José Antonio “TJ” Villamil, President of Business Development for eMerge Americas, has been named to the Albizu University Board of Trustees.
With more than 15 years of experience driving economic growth through entrepreneurship and international collaboration, Villamil plays a pivotal role in expanding eMerge’s influence both within the United States and globally. He also spearheads initiatives to grow Florida’s brand as a leader in innovation and to position the state as a global technology hub.
Before joining eMerge Americas, Villamil served the State of Florida in several high-ranking positions including as senior Vice President of the Miami-based International Trade and Development Unit at Enterprise Florida, the state’s public-private partnership whose mission is to help grow commerce statewide and help businesses succeed.
Most recently, Villamil served as President of Business Development for the Department of Commerce (FloridaCommerce), where he led efforts to create, retain and attract high-paying jobs in targeted industry sectors, significantly enhancing Florida’s economic landscape. He also served as President of International Commerce at SelectFlorida, a role that allowed him to promote global commerce, trade and foreign investment for the Sunshine State.
“We are so fortunate to have TJ join our Board of Trustees,” said Albizu University’s Board of Trustees President Dr. Antonio E. Puente. “His work with eMerge and his extensive experience in entrepreneurship, business and economic growth will be a great asset to our university and students as we continue to grow and expand our presence.”
Active in the community, Villamil is a board member for Florida Export Finance Corp., Branches, Inc. and is a member of Leadership Florida. He’s also an Advisory Board Member at St. Thomas University, where he advises the Machado School of Business on programs and engagement initiatives.
Villamil is a proud graduate of the University of Florida where he earned a master’s degree in entrepreneurship and a bachelor’s degree in telecommunications He resides in Coral Gables with his wife Christina, their two children and their Goldendoodle, Luna.
About Albizu University
Proud of its roots and commitment to excellence in program offerings, Albizu University is a private, non-profit institution of higher learning with campuses in San Juan, Puerto Rico and Miami, Florida, and a University Center in Mayagüez, Puerto Rico. It was the only regionally accredited secular University in the continental United States named in honor of a Hispanic, the distinguished Puerto Rican psychologist Dr. Carlos Albizu-Miranda. To date, over 9,000 graduates call Albizu University their Alma Mater—a university that prides itself on educating culturally competent individuals capable of serving the diverse populations of our global community. Albizu University offers undergraduate and graduate programs in psychology, education, speech-language pathology, human services, and criminal justice, as well as an ESOL program, taught by a diverse, expert faculty. Total enrollment is over 2,000 students representing 65 countries. Albizu University’s Miami Campus was recently recognized as the top institution for Best Online Master’s in Organizational Psychology Programs 2020 by BestColleges.com. For more information, visit albizu.edu.
