Hall of Fame 2005 Inductees

Jose Behar graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School in1974. His parents fled from Cuba in the 1960s, leaving all of their possessions behind. Jose had to work many part-time jobs during his high school career to contribute to the family's wellbeing. His career in the entertainment industry began at Beach High, where drama teacher Jay Jensen noted in him a spark of young genius and cast him in the lead role of Dracula.

He then attended and matriculated from California State University, pursuing his business and finance degree while working in the mailroom of A&M Records. From that position he rose through the ranks, becoming Director of Merchandising and Promotions and later served in that same capacity for the company's newly created Latin label, A y M Discos, until 1984. Jose became Vice President of A&R West Coast Operations at CBS International from 1984 to 1989, where he worked with Gloria and Emilio Estefan, Julio Iglesias, Roberto Carlos, Steve and Edie, Placido Domingo, Vicente Fernandez, as well as others.

In 1989,Behar created Capitol Records’ first Latin music label, and under his leadership, it became immensely successful. He was instrumental in proving the crossover potential of Latin recording artists into American pop culture. In 2001 he created the first Latin music label for Univision, UMG, which, after only four years has become the number one Latin music label in the industry. Under his leadership the company has promoted and expanded a solid artist repertoire, implementing successful marketing and promotional campaigns in the U.S. and abroad. Jose is married to Jamie Habif-Behar and they are the proud parents of Deidre (17)and Siara (12). They reside in Los Angeles.

Bill Borkan graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School in1974. Even before attending Carnegie Mellon University in1976, he became the youngest deejay in the United States on a commercial radio station, WBUS-FM in South Florida. While still attending Beach High, Bill formed a company called Borktronics, which provided custom designed equipment for professional audio and video studios. He continued his work in the field of music and first became a studio engineer and then a recording engineer at Dukoff Recording Studios, where he recorded many records. One of these records sold over two and a half million copies.

His talents were not confined to the music industry and in the late 1970’s, he entered the field of biomedical electronics, developing neurological implants. Bill's mother, Annabelle, a substitute teacher at Beach High, encouraged Bill to use his ability to help his younger sister, Jennie, who was born with Cerebral Palsy. Bill went onto invent the world's first programmable neurostimulator, an implantable device which enabled people such as Jennie to function more independently. The technology Bill developed is now used in 99% of the spinal cord and brain stimulator implants around the world. His many worldwide patents in the electronics and the medical field and his entrepreneurial drive enabled him to make his company, Neuromed, a worldwide leader in its field.

After the sale of Neuromed, Bill became a founding partner of Saints Venture, LLC, a venture capital firm in California. He has recently been involved in several multi-million dollar transactions. More recently, he has entered the field of real estate in developing properties from Washington, D.C. to Hawaii. A creative genius, he has used his talents to make significant contributions to society. He is a member of numerous professional and charitable organizations and is active in the South Florida business community.

William (Bill) Borkan passed away on September 17th, 2013.

Robert L. Cohen graduated from Miami Beach High School in 1951. He attended the University of Miami, Hofstra College and Brooklyn Law School, receiving his law degree in 1958 and he then entered the private practice of law as a criminal defense attorney in New York. As a trial lawyer he was respected and admired for his professionalism, intelligence, integrity and compassion. He founded the New York Criminal Bar Association in1972 and served as its first president.

Following his career as a practicing attorney, he received an appointment as a judge of the criminal court of the City of New York in 1982. In 1985, he was appointed Deputy Supervising Judge of the Supreme Court of Bronx County and for the next 16 years supervised all grand juries impaneled in that county. He served as a judge for 21 1/2 years until his mandatory retirement in 2003. Judge Cohen was legendary in his respect for the rights and dignity of others and for his fairness and deep commitment to judicial independence. Above all, he was recognized for his unequivocal devotion to justice and has been lauded as a mentor and role model. In a 2003 survey of Bronx County defense attorneys, he was rated first among 49 judges. When reviewed for reappointment, he received the highest approval rating from every Bar Association Judiciary Committee. He presided in the Supreme Court, Criminal Term, Bronx County for 17 years. The New York Criminal Bar Association designated an award in his name to be given each year to a Guest of Honor at its Annual Dinner. He lectured at Trial Advocacy courses for lawyers and at law schools in criminal law areas.

