Palmer Trinity School

DURING HIS HIGH SCHOOL Y EARS at Gulliver, Michael was a member of the basketball team. When an unfortunate injury ended his athletic career as a junior, his love for sports led him to announcing. Starting on a new path, he became the voice of the Gulliver Prep boys' basketball and football games, and gave the daily morning announcements. Michael then took his skills to the college level, where he became the voice of the Florida International University Men's Basketball games. Though he continued his position post-graduation, Michael also began working as a full-time telemarketing representative for American Bankers Insurance Group, where his father was President. He stayed with that company for thirteen years, serving as both marketing manager and lead trainer for the call center. During his tenure at ABI, a company owned by Miami philanthropist, Kirk Landon, Michael was responsible for insuring high-net-worth animals—including everything from livestock to Michael Jackson's monkey. Having met Natalie at American Bankers Insurance, they were both ready to advance their careers even further. Sponsored by their employers, they both began attending night classes at Barry University, allowing them to earn their MBA's in 1992. W HEN MICHA EL FIRST JOINED THE HEAT, the team was only in its third or fourth season, and did not yet enjoy the level of success it is known for today. "The more successful the Heat is, the more successful I am," Michael says. "What many people don't realize is that I am not directly employed by The Heat—I am self-employed, but The Miami Heat is my largest client." His love for the team is evident: "I get to sit in the front row of games and watch the greatest athletes on the planet play basketball," he says. "Most recently, I had the fortune of being front and center as they became back-to-back NBA Champions." Michael's introduction into the NBA happened when the permanent Miami Heat announcer fell ill, and Michael was hired to temporarily fill his position. In September 1991, after being invited to open auditions for the announcer position with the Miami Heat, Michael was brought onto the staff permanently. "As the team expanded my role, daytime work was involved, and life got busier," Michael said of that time. "Natalie was very supportive and encouraged me to go into the voice business fulltime. It was then that I left corporate America—and thus started a great adventure." Following suit with their other two daughters, after seven years, Michael and Natalie still feel they made the best choice to send their children to Palmer Trinity School. "Our daughter has had, without a doubt, the best high school education we could ever ask for," Michael says of Arissa, who graduated this past year and is now pursuing a degree in engineering from Tulane University. "She's the same little girl she was when she started—but now she is so in tune with community, with volunteerism, and with helping others. Seven years ago, as Arissa was finishing elementary school at Assurant Satellite Learning Center, a remote branch of Cutler Ridge Elementary School, Michael and Natalie began searching for the next step in her education. At that time, a good friend and Palmer Trinity School parent, Kim Evans— parent of Bailey '12, Luke '10 and Jordan—encouraged them to look at Palmer Trinity School. "We made an appointment, walked onto the campus and said, 'this is the place,'" Michael remembers from his first visit. "Then we met everyone involved, and fell in love with them, too. After that, we really didn't even give a thought to any other school." OPPOSITE PAGE: An interview with Miami Heat player Tim Hardaway. THIS PAGE FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Michael in his senior year at Gulliver Prep; The happy couple on their wedding day (1991); Family members join Michael to celebrate his 1,000th game as the Voice of the Miami Heat. "(Arissa is) the same little girl she was when she started— but now she is so in tune with community, with volunteerism, and with helping others. That is what Palmer Trinity instills in young people." S U M M E R / F A L L 2 0 1 3 33

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