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By Ken Datzman
The Brevard Indo–American Medical and Dental Association is reaching out to all physicians and dentists on the Space Coast through a social event designed to benefit and raise
awareness of United Way of Brevard County’s Alexis de Tocqueville Society.
Tocqueville was a French political thinker and historian best known for his book “Democracy in America,” which was published after his travels in the U.S. in the 1700s. Tocqueville Society members support their United Ways annually through gifts of $10,000 or more. The newest local members of the giving society are businessowners Mike Shah and his wife Rashmi. They also are lifetime members of BIMDA. An organization with 200 professionals, BIMDA will host its first Physicians Social Mixer from 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Mercedes– Benz, Porsche, Audi on Nasa Boulevard in Melbourne. The event is free of charge and being sponsored by the Shahs, who will be honored at the function for their financial commitment to United Way of Brevard. To make a reservation to attend the social, call Chris Logan at United Way at 631–2740, or send an e–mail message to
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“I think the Social Mixer is going to be a great avenue to reach physicians and dentists in the
community and generate awareness of how United Way of Brevard is helping needy residents in the region,” said Dr. Sudeshna “Sue” Mitra, a practicing physician with Osler Medical and president and chairperson of BIMDA. “We look
forward to nurturing a long–term relationship with United Way and supporting this outstanding organization.”“
Physicians are pulled in so many ways,” added Rob Rains, president of United Way of Brevard. “They get up very early in the morning and make their rounds at the hospitals. They are seeing patients all day. They have paperwork to complete. They have medical records to transcribe. Many area physicians run their own practices, too, so it’s hard for them to carve out free time and that’s what the Social Mixer is about. They can connect with each other in a
comfortable setting and learn how they can help their community.” George Mikitarian is president and chief executive officer of Parrish Medical Center inTitusville.
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The event’s keynote speaker will be Howard Lance, president, chairman and chief executive officer of Melbourne–based Harris Corp., whose company is very active supporting charitable organizations in the county and United Way in
general. Rains said the Social Mixer offers his organization a unique platform to tap a professional base
of people “we have not been successful in reaching. This type of event affords us the opportunity
to make our case and have somebody like Howard Lance talk about why he and his wife Christine
give to United Way and are supporters of it. This gathering presents a great opportunity for our
organization and hopefully the event will yield support.”
BIMDA feels “very fortunate to embrace Howard Lance, the chairman, president and CEO
of a well–recognized international company, as the speaker for the Social Mixer. It definitely helps raise BIMDA’s visibility to a corporate
level,” added Dr. Mitra, an internal medicine specialist in Melbourne. Lance is a former chairman of the United Way of Brevard board of directors. The local United Way helps fund 46 member agencies in the county and 76 programs. “United Way reaches out to so many charities in the county,” said Glad Kurian, volunteer executive director of BIMDA and event chairman for the Social Mixer. “That’s
the reason we were attracted to United Way.” Kurian, a Florida Tech M.B.A. graduate, is a financial professional with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney LLC in Orlando. Rains, who is in his 15th year guiding the local United Way, said his organization has “worked hard to build a level of trust in the community.
Supporters of United Way can have full confidence knowing their dollars are helping people who really need help, and there is an efficiency and effectiveness to giving through United Way. I think we are a model organization in a lot of respects.” The impact United Way of Brevard is making in the county caught the eye of entrepreneur Mike Shah, president and founder of Southeast Petro Distributors Inc. headquartered in Cocoa. He and his wife made a pledge to the Tocqueville Society of United Way of Brevard. “Our family has made a fantastic life in this
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BBN photo — Adrienne B. Roth
From left: Rob Rains, United Way of Brevard president; Glad Kurian,
VP & Sr. Investment Management Consultant with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney; Dr. Sue Mitra, BIMDA president; Suzanne Sparling, V.P. of investor relations for United Way; Rashmi Shah, Southeast Petro Distributors; Susan McGrath, V.P. of resource development for United Way; and Mike Shah, Southeast Petro Distributors.
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It has given us a lot. America has given us a lot,” said Mike Shah, who started his business with one gasoline station and today oversees a gas and oil–distribution network that serves Florida, Georgia, Alabama and Tennessee. BIMDA’s inaugural Physicians Social Mixer will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 3, at Mercedes–Benz, Porsche, Audi in Melbourne. “We have lived in Brevard County for a long time and the community has
given us the opportunity to build a successful business,” added Rashmi
Shah. “We are happy to help United Way of Brevard. It’s an outstanding
organization that is reaching a lot people who need help in the community.
These are challenging times for individuals and families.”
Mike Shah said he credits his wife for their company’s long–running
success. “At the end of the day, I can only do so much. She drives the success of the business. When my wife says jump, I always ask ‘how high?’ That’s the way it’s always been with me.”
Kurian said their “gesture is overwhelming, not only to BIMDA but also to the community at large. The Shahs have shown a leadership gesture in the community that is very magnanimous.”
The Shahs’ contact at United Way of Brevard was through Suzanne
Sparling, vice president of investor relations. Sparling said United Way of
Brevard is working to better connect with the growing Indian population in
the county.
“One thing really special about our organization, and it is something
Mike and Rashmi embraced, is that we currently have five United Ways
within India,” said Sparling. “This makes it convenient for the Indian
community not only to support the local needs but also to give back to their
homeland.”
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