By Tony Guzman
Staff Writer

Bal Harbour resident Lee Gaffney has truly had an eventful, fascinating life.

Born in Minnesota, Lee trained as a model and began her modeling career working for Burdines. She was hired by IBM at 17 years old to show people how easy it was to run their machines. After marrying and moving to Montreal, she became the first woman licensed for the Montreal, Canadian and Toronto Stock Exchanges, and, in 1958, the first to make a transaction on the floor of the American Stock Exchange. She worked for Gimbels and Saks writing on fashion shows in Paris. A much sought-after travel writer, Lee became a master of and an authority on promotions. She worked as Director of Public Relations for Alitalia in Canada, and Hilton Hotels sent her around the world to critique and report on their far-flung operations. She’s appeared on numerous TV and radio shows in the U.S. and around the world, and even had her own radio show in Hong Kong. Lee was decorated by the king of Thailand for her travel writing on his country and honored by Moishe Dayan for her work in promoting tourism to Israel. Chicago’s Mayor Daley père even threw Lee her own parade down State Street.

Since moving to Miami permanently in 1976, Lee has been involved in high-profile promotions and public relations work, including stints working for Stephen Muss of the Fontainebleau and the Omni Hotel’s Hank Meyer. Most recently, Lee was Executive Director of the Villa Maria Foundation. Her enthusiasm about the Greater Miami Beach area has never waned.

SunPost: How does Miami Beach today compare to the old days?

Gaffney: You can’t even compare. It was a small thing. The first time I saw Miami Beach there was gambling all over the place at every third hotel. This was in the ‘50s. The gambling was wild. Nothing wrong with that. Now the boats take them out and they gamble.

SunPost: You’ve devoted many years to promoting travel and particular destinations, how would you promote Miami Beach?

Gaffney: We should be promoting not only to the young but to the middle-aged and older. A lot of affluent people are not going to come just for South Beach. We’re not promoting Miami Beach for the elegance it has. Not just South Beach, which is wonderful; not just Lincoln Road, which is wonderful too. I’m so sold on Miami Beach, you can’t imagine. There’s an awful lot to see here, but not much done about it. We have a beach second to none – I’ve been all over the world looking at beaches – it needs more promoting. I think there should be more done about the great building going on and the events that can be planned. Every hotel has to be involved in the convention business. This has been my whole life, bringing in business. When I worked for Alitalia I went to everybody: “What can we do for you?” We didn’t spend a lot of money, but you have to ask: “What business have you lost? Who hasn’t come back and why haven’t they come back?” The hotels are the thing to worry about because if they don’t do business we’re all in trouble.

SunPost: How has Miami Beach changed?

Gaffney: People don’t dress up like they used to. We would have to put on white gloves to go to Lincoln Road. It was all white gloves to the nth degree. There were so many elegant places to go. We need a few of those back. Look at Las Vegas now and all the hotels with fabulous shows. Why can’t we have four or five of these hotels? This is an attraction. You kill yourself now to get a good show. Back then, you would kill to get a great table at the Embers. Martha Raye had her nightclub around the corner. We had great comedians, Frank Sinatra, limos lined up for blocks. There were so many elegant attractions. People want something to do when they’re here for a convention – to see a prominent singer give a little zip to a nightclub. If somebody comes into a hotel, they’re dealing with people in their twenties who are young and cute and pretty, but they don’t have the experience in talking to groups and thinking of things to make their stay special so they’ll come back. Everybody can offer a room and a decent meal.

SunPost: Do you think Miami Beach has gotten too expensive?

Gaffney: We’re closer to New York prices. Restaurants tend to overcharge. We’ve got to offer something special, where they can see a singer and dance. We need more than the South Beach dance clubs – for people my age who are heads of corporations, presidents, vice presidents, on the board of directors. If you’re paying $400 to $500 a day for a room, you want something to do in the evening.

SunPost: What was your favorite time for being in Miami Beach?

Gaffney: Around ’80. The hotels were cleaning up their acts. The Fontainebleau and Eden Roc. Barbara Capitman started South Beach on a wing and a prayer. I stayed with her a whole weekend once. I could see her vision of what she wanted to have happen there.

Sun Post: What keeps you going?

Gaffney: I just feel that I have something that I can offer to people. And the more that we can offer things to people, then they’ll be interested and come. They don’t want to be herded onto a bus and just shuffled around. They want personal attention and special treatment. We have so much to offer – our location, our weather. I’ve been here 25 years, and when I come over the bridge and see those clean, white buildings I still get a thrill.