Rudy Moise

Rudolph Moise (born September 22, 1954[1]) is the owner and medical director of Comprehensive Medical Aesthetics in Miami. Prior to becoming a physician, he served as a flight surgeon in the United States Air Force for more than 21 years, earning the rank of colonel, the highest position awarded to an American of Haitian descent at that time.[2] In July 2023, Dr. Moise was awarded the Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joe Biden.

Rudy Moise
Born
Rudolph Moise[1]

(1954-09-22)September 22, 1954
Port-au-Prince, Haiti
Alma materUniversity of Illinois (BA)
Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine (DO)
University of Miami (MBA, JD)
Occupation(s)Businessman, politician, physician, lawyer, actor, producer
Political partyDemocratic
SpouseMirjam Moise
Children2
Military career
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Air Force
Years of service1997–2013
Rank Colonel
UnitFlight Surgeon

Early life and education

Moise was born into a middle-class family in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. He attended Catholic secondary school in Haiti and then received a bachelor's degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago and a Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine.[3]

Moise relocated to Miami sometime during the 1980s, and had earned a federal grant for his medical studies where he devoted several years of practice to a community that saw a large influx of Haitian refugees, that had been underserved and lacked enough doctors who spoke Creole.[3]

Career

Medicine

To fulfill his requirements for a federal grant for medical studies, he worked for four years in a Miami clinic in a community with a large number of Haitian refugees, that had been underserved, and lacked enough doctors who spoke Creole.[3] After four years, he started his own practice in an 800 square-foot storefront in North Miami, which grew into a Comprehensive Health Center with several locations amassing to 10,000 square-footage.[3]

Soon after opening his own practice, Moise enrolled at the University of Miami where he earned an MBA, and then a JD.[3]

In the 1980s, Moise worked as the on-call surgeon for Miami Vice.[3]

Military

Upon completion of his JD at UM, Moise volunteered to enter the Air Force Reserve, where served for twenty-one years and rose as flight surgeon to the rank of colonel, the highest ranking American of Haitian descent to hold such a position.[3][4][5]

Business ventures

He has used his profits to invest in more than twenty businesses that include an ambulance company and a movie production firm.[3]

In 2001, Moise established Miami's first full-time Creole-language radio station, Radio Carnivale, leasing airtime from 1020 AM.[6][7] The station went defunct in 2004.[3]

Moise was President of the University of Miami Alumni Association (2003–2005),[8] and has served on a number of boards.

Politics

After testifying and offering recommendations about Haiti's crisis before the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee in 2003, Moise was appointed in 2004 by Florida governor Jeb Bush to serve on an advisory group to help Haiti.[9][10]

In the 2010 election for Florida's 17th congressional district, among a stacked Haitian-American ballot,[11] Moise essentially split the vote. Running for the state's 24th congressional district in 2012, Moise fell short again at a one-on-one chance against Federica Wilson, who had been endorsed by President Obama .[12] Moise put $1 million of his own funds into his campaign.[3][13]

Electoral history
2010 17th Congressional District of Florida Democratic Primary[14]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Frederica Wilson 16,653 35%
Democratic Rudy Moise 7,769 16%
Democratic Shirley Gibson 5,777 12%
Democratic Yolly Roberson 4,921 10%
Democratic Phillip Brutus 4,068 8%
Democratic Marleine Bastien 2,889 6%
Democratic Scott Galvin 2,653 6%
Democratic James Bush 2,630 5%
Democratic Andre Williams 842 2%
2012 24th Congressional District of Florida Democratic Primary[15]
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Democratic Frederica Wilson 42,764 65.4
Democratic Rudy Moise 22,650 34.6

