Bob Graham
Founder and Advisor
Miami Connection
As a patriarch of Miami Lakes, Graham's family farm evolved into the planned community where residents live, work, and play, incorporated in 2000. He addressed Miami's 1980 refugee influx and riots as Governor, stabilizing the region amid crisis. His environmental advocacy protected the Everglades near his childhood home and co-founded the Save the Manatee Club, yielding lasting conservation benefits for South Florida.
About
Bob Graham was born in 1936 in Coral Gables and raised on his family's dairy and cattle farm on the edge of the Everglades in what became Miami Lakes. He graduated from the University of Florida and Harvard Law School before entering politics, serving in the Florida House (1966-1970) and Senate (1970-1978). