Trilogy International Partners|Trilogy International]] Foundation, which is associated with Comcel's US parent company.<ref>{{cite web|title=Bernard Fils-Aimé|url=https://uhelp.net/profile/bernard-fils-aime/|access-date=15 August 2020|website=Haitian Education and Leadership Program}}</ref> |
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==Political involvement== |
==Political involvement== |
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==Death== |
==Death== |
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Fils-Aimé died |
Fils-Aimé died from [[COVID-19]] at the [[University of Miami]] Hospital in [[Miami]], [[Florida]], on 8 August 2020 during the [[COVID-19 pandemic in Florida]].<ref name="herald"/> |
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==References== |
==References== |
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[[Category:1953 births]] |
[[Category:1953 births]] |
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[[Category:2020 deaths]] |
[[Category:2020 deaths]] |
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[[Category:Haitian activists]] |
[[Category:Haitian activists]] |
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[[Category:Haitian educators]] |
[[Category:Haitian educators]] |
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[[Category:Florida International University alumni]] |
[[Category:Florida International University alumni]] |
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[[Category:Haitian emigrants to the United States]] |
[[Category:Haitian emigrants to the United States]] |
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Revision as of 20:26, 7 March 2021
Bernard Fils-Aimé | |
|---|---|
.jpg) in 2009 | |
| Born | 24 May 1953 Petionville, Haiti |
| Died | 8 August 2020 (aged 67) |
| Alma mater | Florida International University |
| Occupation(s) | entrepreneur, activist |
| Spouse | Marise Piverger (m. 1980) |
| Children | 3 |
Bernard Fils-Aimé (24 May 1953 – 8 August 2020) was a Haitian entrepreneur and activist. He was part of community assistance organizations for Haitians in America, cofounding the Haitian Refugee Center and serving on the board of the Haitian Education & Leadership Program. He also served as the managing director of Comcel Haiti from its founding in 1998 until its sale to Digicel in 2012.
Early career and activism
Bernard Fils-Aimé was the youngest of four children. His father, Camile Fils-Aimé, died soon after Bernard was born.[1] His mother, Uranie Gabriel Fils-Aimé, was the directrice of the Republic of Guatemala Primary School in Petionville.[2] She opposed François Duvalier, and was briefly arrested for criticizing his policies.[1]
Fils-Aimé and his family left Haiti for New York City in 1966.[1] He graduated from John Jay High School in 1971,[3] then studied at Columbia University for two years. He became involved in student activism, and remained active after he left the university. At a Haiti-related event for student organizers, Fils-Aimé met Marise Piverger; they married in 1980 despite her parents' disapproval, and moved to Miami.[1]
In Miami, Fils-Aimé co-founded the Haitian Refugee Center, which organized protests and litigated cases on behalf of detained Haitian refugees.[4]
Fils-Aimé later went back to school, completing his bachelor's degree[1] and a Master of Public Administration from Florida International University.[5] He worked in various administrative positions at Miami-Dade Community College: he was director of placement at the Wolfson campus,[6] and later served as the assistant dean of students.[7] Fils-Aimé was also a member of the Book Distribution Committee for the Miami Book Fair International in 1992,[8] 1993,[9] and 1995.[10]
Business in Haiti
In 1995, Fils-Aimé moved back to Haiti, although he would regularly visit Miami.[7] His first business venture was SabbAimé S.A., an importer and distributor of frozen chicken.[5] Around this time, a group of American investors wanted to start a wireless carrier in Haiti, and approached Fils-Aimé to serve as a local partner. He took part in the license negotiations with the Haitian government, and became the first CEO when the company was inaugurated in 1998 as Comcel Haiti.[1]