Although retired from the bench, he continues to serve as judicial hearing officer, where he encourages nonviolent drug offenders to participate in court supervised programs. Judge Cohen is the first judicial hearing officer to preside in the Supreme Court, Criminal Term, Bronx County, in a special drug rehabilitation program. He was also appointed by the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court to be a member of the committee on character and fitness of all bar applicants. In 2003, the Bronx County Bar Association presented its President’s Award to Judge Robert L. Cohen "in recognition and appreciation of his dedicated service to the people of Bronx County and his commitment to and support of the Constitution.

"Upon his retirement, the Chief Administrative Judge of the State of New York, Honorable Jonathan Lippman, stated in a letter to him: "Bob, you were one of our best judges, and your legal acumen, solid common sense, and command of the courtroom will be sorely missed. Among your colleagues and the members of the Bar, no judge was more respected for his ability to preside over the most difficult criminal matters with consummate skill, fairness and integrity. In everything you have undertaken, you have served the courts and people of this State with great distinction."

Even before graduating from Miami Beach Senior High School in1943, Ray Fisher was a photographer. In 1942,during his summer vacation, he went to New York and worked at NBC in their photo department. He returned to Florida to graduate in 1943. After high school graduation he joined the Army, became a combat photographer during World War II and captured the images of many of our most revered soldiers and significant battles of World War II. He was later wounded in action and received the Purple Heart.

Ray returned to Miami and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from the University of Miami, participating in all phases of that school's prize winning publications. Turning down an offer from Life Magazine, he chose to stay closer to home and joined the photo staff of the Miami Herald where he enjoyed a distinguished 16 year career, ending his employment as Picture Editor. He then became a self employed photojournalist.

Ray has been the recipient of numerous awards. His photographs have been featured in every major publication including Time, Forbes, Sports Illustrated and The New York Times, and every major TV network. He has memorialized almost every important, even life altering event of the last half century on film. He has been a guest lecturer at various major corporations and a teacher at many educational institutions and has conducted seminars in photojournalism all over the world. His photos have been displayed in the most prestigious galleries and museums, where many of them still remain. Perhaps more than anything he is renowned for his photographs of personalities. He has photographed every U.S. president since Truman, as well as the greatest sports figures and famed celebrities including Queen Elizabeth, Louis Armstrong, Elizabeth Taylor and President John F. Kennedy. What makes his camera work unique is that it is unstaged, unposed and spontaneous. It is time for him to have a photograph of himself on the wall of the Hall of Fame.

Aug 5, 2020 — He captured the magic of Miami through his camera lens. Ray Fisher has died at 96.

Hired by Dr. Solomon Lichter, who remembered him from his middle school days at Nautilus, Steven Herzfeld was a young man in 1967 when he began his teaching career. Although he didn't graduate from Miami Beach High School, he definitely spent more time there than any alumnus. He taught there for 37 years before his retirement in2004!

He is a graduate of North Miami Senior High School, who went on to attend Miami Dade Community College, the University of Florida and matriculated from the University of Miami with a Bachelor of Education degree in 1964. He taught at the Hebrew Academy for two years before beginning a lengthy and distinguished career at MBSH. He was initially employed as a social studies teacher and later, upon the sudden departure of the Activities Director, he accepted that assignment and guided the student body activities program to new and exciting heights. His duties included coordination of all non-athletic activities, including service and interest club programs and all school assemblies.

He worked closely with the members of the Miami Beach business community, the city council and the PTA in designing and implementing school and community programs. He was an elected member of the Educational Excellence School Advisory Committee, serving as its chairperson for the last seven years. He had the ability to interact well with all students regardless of their scholastic achievements and was universally admired by them, as evidenced by their dedication of a yearbook to him. He was also voted Teacher of the Year by the faculty. He was an exemplary instructor, student director, and he became an inspiration and role model to everyone with who he came into contact.

A 1956 graduate of Miami Beach Senior High School, Lawrence B. Robbins, M.D.,F.A.C.S. attended Emory University and received his medical degree from the University of Miami in 1963. He interned at Los Angeles General County Hospital in1964 and completed his general surgery and plastic surgery residences at Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Beth Israel Medical Center in 1970. It was during this time that Lawrence married Marjorie Frankel, Beach High class of 1963. Dr. Robbins built a solid reputation as an expert physician and educator during his distinctive career as Chief of Plastic Surgery at both Mount Sinai Medical Center and the Miami Heart Institute. He served for 35 years as Clinical Associate Professor at the UM School of Medicine. In1974, he developed a renowned aesthetic surgery fellowship program at Mount Sinai, where he personally trained more than 50 surgeons, who went on to practice in locations around the world.