Filmography
Year Title Role Notes
2003 Wind of Desire[16] Richard Lazard executive producer
2004 Prince of Haiti: King of Paris[17] as himself special appearance
2006 Cousines[18][19] Charles
2009 Life Outside of Pearl[20] Father Jack
2010 Trapped: Haitian Nights[21] Richard Lazard executive producer[22]
2010 Pastor Jones: The Complete First Season[23] Father Renaud video; executive producer
2013 Dolls of Voodoo[18] Richard Lazard executive producer
2015 If I Tell You I Have to Kill You executive producer

Philanthropy

Moise contributed $120,000 to complete a 2009 monument in Savannah, Georgia of a Haitian regiment known as the Chasseurs-Volontaires de Saint-Domingue that served as a reserve unit to the American and French forces against the British at the Siege of Savannah.[24]

In January 2010, Moise traveled to Haiti with a Disaster Rescue Team two days after the country was struck with a major earthquake, saving 11 lives.[25][26]

Honors

In October 1991, Moise was honored among "Dade County's Top 10 Black Businesses" by the Miami Dade Chamber of Commerce. In 1994, he won the Up and Comers Award by Price Waterhouse, and "Man of the Year" by the New Miami Group Inc. in May. In 1997, he was awarded "Black Business of the Year" by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce, and was the winner of the "Entrepreneurial Excellence Award" by the Jim Moran Institute for Global Entrepreneurship in 1998.[27][28] Moise was awarded the "Bill Colson Award" in 1994–1995[29] and the "Black Business of the Year Award" by the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce and the "Community Leadership Award" in 2004. In 2005, he was among the five finalists for "Best Physician of the Year Award" in South Florida by The Business Journal.[30]

Moise has won the Pinnacle Award by ICABA for achievement and excellence.[31] He is the past recipient of the Silver Medallion MCCJ Humanitarian of the Year Award, the American Diabetes Association Father of the Year Award and the 2012 Dorothy Shula Outstanding Volunteerism Award from the United Way of Miami Dade County.[32] In 2017, he was honored the Humanitarian Award by Catwalk for Charity.[33][34][35]

In June 1988, Moise was among 28 bachelors featured by Ebony magazine.[36]

In July 2023, Moise was awarded with the Joseph R. Biden Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award for his community outreach and volunteerism.

Criticism

Moise was criticized in 2009 for his likeness being used for the historical Haitian monument at Franklin Square in Savannah, Georgia.[37][38] Other Haitian community leaders have voiced their displeasure, such as Phillip Brutus calling it "sacrilege" and "corrupting history". Brutus went on to say, "Haitians hold this very dear to their hearts. They take it very seriously, and when someone tampers with this, it unleashes all sorts of anger and anguish." The opposition vowed to get the statues replaced with more accurate facial depictions.[37]

Moise said he was approached by organizers about completing Savannah's Haitian memorial after a campaign to collect small donations for it had stalled. Moise agreed to the request for funds and mentioned that sculptor James Mastin had asked him to sit for the piece because of his past experience as a magazine model.[37]

Personal life

Moise is married to his wife Mirjam, who is of German–Caymanian descent.[39][40]

