MIAMI, FL.- Miami Art Museum, a modern and contemporary art museum located in downtown Miami, FL, has elected Rubén A. Rodríguez and Walid G. Wahab to its board of trustees. Rodriguez, executive vice president of ship operations for Carnival Cruise Lines, and Wahab, president of Wahab Construction,will help guide Miami Art Museum’s community programs, donor support and planning for the new and expanded, Herzog & de Meuron-designed facility at Museum Park, which is scheduled to open to the public in 2013.

“Ruben Rodriguez and Walid Wahab are extraordinary community leaders and business men,” said Gail Meyers, president of the Miami Art Museum board of trustees. “Building a new museum requires the dedication of a committed group of supporters, and we’re fortunate that these outstanding new board members will help shape a bright future for Miami’s art community.”

As the executive vice president of ship operations for Carnival Cruise Lines, Rodríguez oversees hotel, technical and nautical operations across the Carnival fleet, as well as product development and ship building. He was previously a partner and managing director in the Miami office of The Boston Consulting Group (BCG), a global strategy and management consulting firm. Prior to that he was senior vice president with The Charles Schwab Corporation where he led the firm’s southeast retail division. He also served as vice president and general manager of eToys International, where he launched the company's international business unit, based in London. Rodriguez completed his undergraduate work at Princeton University where he earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and received a Phi Beta Kappa distinction. He received his master's in engineering from the University of California at Berkeley as a National Science Foundation Fellow and subsequently earned his MBA from Stanford University Graduate School of Business, where he was an Arjay Miller Scholar. He resides in Coconut Grove, Florida with his wife and two teenage children. Additionally, he is an active mentor in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program of Greater Miami.

Since founding Miami-based Wahab Construction in 1992, Walid Wahab has built a distinct reputation for quality craftsmanship tailored to sophisticated and challenging residential and commercial projects as one of the leading South Florida general contracting and construction firms. His extensive background in architectural engineering, a unique attribute for a builder, has enabled him to create a standard of excellence that is reflected in each project. He has mastered a broad scope of projects for clients, including captains of industry, sports stars, distinguished movers and shakers and large international corporations. Wahab earned degrees in Civil and Architectural Engineering from the University of Miami, and a Master’s degree in Business Administration in Logistics, Operations and Materials Management from the School of Government at George Washington University. Most recently, Wahab received designation as a LEED GA (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design Green Associate) from the Green Building Certification Institute. Active in the community, Wahab is a staunch supporter of local organizations. He holds several positions which include: Executive Board Member of the Miami Science Museum; Board of Governors Member of The National Tropical Botanical Garden; Collector’s Council member of Miami Art Museum; Junior Committee Founding Member of Art Basel Miami Beach; and Member of The George Washington University Luther Rice Society Advisory Council.