Embarc Collective is pleased to welcome Mike Simas, President & CEO of the Florida Council of 100, to our Board of Directors.

Michael “Mike” Simas is President and Chief Executive Officer of The Florida Council of 100, an independent, nonpartisan organization of more than 200 of Florida’s leading CEOs. The Council was founded in 1961 at the request of Governor Farris Bryant to advise Florida’s governor on the state’s most important issues. Today, it researches, convenes and executes on the opportunities and challenges shaping Florida’s long-term competitiveness and prosperity.

Since taking the helm in 2024, Mike has focused the Council on translating Florida’s extraordinary growth in people, capital and talent into lasting economic opportunity. Under his leadership, the Council launched Beyond Sunshine, a statewide economic roadmap identifying the industries and investments positioned to drive Florida’s next generation of growth.

Building on that work, the Council advanced a unified economic development strategy for the Gold Coast, spanning Miami-Dade, Broward and Palm Beach counties, and launched the Gold Coast Tech Accelerator, connecting high-growth fintech and dual-use defense companies with CEOs, capital, customers and communities. The Council subsequently secured a $10 million commitment from business leaders Stephen Ross and Ken Griffin to support an economic development campaign positioning the Gold Coast as a leading destination for companies, entrepreneurs and investment.

Building on this model, Mike is leading the Council’s statewide expansion of Ambition Accelerated, developing regional economic development and accelerator initiatives around the industries where Florida’s communities have the assets and expertise to compete nationally and globally. The Council is also advancing major initiatives focused on transportation and infrastructure, resilience and talent.

Mike brings more than two decades of experience at the intersection of business, government and economic development. Prior to joining the Council, he served as Executive Vice President of the Partnership for New York City, working with Fortune 500 CEOs and government leaders on economic development, innovation and public policy. His work included helping create the $1.2 billion Excelsior Jobs Program, launching the Partnership’s Innovation Council and Transit Tech Lab, and supporting New York’s $1.5 billion investment in its life sciences industry.

Mike later served as Chief of Staff to the Co-CEO of First Republic Bank, working with senior leadership on strategy, operations and client engagement. Earlier in his career, he led Northeast Government Relations for General Electric and its businesses.

Mike’s leadership extends across Florida’s economic development and entrepreneurial ecosystem. He serves on the boards of SelectFlorida and Embarc Collective and as an advisor to Juxtapose, an investment firm focused on building and scaling new companies. Mike was named to Florida Trend’s Florida 500, recognizing the state’s most influential business leaders, and was previously recognized by City & State as one of New York’s “40 Under 40 Rising Stars.”

Mike lives in Sarasota with his wife, Cara, and their two sons.