Ramiro Inguanzo (B.S. ’91, M.P.A. ’94)

By Brian Hudgins

 

Ramiro Inguanzo’s traveling party to Tallahassee was tiny.

Out of 190 in his graduating class at Monsignor Edward Pace High School in Miami, Inguanzo was one of two students who attended Florida State University. He had zero hesitation.

“My mom and dad came from Cuba in the early 60s to flee the communist regime,” Inguanzo said. “Once they arrived in the U.S. they were both fortunate to get jobs in the city of Hialeah where I grew up. They were my inspiration for pursuing a career in government. I knew FSU being in the state capital would afford me the chance for many internships. That was the icing on the cake. I was blessed to have those opportunities.”

Those opportunities helped Inguanzo become the deputy city manager for Bal Harbour Village, Florida. The 3,000-resident town has provided Inguanzo the chance to be director of both a human resources and tourism/economic development. He also serves as president of the Miami-Dade City/County Management Association.

“I have always loved being a part of human resources,” Inguanzo said. “Our labor is our most important asset. The police officers, fire fighters, teachers, the librarians and the sanitation workers… it takes all kinds of talent to get the job done.”

Inguanzo experienced many new people and avenues for learning as an undergraduate student majoring in political science and communication. “In the suburbs of Miami, we had the largest concentration of Cuban residents in the country — a very strong Hispanic community,” Inguanzo said. “Florida State helped me grow in many different ways by introducing me to different cultures and communities.”

Inguanzo’s academic growth was bolstered by Mark Zeigler (M.S. ’89), teaching professor in the College of Communication & Information. “I had a class in my junior year about communicating effectively,” Inguanzo said. “Professor Zeigler was very engaging and enthusiastic.

Fred Seamon (M.S.W. ’73, Ph.D. ’76), a former FSU assistant professor who is executive vice president with MGT Consulting Group, was another major influence. “I gravitated to that material,” Inguanzo said. “Dr. Seamon was an incredible professor.”

Once Inguanzo had established himself as a Seminole, he embraced a new challenge: he became a student orientation leader under the guidance of Mary Coburn (B.S. ’74, M.S. ’76, Ed.D. ’92), who later went on to serve as the vice president for Student Affairs at FSU from 2003 until she retired in 2017. “She was an amazing mentor,” Inguanzo said. “I learned the importance of paying it forward and giving back.”

Student government at FSU gave Inguanzo involvement in doing the business of the students. That helped him answer an essential question: How do you get things done? It has carried over into his career. “It helps with things I do now as an HR director, city manager, public safety, beautification through parks and recreation, IT and code compliance components.”

Inguanzo has also worked in higher education. From 2012 to early 2015, he served as the senior advisor to the College President at Miami Dade College, the largest and most diverse institution of higher education in the United States. In this role, he oversaw government and community relations for the College. He also has taught as an Adjunct Professor at the College since 2005 teaching courses in Federal, State and Local Government.

In addition to teaching and mentoring college students, he has even become a teacher to his three teenage children whom he hopes will be future Seminoles. “I tell them school years are the best years,” Inguanzo said. "You are learning and applying that knowledge as a kid to help you become an adult.”

Some of the most memorable 2020 education moments for the kids came at FSU just before the COVID-19 pandemic. “The last trip we took before the pandemic, we went to see FSU basketball and baseball games,” Inguanzo said.