Executive VP at CDS International Holdings, Former Mayor of Delray Beach

Jeff Perlman has been a long time entrepreneur. After a decade as a journalist, he launched his own publishing company creating custom publications focused on sports and education which he later sold to the BRN Media Group. Jeff then was part of the team that launched Atlantic Ave magazine growing it into a successful lifestyle publication. He served as the founding editor until he left about a year ago to purchase the Delray Pineapple, which we rebranded into the Delray Newspaper and expanded into Boca with the launch of Boca Newspaper.

His “day job” is Executive Vice President of CDS International Holdings, where his job is to vet new investments, advise on existing businesses and provide direction on corporate philanthropy. He serves as CEO of Tabanero, a premium hot sauce and bloody mary mix company that is served in over 3,000 restaurants in Southern California, South Florida and the west coast of Florida. They have recently gained distribution in Publix, Ralph’s, Sprouts, Lucky’s and Cost Plus World Market. They are seeking to shake up an exciting but tired category with a healthy, great tasting sauce and mix. Jeff is a former COO of Celsius and remains involved in the company as part of the largest shareholder group. They recently rang the bell at Nasdaq and are currently selling internationally with an innovative beverage that provides healthy energy, burns calories and has no sugar, high fructose corn syrup, preservatives, artificial colors or aspartame. Celsius is disrupting the beverage space. Jeff is also heavily involved in the real estate division and have many key properties in Delray, Boca and Lake Worth and have developed other properties in Texas, The Bahamas and South Africa.

Jeff also spearhead their strategic philanthropy division and we have been involved in educational efforts, health care initiatives, animal conservation and rescue, arts organizations and have recently launched an initiative with the School District of Palm Beach County to encourage 21st Century manufacturing. We hope that initiative becomes a nationwide template.

He is the author of “Adventures in Local Politics” which is a book about his experience in Delray politics, publish a local blog www.yourdelrayboca.com, serves on many non-profit boards and informally mentors aspiring public servants and entrepreneurs. He is very proud of the 7 years he spent as an elected official in Delray - “It was a team effort but we redeveloped our downtown, got involved in local schools, worked to improve race relations and invested heavily in neglected neighborhoods and supported our police and firefighters. We also invested in arts and culture and through innovative policies we helped to create a great little city.”

He is married, has four kids, two rescue dogs (a golden and a Chihuahua) and two birds that he adores.

Favorite quote on Genius: “Talent is a flame. Genius is a fire.” - Bernard Williams.