Our Founders
Jorge Mas Canosa
Jorge Mas Canosa served as Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) from the organization's founding in 1981 until his untimely death on November 23, 1997.As chairman, Mr. Mas Canosa directed the CANF's support of general programs - recognized and respected nationally and internationally - to promote freedom, democracy and human rights for Cuba and an end to Fidel Castro's dictatorship.
The CANF has also worked to enlighten public opinion on problems of Cuban concern, to fight bigotry, protect human rights, and promote Cuban cultural interests and creative.
As head of the CANF, Mr. Mas Canosa worked with Congress and three administrations in support of bi-partisan consensus on a firm U.S.-Cuba policy and passage of important legislative initiatives, including the Cuban Democracy Act of 1992 and the Cuban Liberty & Democratic Solidarity Act of 1996.
Mr. Mas Canosa was instrumental in the creation of Radio & TV Marti, U.S., government broadcasts of uncensored news and information to the Cuban people. Fashioned after Radio Free Europe and Radio Liberty, Radio & TV Marti have been highly successful in sending a message of hope to the Cuban people in their struggle for liberty. Mr. Mas Canosa was appointed by President Ronald Reagan as Chairman of the President's Advisory Board for Cuba Broadcasting and also served Presidents George Bush and Bill Clinton in that capacity. He also served as Chairman of the Governor's Commission on a Free Cuba under Governors Bob Martinez (R) and Lawton Chiles (D) to study the economic, social and political impact of a free Cuba on the State of Florida.Parallel to his achievements in the public sector, Mr. Mas Canosa's entrepreneurial endeavors also met with great success. Mr. Mas Canosa was Chairman of the Board of Directors of MasTec, Inc., a public engineering contracting firm specializing in telecommunications infrastructure with over 7,000 employees throughout the United States and abroad, and with annual revenues of over $1 billion. He was one of the first Hispanics in the United States to chair the board of a public company.
When the undemocratic nature of the nascent Castro government became clear, Mr. Mas Canosa resumed his political activism on behalf of democracy and respect for human rights. He was subsequently persecuted by the regime for his opposition to Castro's communist dictatorship and was forced into exile before a warrant for his arrest was to be executed.
In Miami, he joined the Brigade 2506 and participated in the Bay of Pigs invasion on April, 1961. He subsequently returned to the United States and graduated as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army at Fort Benning, Georgia.
Back in Miami, he married Irma Santos with whom he shared a fruitful family life along with their three sons, Jorge Mas, Jr., Juan Carlos Mas, and Jose Ramon Mas, all of whom work for MasTec, Inc. Penniless and struggling to make ends meet - like most Cubans in the early days of exile - he worked at numerous jobs to feed his family, including working as a milkman and a stevedore.
In 1971, he bought the company he worked for, Church & Tower of Florida, Inc., which grew steadily throughout the 1970's into a successful and profitable private family enterprise.
Mr. Mas Canosa received numerous awards and honorary degrees from distinguished institutions throughout the United States and abroad. Among these, he was awarded the Lincoln-Marti Award granted by the U.S. Department of Health, Education & Welfare for "extraordinary and meritorious performance of civic duty in the United States". He was honored with an honorary Ph.D., Honoris Causa, for "exceptional services to democracy and human rights" by Mercy College in New York.
In 1991, Mr. Mas Canosa and the CANF were honored in a Special Session of the Senate of Puerto Rico for their efforts on behalf of democracy and freedom for the people of Cuba. On March 28, 1996, he received the title of Honorary Consul for the City of Tel Aviv at a gala dinner in Miami hosted by Tel Aviv Mayor Roni Milo and the Tel Aviv Foundation. The award was presented for Mr. Mas Canosa's efforts on behalf of pro-Jewish causes, and his support for the State of Israel and the causes of freedom, democracy, and human rights.
Among his other civic and community activities, Mr. Mas Canosa served on the Board of Trustees of the United Way. He was also a member of numerous societies including the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, the Latin Chamber of Commerce (CAMACOL), the Latin Builders Association, the National Utility Contractors Association, the Hispanic American Business Association and the Industrial Association of Dade County.
Jorge Mas Canosa was a knowledgeable and eloquent speaker whose ability to engage his audience led him to be featured at colleges, civic and international forums, and national network programs, including Boston College, Harvard University, the Council on Foreign Relations, the Heritage Foundation, the Hudson Institute, the United Nations Human Rights Commission (UNCHR), Nightline, Firing Line, Crossfire, Good Morning America, the Today Show, and CBS This Morning, among others.
Dr. Francisco (Pepe) J. Hernandez 
As President, Dr. Hernandez is responsible for the development and implementation of numerous programs that deal with issues such as human rights, refugee resettlement, the publishing of scholarly studies on Cuba today and the future reconstruction of a free Cuba. His activities include contact with the various branches of the U.S. government, foreign governments, the media, international organizations and voluntary agencies, universities and the Cuban exile community.
Dr. Hernandez was born and raised in Cuba. He studied engineering at the University of Havana until 1960, when he went into political exile, joining the Brigade 2506 and participating in the Bay of Pigs invasion in April 1961. As a result, he served two years as a political prisoner in Castro's jails until 1963, when he was freed and returned to exile in the United States as part of an agreement between the U.S. and Cuba. That year, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps and later served in the Marine active reserve until 1972, when he retired with the rank of Captain.
Dr. Hernandez's education includes a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of Florida (1966), a Master of Science degree in Economics from Duke University (1967), and a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Florida (1969).
Since 1972, Dr. Hernandez has established various businesses and corporations in the field of agriculture and construction, ranging from animal feed supplies to technical and consulting services.
He has been active in the cause of freedom and democracy for Cuba for over forty years and is a founding member of the Board of Directors of the Cuban American National Foundation.
