MIAMI, FL - This fall, designer Donald J Pliner will host a design contest in support of his foundation, Peace for the Children.

Entrants will design a shoe based on the theme of Peace to compete for a grand prize of $2,000 and the creation of their design in the Donald J Pliner Fall 2010 collection.

There will also be a First Place prize of $1,000, a Second Place prize of $500 and a Third Place prize of $250. The contest will be open to the public and entry forms can be found in Donald J Pliner Concept Stores, on the Donald J Pliner website and in local design schools.

Entries are due November 15, 2009.

Media Contact: Aurelia Vasquez, Communications Manager
305-579-1341, avasquez@beaconcouncil.com

September 19 will now be known as Donald J Pliner Day in the City of Coral Gables and Miami-Dade County

MIAMI, FL - Renown for his inimitable design and style, long time Miami resident Donald J Pliner is more than designer, he is an entrepreneur and philanthropist at heart. Over the last 40 years and together with his wife Lisa, he has transformed his shoe and leather goods business into a global brand that spans across business and philanthropic endeavors. As Miami-Dade’s economic development organization, The Beacon Council is pleased to announce that Miami-Dade County, the City of Coral Gables, and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce will be declaring September 19 as Donald J Pliner Day in honor of his personal and business contributions in Miami-Dade County. The ceremony issuing the three proclamations will be held at the Donald J Pliner store at the Village of Merrick Park on Friday, September 19, 2008 at 5:30 p.m. A reception will be hosted in true Pliner fashion, together with the presentation of his Women and Men’s Fall/Winter 2008 Collection immediately following the ceremony. In addition, 10 percent of the evening’s proceeds will benefit the Peace for the Children Foundation.

“It is an honor to be recognized by Miami-Dade County and the City of Coral Gables. Lisa and I have a tradition of giving back to this community which we love and enjoy. There is no greater good than serving others and we would hope to be an inspiration to all those living and working in Miami so that they too will contribute within their means to making this an even greater city than it is now,” stated Donald J Pliner.

In 2007, Donald J Pliner of Florida Inc. consolidated operations in Miami-Dade County through the assistance of The Beacon Council. In addition to offices and a warehouse distribution center, the company also has two major retail locations in our community. Pliner’s entrepreneurial drive came to fruition in 1967 when he opened his first footwear store in Beverly Hills, California. By 1989, he had designed his first footwear collection and has been creating since. His products now include footwear and leatherwear for men and women, as well as handbags and belts. In this spirit, the City of Coral Gables and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce are issuing their respective proclamations to Donald J Pliner for his company’s corporate citizenship and commitment to our community.

Donald J Pliner and his wife Lisa are also known for their charitable contributions to the Miami-Dade community. Their philanthropic involvement spans numerous local and nationwide organizations that support the arts and children’s causes, such as the Miami City Ballet, Make-a-Wish Foundation and Jackson Memorial Children's Hospital. In September 2007, they established the Peace for the Children Foundation, a non-profit which funds deserving projects and initiatives that advance peace, care, and welfare to children in need. Miami-Dade County is honoring this ongoing and long-lasting mark by issuing its proclamation in honor of Donald J Pliner’s vision, hard work and dedication to the community.

WHAT: Donald J Pliner Proclamation Event
WHEN: September 19th, 2008, 5:30-8:30 pm
WHERE: Donald J Pliner Store, Ground Level, The Village of Merrick Park
Coral Gables, Florida
RSVP: Press wishing to attend the ceremony and reception, please email avasquez@beaconcouncil.com to be added to the guest list.

“Working together with Donald and his team in the effort to relocate their office to Miami-Dade County was unique in that the Pliners have taken ‘investing in Miami’ to a new level. Their commitment to creating jobs and investments in our community is underscored by the dedication they have for improving the well-being and quality of life of the residents of Miami,” stated Frank Nero, President and CEO of The Beacon Council. “It is an honor to join Miami-Dade County, the City of Coral Gables, and the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce in celebrating September 19 as Donald J Pliner Day.”

