Paul Leandro Cejas came to America alone when he was seventeen to escape from the danger and oppression of Fidel Castro’s communist regime. He didn’t speak English. He had not even graduated from high school. He had less than $250 in his pocket.

In his first job, Paul worked twelve hours a day, six and seven days a week, earning seventy cents an hour. He saved his money to bring his family to America and put himself through college. In time, he built bridges between Blacks, Jews, Hispanics, and European Americans, often through tireless volunteering. His great passion for education opened a door for him to serve on the fifth largest school board in America, bringing transparency, fiscal accountability, and a strong bond with teachers to his endeavor. He also turned around a failing bank, a hospital, and an HMO, building generational wealth in the process.

Not yet finished, Paul befriended a president and became a trusted advisor. He served on the Florida Board of Regents and later as the US Ambassador to Belgium. In his spare time, Paul and his wife, Trudy, became two of the top 200 art collectors in the world, according to ARTNews, while giving back to educational institutions, the art world, and healthcare organizations, among others.

Paul’s philosophy was simple. He worked hard, dreamed big, and gave back, ever gentle and honest with people along the way. In America, that formula worked well for him. He believes it can work well for you, too.