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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" />
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" />


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|last=|first=|date=|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|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=24 September 2020|website=[[TODAY.com]]|language=en}}</ref>


Fils-Aimé later went back to school, completing his bachelor's degree<ref name="nyt" /> and a [[Master of Public Administration]] from [[Florida International University]].<ref name="global">{{cite web|title=Speaker Biographies|url=https://globalwa.org/events-center/past-annual-conferences/conference-2010/speaker-biographies/|accessdate=13 August 2020|website=Global Washington Conference 2010}}</ref> He worked in various administrative positions at [[Miami-Dade Community College]]: he was director of placement at the Wolfson campus,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lynch|first=Jim|date=18 March 1991|title=Proliferation of publications come to the aid of job hunters|pages=79|work=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57984889/the-miami-herald/|url-status=live|access-date=8 September 2020}}</ref> and later served as the [[Dean_(education)#Higher_education|assistant dean of students]].<ref name="herald">{{cite web|last1=Charles|first1=Jacqueline|date=11 August 2020|title=Entrepreneur, activist Bernard Fils-Aimé dead at 67|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article244866827.html|website=Miami Herald}}</ref> Fils-Aimé was also a member of the Book Distribution Committee for the [[Miami Book Fair International]] in 1992,<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=15 November 1992|title=Miami Book Fair International|pages=382|work=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57985459/the-miami-herald/|url-status=live|access-date=24 September 2020}}</ref> 1993,<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=7 November 1993|title=Miami Book Fair International|pages=222|work=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57985579/the-miami-herald/|url-status=live|access-date=24 September 2020}}</ref> and 1995.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=5 November 1995|title=Miami Book Fair International|pages=969|work=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57985768/the-miami-herald/|url-status=live|access-date=24 September 2020}}</ref>
Fils-Aimé later went back to school, completing his bachelor's degree<ref name="nyt" /> and a [[Master of Public Administration]] from [[Florida International University]].<ref name="global">{{cite web|title=Speaker Biographies|url=https://globalwa.org/events-center/past-annual-conferences/conference-2010/speaker-biographies/|accessdate=13 August 2020|website=Global Washington Conference 2010}}</ref> He worked in various administrative positions at [[Miami-Dade Community College]]: he was director of placement at the Wolfson campus,<ref>{{Cite news|last=Lynch|first=Jim|date=18 March 1991|title=Proliferation of publications come to the aid of job hunters|pages=79|work=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57984889/the-miami-herald/|url-status=live|access-date=8 September 2020}}</ref> and later served as the [[Dean_(education)#Higher_education|assistant dean of students]].<ref name="herald">{{cite web|last1=Charles|first1=Jacqueline|date=11 August 2020|title=Entrepreneur, activist Bernard Fils-Aimé dead at 67|url=https://www.miamiherald.com/news/nation-world/world/americas/haiti/article244866827.html|website=Miami Herald}}</ref> Fils-Aimé was also a member of the Book Distribution Committee for the [[Miami Book Fair International]] in 1992,<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=15 November 1992|title=Miami Book Fair International|pages=382|work=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57985459/the-miami-herald/|url-status=live|access-date=24 September 2020}}</ref> 1993,<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=7 November 1993|title=Miami Book Fair International|pages=222|work=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57985579/the-miami-herald/|url-status=live|access-date=24 September 2020}}</ref> and 1995.<ref>{{Cite news|last=|first=|date=5 November 1995|title=Miami Book Fair International|pages=969|work=The Miami Herald|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/57985768/the-miami-herald/|url-status=live|access-date=24 September 2020}}</ref>

Revision as of 10:07, 12 October 2020

Bernard Fils-Aimé
in 2009
Born(1953-05-24)24 May 1953
Petionville, Haiti
Died8 August 2020(2020-08-08) (aged 67)
Miami, U.S.
Alma materFlorida International University
Occupation(s)entrepreneur, activist
SpouseMarise Piverger (m. 1980)
Children3

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 helped negotiate the initial licenses for what would become Comcel, and became the first CEO.[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 of COVID-19 at the University of Miami Hospital on 8 August 2020.[7]

References

  1. ^ 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.
  2. ^ Bros, Emmanuel (27 April 1978). "ARRETE" (PDF). Le Moniteur (in French). No. 29. Port-au-Prince, Haiti: Presses Nationales d'Haiti.
  3. ^ Prospect 1971. Brooklyn, NY: John Jay High School. 1971.
  4. ^ "Bernard Fils-Aimé, who helped launch Haiti's 1st cell network, dies of COVID-19 at 67". TODAY.com. Retrieved 24 September 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ a b "Speaker Biographies". Global Washington Conference 2010. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
  6. ^ Lynch, Jim (18 March 1991). "Proliferation of publications come to the aid of job hunters". The Miami Herald. p. 79. Retrieved 8 September 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ a b c Charles, Jacqueline (11 August 2020). "Entrepreneur, activist Bernard Fils-Aimé dead at 67". Miami Herald.
  8. ^ "Miami Book Fair International". The Miami Herald. 15 November 1992. p. 382. Retrieved 24 September 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  9. ^ "Miami Book Fair International". The Miami Herald. 7 November 1993. p. 222. Retrieved 24 September 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  10. ^ "Miami Book Fair International". The Miami Herald. 5 November 1995. p. 969. Retrieved 24 September 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ Romero, Simon (19 December 2000). "TECHNOLOGY: A Cell Phone Surge Among World's Poor; In Haiti, Entrepreneurs as Suppliers". The New York Times.
  12. ^ "Passing of Bernard Fils-Aimé". Haiti Libre. 13 August 2020.
  13. ^ "Bernard Fils-Aimé". Haitian Education and Leadership Program. Retrieved 15 August 2020.
  14. ^ Charles, Jacqueline (4 March 2017). "Former Haitian President Rene Preval dies in Haiti at 74". The Miami Herald. pp. A4. Retrieved 24 September 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  15. ^ Faul, Michelle (20 February 2010). "Haiti official: Government will take land for homeless". The Ithaca Journal. p. 9. Retrieved 24 September 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  16. ^ Charles, Jacqueline (12 November 2010). "Poll: Manigat's lead grows". The Miami Herald. p. 9. Retrieved 24 September 2020.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ 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.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  18. ^ 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.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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