Class of 2020 Commencement Speaker Announced
Belen Jesuit is proud to announce that alumnus and businessman José E. Cil will be the guest speaker at the commencement exercises that will be held at the Miami-Dade Youth Fair Expo Center on Tuesday, June 16. Mr. Cil is a proud Belen Jesuit graduate of the class of 1987 and currently holds the position of Chief Executive Officer for Restaurant Brands International, Inc., the parent company of iconic restaurant brands Burger King, Tim Hortons and Popeyes.
“We are deeply honored that Mr. Cil accepted our invitation to be part of this important milestone in the lives of these young men,” said Jesuit Father Guillermo M. García-Tuñón, Ed.D. ‘87, President of Belen Jesuit. “José is not only my classmate, he is my brother. He is a great example of living the Ignatian magis. He always rises to the occasion whether it is in business or in acts of charity. I have no doubt that his message will resonate with the seniors who are graduating.”
Mr. Cil earned his Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science from Tulane University in 1991 and his Juris Doctor from the University of Pennsylvania Law School in 1994. He began to work at the Burger King Corporation in 2000, and aside from a brief pause in 2010, has remained at the company ever since. Mr. Cil served as global president of Burger King until 2018 and, in 2019, was named CEO of RBI.
“More than 30 years after graduating from Belen Jesuit myself, it’s an honor and privilege to return and address the class of 2020 as they look ahead to the next big chapter in their lives,” said Mr. Cil. “Belen Jesuit is a school that forges lifelong friendships and it’s important to rely on trusted friends throughout your career to keep you grounded, focused and remind you where you come from. It feels like the world is very complicated right now, but that can be said for many graduating classes over the decades. I’m looking forward to sharing a message of confidence, optimism and trust in what this graduating class can accomplish in the world with the values and education that Belen Jesuit provides.”
Additionally, Mr. Cil is an adamant supporter of Jesuit education. Over the years, Mr. Cil has contributed in numerous ways to the advancement of Belen. Apart from his financial contributions, he has committed his time by speaking to groups of students and advising the school leadership. These things are paving the way for the future of Belen Jesuit.
Mr. Cil was born and raised in Miami, Florida and is the son of Cuban immigrants. He has been married to Annette for 25 years, they have two children and live in Miami. Their son José is a graduate of the Belen class of 2019.
BELEN JESUIT PREPARATORY SCHOOL
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
500 SW 127th Avenue, Miami, FL 33184
phone: 305.223.8600 | fax: 305.227.2565 | email: webmaster@belenjesuit.org
Belen Jesuit Preparatory School was founded in 1854 in Havana, Cuba by Queen Isabel II of Spain. The task of educating students was assigned to the priests and brothers of the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits), whose teaching tradition is synonymous with academic excellence and spiritual discipline. In 1961, the new political regime of Cuba confiscated the School property and expelled the Jesuit faculty. The School was re-established in Miami the same year, and over the next decade, continued to grow. Today, Belen Jesuit sits on a 30-acre site in western Dade County, only minutes away from downtown Miami.