References
  1. "Rudy Moise Biography". votesmart.org. Vote Smart. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  2. Company Overview of Access Health Solutions, LLC -- Executive Profile Rudolph Moise D.O., J.D.
  3. Elfrink, Tim (5 August 2010). "Rudy Moise for Congress: Another Rich-Guy Candidate". New Times Broward-Palm Beach. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  4. "Dr. Rudolph Moise – Black History Month Profile". Coral Gables News. Miami's Community Newspapers. 1 February 2017. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  5. Upthegrove, Jaimi (12 April 2013). "Col. Guy "Rudy" Moise bids the Air Force adieu". Homestead Reserve Base. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  6. James-Johnson, Alva (23 June 2004). "Haitians Buying Caribbean Radio Station In Davie". Sun-Sentinel. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  7. Solages, Carrié. "If The FFC Rule Changes Survives, Minority Broadcasting May Not". The Crisis (September/October 2003 ed.). pp. 21–22. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  8. "Past Presidents". University of Miami Alumni Association. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  9. James-Johnson, Alva (10 April 2006). "Haiti Forum Will Address Greater Say For Expatriates". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 17 November 2017. served on a Haiti Advisory Group that Gov. Jeb Bush formed two years ago to help rebuild the impoverished country. Rudy Moise [...] also served on the task force [which made] recommendations for economic development, disaster preparedness, security and the environment.
  10. David, Willie (23 December 2016). "Retired Air Force Colonel Rudy Moise: Trump's Ambassador to Haiti?". Florida National News. Retrieved 15 November 2017.
  11. Burch, Audra D.S. (29 April 2010). "Four Haitian-Americans hoping to make history in congressional race". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  12. Wiltz, Teresa (20 July 2015). "Haitian-Americans Come of Age Politically". The Pew Charitable Trusts. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  13. Crew, Robert E. Jr.; Anderson, Mary Ruggiero (19 November 2015). The 2012 Elections in Florida: Obama Wins and Democrats Make Strides in Downticket Races. p. 81. ISBN 9780761866923. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  14. "Florida 17th District Profile". The New York Times. December 10, 2010. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  15. "Frederica Wilson". ballotpedia.org. BallotPedia. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  16. Wind of Desire. Will Bros. Entertainment. 2003. OCLC 56935112. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  17. Prince of Haiti : King of Paris. 2004. OCLC 182581432. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  18. "Rudolph Moise". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  19. "Cousines". Brooklyn Film Festival. 2006. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  20. Life Outside of Pearl. Telescope Films Production. 2009. OCLC 607095298. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  21. Trapped: Haitian Nights. Nulite Entertainment. 2010. ISBN 9781587105173. OCLC 709610593. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  22. "Rudolph Moise". belfim.fouye.com. Belfim. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  23. Pastor Jones chronicles. Nulite Entertainment. 2011. ISBN 9781587106354. OCLC 746342817. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  24. Conn, Lesley, ed. (29 October 2009). "Familiar faces spur Haitian furor over Savannah monument". Savannah Now. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  25. "Haiti Earthquake Response". Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  26. "Lawyer of the Month of August". Lawyers to the Rescue. Retrieved 16 November 2017.
  27. Zéphir, Flore (2004). The Haitian Americans. pp. 160–161. ISBN 0313322961. Retrieved 28 February 2015.
  28. "Attorneys at Law Brochure" (PDF). Panter, Panter & Sampedro. p. 19. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  29. "Salute to Miami's Leaders". Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  30. Steril, Marie Erlande (20 April 2015). "Recommendation to Name Dr. Rudolph Moise to the North Miami Citizens' Hall of Fame" (PDF). North Miami Florida Office of the Mayor & City Council. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  31. "Caribbean Hotelier Receives ICABA Pinnacle Award". Karolin Troubetzkoy. 25 October 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  32. "MCCJ Celebrates Diversity at Humanitarian Dinner". socialmiami.com. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  33. "Catwalk for Charity 2017". soflanights.com. South Florida Nights Magazine. 11 June 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  34. "Dr. Rudolph Moise's Biography". Comprehensive Health Center. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  35. "Calvin Hughes, Rudolph Moise, Raquel Pelissier". l'Etage Magazine. 2017. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  36. "Bachelors for 1988". Ebony. Johnson Publishing Company. June 1988. p. 46. Retrieved 12 November 2017.
  37. Conn, Lesley (29 October 2009). "Familiar faces spur Haitian furor over Savannah monument". savannahnow.com. Savannah Morning News. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  38. Daniel, Trenton (26 October 2009). "Statue Models Draw Criticism". Sun Sentinel. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  39. Francisco, Alvarado (29 April 2010). "Rudy Moise's Campaign Hits a New Low". New Miami Times. Retrieved 11 November 2017.
  40. Fombrun, Carl. "Dr. Rudolph Moise: Yes, He Can". Haitian Times. Retrieved 11 November 2017 – via Webster University.
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