Never too busy to assist a friend or neighbor with a medical emergency or need, Dr. Robbins has always been one to reach out in service to his community. In1984, he was awarded the first Harold S. Strasser, M.D., “Good Samaritan Award” by the Florida Medical Association in recognition of his tireless efforts in treating victims of the Concord Cafeteria explosion. Miami Beach Mayor Malcolm Fromberg also awarded him a Certificate of Appreciation and the Key to the City for this outstanding effort. In 1986, the Dade County Board of Commissioners presented Dr. Robbins with its Distinguished Achievement Award for his contributions to its citizens. He also received the Distinguished Achievement Award from Albert Einstein College of Medicine, recognizing him as a caring physician with a deep concern for the welfare of others.

Dr. Robbins’ medical expertise and his willingness to serve the community have earned the admiration and respect of his peers. He was elected President of the Greater Miami and Florida Societies of Plastic and Reconstructive Surgeons in1979-80 and 1986-87 respectively. He went on to be elected President and Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery from1997 to 1999. One of the highlights of his distinguished career came when he received the coveted Citation of Excellence in Education from the Plastic Surgery Educational Foundation. The group of his peers recognized Dr. Robbins for enriching the specialty of plastic surgery throughout his career, during its annual meeting on Sept. 22, 2005, in Chicago. When asked what he believed was his greatest accomplishment, Dr. Robbins replied, “To get up every morning knowing that I would make a significant difference in someone’s life through the art of plastic surgery.” By applying the highest standards of care, compassion and integrity, Dr. Robbins accomplished his goal, improving the lives of countless patients, his peers and the community.

Lawrence B. Robbins, M.D. passed away peacefully Wednesday, June 30th, 2021 at the age of 83.

Bonni Tischler, who graduated from Miami Beach Senior High School in 1963, earned a B.S. degree in Broadcast Communications from the University of Florida in 1966 and, in 1995, she received her M.S. degree in Management from St. Louis University. During her 30-year federal law-enforcement career, Bonni became the country’s highest-ranking female federal law enforcement agent. She started with the U.S. Customs Service in Washington, D.C.in 1971, as one of the original Sky Marshals. This was followed by a variety of positions, from special agent in charge of the field office in Tampa – becoming the first woman to head such an office – to special agent in charge in Miami; and, eventually to headquarters in 1997 as assistant commissioner. Bonni was the first woman to head the Office of Investigations where she was responsible for the largest money laundering probe in U.S. history. In 2000,she was the first woman to run the Office of Field Operations, where she oversaw border security, trade compliance, anti-smuggling policies and 13,000 customs employees, as well as receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Center For Women in Policing.

Bonni exemplified the highest levels of professionalism and became a role model for women, encouraging them to pursue careers in non-traditional sectors. She frequently testified before Congress and the media as an expert on border security, money-laundering, narcotics, cyber smuggling, intellectual property rights violations and global trade issues. “No other woman in federal law enforcement has ever achieved what Bonni Tischler accomplished during her long career,” said Robert C. Bonner, commissioner of U.S. Customs and Border Protection within the Department of Homeland Security. "She will be remembered as a pioneering woman who not only broke the glass ceiling in federal law enforcement but shattered it forever.

She founded and served as president of Women in Federal Law Enforcement(WIFLE) and received its July Y. Cross Outstanding Woman in Law Enforcement Award. In 2002, she received a Distinguished Alumnus Award from the University of Florida. Bonni Tischler faced serious health challenges with courage and a commitment to life, all the while continuing to fulfill her demanding professional duties to keep our country safe. She delayed her retirement from Customs after the September 11 attacks to keep trade and the economy moving, and to provide security at the borders against the threat of terrorists. Her last position was as V.P. for Homeland Security for Pinkerton Consulting and Investigations in Arlington, VA. She was both delighted and honored in respect to her impending induction into the Hall of Fame. Unfortunately, she lost her long battle with cancer on August 9, 2005, leaving behind a legacy of strength and inspiration