About The Beacon Council Fashion and Lifestyle Industry
In 2007, The Beacon Council embarked on a Fashion and Lifestyle Initiative is an effort designed to brand and position Miami-Dade County as a premier industry hub for the world’s leading fashion and lifestyle brands. The Initiative is developed to attract high-end brands that would establish showrooms, marketing/sales offices, warehouses and distribution centers in Miami. Currently, Miami-Dade County is home to global, regional, and local offices for fashion and lifestyle brands such as Ferragamo Latin America and the Caribbean, Bertram Yacht/Ferretti Group, Donald J Pliner, Gap, Inc., Oceania Cruises, Hugo Boss Latin America, Les Must de Cartier International, Inc., Perry Ellis, and Porsche Latin America among others.

About The Miami Dade Beacon Council
The Beacon Council, Miami-Dade County's official economic development partnership, is a not-for-profit, public-private organization that focuses on job creation and economic growth by coordinating community-wide programs; promoting minority business and urban economic revitalization; providing assistance to local businesses in their expansion efforts; and marketing Greater Miami throughout the world. For more information, visit www.beaconcouncil.com.

NEW YORK, NY - In the March 24, 2008 Issue of Footwear News, Roxanne Ehrenberg, CEO of Donald J Pliner, along with other top female executives were featured in a roundtable discussion on women in the footwear industry.

In the article titled “Breaking Barriers”, Roxanne gives her take on why there are so few female footwear executives, what attributes women can bring to the footwear industry and the struggles she has faced during her 27 years in the business.

Congratulations Roxanne!

MIAMI, FL - The Peace for the Children Foundation, founded by Donald & Lisa Pliner, have partnered with KaBOOM! to build a new playground in Miami this year.

The playground will be designed based on drawings submitted by children at a Design Day event held prior to the build. A locally formed playground planning committee will work closely with the two organizations to prepare for the build. KaBOOM! and The Peace for the Children Foundation will be joined by hundreds of volunteers from the Miami community to build the playground.

The Peace for the Children Foundation supports initiatives to advance the peace, care and welfare of children in need to bring the light of hope back into their lives.

"There are millions of children in need of assistance and hopefully we will, through this foundation, make a difference in lives that will make a difference in the world", says Donald J Pliner. "This partnership is a culmination of our dreams for this organization. We have always wanted to create a sanctuary for children-somewhere they can enjoy themselves and find a little peace."

KaBOOM!, a Washington D.C. based non-profit, has helped build more than 1,300 playgrounds, skateparks, ice rinks and sports fields across North America since its inception in 1995.

"We're ecstatic about this partnership and excited to be working with such a great organization like The Peace for the Children Foundation," KaBOOM! CEO & Co-Founder Darell Hammond said. "Both of our organizations have made a tremendous commitment to continue to improve the lives of children and I can't think of a better way to strive toward our goal of doing so than by working together."

Peace for the Children Foundation
Peach for the Children Foundation is a non-profit organization, which supports initiatives to advance peace, care and welfare in the lives of children in need. The foundation began in September 2007 and was founded by Lisa and Donald Pliner. The Peace for the Children Foundation has offices in Miami and New York. For more information, visit www.peaceforthechildren.org.

Donald J Pliner
Donald J Pliner, renowned luxury footwear and accessories designer began in 1989 and immediately established a reputation for innovative design and style for both men and women. Pliner's own motto for design, "when the feet are uncomfortable, so is the mind, so is the body, so is the soul." This motto has proved him well as in 2004, he was inducted into the Footwear News Hall of Fame. The Donald J Pliner Collection now includes men's and women's casual and dress footwear, handbags and leather clothing. For more information, visit www.donaldjpliner.com.

KaBOOM!
KaBOOM! is a national non-profit organization that envisions a great place to play within walking distance of every child in America. Since 1995, KaBOOM! has used its innovative community-build model to bring together business and community interests to construct more than 1,300 new playgrounds, skateparks, sports fields and ice rinks across North America. KaBOOM! also offers a variety of resources, including an online community, regional and national trainings, grants, publications and the KaBOOM! National Campaign for Play, which includes Playful City USA and the Playmaker Network - a national network of individual advocates for play. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., KaBOOM! also has offices in Chicago, Atlanta and San Mateo, CA. For more information, visit www.kaboom.org.