DAVID WALLACK

Well-known Miami Beach philanthropist and businessman David Wallack, CEO of Mango’s Tropical Cafe, was awarded the 44th President Barack Obama Lifetime Achievement Award (created by the Edward M. Kennedy Serve America Act), during the Celebration of Leaders in the historic town of Eatonville, Florida, as well as an Honorary Doctorate from CICA International University and Seminary, New York, for his outstanding academic, social and spiritual achievement.  The Lifetime Achievement Award is bestowed upon a select few citizens who have achieved a threshold of community outreach hours and philanthropic giving. Other select honorees this year included Congresswoman Val Demings, U.S. House of Representatives, Commissioner Regina Hill, Orlando, Mayor Edward Cole, Eatonville, Jerry Demings, Orange County Sheriff, now Mayor of Orange County, Florida and Presiding Bishop Ronald F. Kimble, Sr. The Life Center Church.

Wallack is recognized in Miami Breach for his creation of Mango’s Tropical Cafe (South Beach), one of the top three most profitable restaurant/nightclub operations outside of Las Vegas, in the United States.  David has also been awarded three Keys to the City of Miami Beach and a Mayoral Citation of Achievement for his work benefiting Miami Beach, which has included donating three K-9 dogs to the Miami Beach Police Department and a vehicle for the police to patrol the beach. In Miami, Wallack is a Founder of Baptist Hospital, a Golden Angel at Jackson Memorial Hospital, a longtime member and contributor to the ACLU,  a lifetime member of the NAACP and donated all Mango’s Miami and Orlando nets sales for a day plus chartered a plane filled with bottled water for the relief efforts in Puerto Rico – David personally was on board and delivered the water out to those in the most affected areas.   He has also collected and donated over $1 Million to Mount Sinai Hospital on Miami Beach.  He is also a major pledge donor to the newly opened Emergency Room and Surgical Building.  He has been a longtime supporter and contributor of the Miami Beach PAL (Police Athletic League), helping to build their building in Flamingo Park, as well as, contributing computers and many programs for the children.  He was awarded the “Excellence in Tourism Award” by the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce at the 2014 Annual Gala.  He is a donor to the South Florida SPCA for equine rescue, Pelican Harbor Seabird Station, a contributor to numerous cancer charities, Feinberg-Fisher K-8 Center, the Elaine Weisburd Excellence in Education Awards, and also contributes to the Shriner’s Hospital.

He has recently also taken on the “Whispering Manes” charity where learning to ride horses is given to those with Autism and other disabilities.  David has also supported inner city children’s football leagues and baseball teams, Jackson High Football Team, and provides college scholarships to children of Mango’s employees.

David is currently centering his attention on Orlando, where he recently opened a second Mango’s Tropical Cafe which is now the recipient of 21 awards.   His innovative entertainment concepts with Mango’s Tropical Cafe now entering its 28th year of operation have touched millions of people both local and all around the world. Mango’s is the “longest” continuously running Live Show in the United States, and for 10 years was the most videoed nightclub in the world.   “Developing the talents, careers and lives of so many deserving young men and women in both academic, vocational, and in the entertainment industry is so important to me on a personal level. Nothing gives me greater pleasure than seeing our youth and their families succeed in so many walks of life,” stated David Wallack. 

Wallack has spent his life in personal care, hospitality and philanthropy, along with the development and renaissance of South Beach and now Orlando. He was the Vice-Chairman of the Ocean Drive Association for 35 years helping to initiate and continue the revitalization of Ocean Drive and South Beach since the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. From 1978 to 1990, he also innovated the first redevelopment of an existing property in Miami Beach creating “The Eastern Sun” Adult Congregate Living Facilities (ACLF) .  In doing so, David was the first artist in Miami Beach to bring back pastel colors to a building since the 1940’s. David innovated those colors on Ocean Drive 3 years before the noted “Deco” artist, Leonard Horowitz, began brilliant art on South Beach Deco buildings.  

As a graduate of The University of Miami Law School in 1977, and a member of the Florida Bar since 1978, Wallack helped to transform the elderly care industry, bringing live entertainment and music, yoga, meditation and many forms of holistic care and pioneered the concept of Hospice Care for the elderly in those years. He became internationally recognized and lectured international delegations on New Age Care for the Elderly, and, being the only one to have evacuated an entire Senior Care Facility in Florida (three times), was asked to lecture at the Dade County Hurricane Center in 1990-1991 on evacuation of a Senior Care Facility.  He transitioned into the transformational renaissance of South Beach to what it is today. Wallack was the first President of the Ocean Drive Property Owners Association in the late 70’s and early 80’s. He was one of the leaders in the development of the Renaissance in Miami Beach, a respected artist, and to this day is recognized as an iconic and dynamic figure in the creation of the South Beach scene and world famous Mango’s Tropical Cafe.  David has also sat as a member of the Planning Board for the City of Miami Beach.

A true pioneer in so many areas, Wallack is beloved by so many, including employees, many administrations of Miami Beach government officials, arts and music icons and his extended family, including his mother and inspiration, Florence Wallack, his sister Barbara, his former wife and best friend, Trudy Wallack, and his two children, daughter Janna and son Joshua and five grandchildren.  David attended Central Beach Elementary School (Feinberg-Fisher), Fisher Jr. High School, Nautilus Jr. High School, and Miami Beach Senior High School in 1964 and 1965.

David graduated University of Miami Law School, Summa Cum Laude, in 1977. He has been a member of The Florida Bar since 1978.