He recognized that Comcel faced unique hurdles as one of the few large private enterprises in Haiti. When subscribers complained of being unable to charge their phones, Fils-Aimé would let them charge their phones for free at Comcel headquarters.[11] He also directed Comcel's resources toward philanthropic initiatives; when the company changed its name to Voila, Fils-Aimé became the president of the Voila Foundation.[1]
From 2006 to 2007, he served as the president of the American Chamber of Commerce in Haiti.[12]
Fils-Aimé retired from Voila's management after its sale to Digicel in 2012. He then joined the board of the Haitian Education & Leadership Program. He also served as president of the Trilogy International Foundation, which is associated with Comcel's US parent company.[13]
Political involvement
Fils-Aimé was a close friend of Haitian President Rene Preval.[14]
In the aftermath of the 2010 Haiti earthquake, Fils-Aimé was critical of the Haitian government's plan to appropriate land for building aid camps; he observed that many political conflicts in Haiti had been triggered by land disputes.[15] He also defended a private-sector-run opinion poll for the 2010–11 Haitian presidential election in the name of transparency, as previous such polls had not been publicly released.[16]
In 2019, Fils-Aimé published an op-ed in the Miami Herald decrying President Jovenel Moïse's responses to the 2018–2019 Haitian protests. The article was reprinted after the Herald erroneously attached a photograph of Reggie Fils-Aimé (the former CEO of the North American division of video game company Nintendo) instead of Bernard Fils-Aimé.[17][18]
Family
Fils-Aimé and his wife Marise had three children: daughter Erica and sons Karl and Gerard.[1]
Death
Fils-Aimé died from COVID-19 at the University of Miami Hospital in Miami, Florida, on 8 August 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic in Florida.[7]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g h Leland, John (28 August 2020). "Bernard Fils-Aimé, Haitian Activist and Cellphone Mogul, Dies at 67". The New York Times.
- ^ Bros, Emmanuel (27 April 1978). "ARRETE" (PDF). Le Moniteur (in French). No. 29. Port-au-Prince, Haiti: Presses Nationales d'Haiti.
- ^ Prospect 1971. Brooklyn, NY: John Jay High School. 1971.
- ^ "Bernard Fils-Aimé, who helped launch Haiti's 1st cell network, dies of COVID-19 at 67". TODAY.com. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ a b "Speaker Biographies". Global Washington Conference 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
- ^ Lynch, Jim (18 March 1991). "Proliferation of publications come to the aid of job hunters". The Miami Herald. p. 79. Retrieved 8 September 2020.
- ^ a b c Charles, Jacqueline (11 August 2020). "Entrepreneur, activist Bernard Fils-Aimé dead at 67". Miami Herald.
- ^ "Miami Book Fair International". The Miami Herald. 15 November 1992. p. 382. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Miami Book Fair International". The Miami Herald. 7 November 1993. p. 222. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ "Miami Book Fair International". The Miami Herald. 5 November 1995. p. 969. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ Romero, Simon (19 December 2000). "TECHNOLOGY: A Cell Phone Surge Among World's Poor; In Haiti, Entrepreneurs as Suppliers". The New York Times.
- ^ "Passing of Bernard Fils-Aimé". Haiti Libre. 13 August 2020.
- ^ "Bernard Fils-Aimé". Haitian Education and Leadership Program. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
- ^ Charles, Jacqueline (4 March 2017). "Former Haitian President Rene Preval dies in Haiti at 74". The Miami Herald. pp. A4. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ Faul, Michelle (20 February 2010). "Haiti official: Government will take land for homeless". The Ithaca Journal. p. 9. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ Charles, Jacqueline (12 November 2010). "Poll: Manigat's lead grows". The Miami Herald. p. 9. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ Fils-Aimé, Bernard (8 December 2019). "President Jovenel Moïse moves to trample the Haitian justice system". The Miami Herald. pp. C5. Retrieved 24 September 2020.
- ^ Fils-Aimé, Bernard (9 December 2019). "President Jovenel Moïse moves to trample the Haitian justice system". The Miami Herald. pp. A13. Retrieved 24 September 2020.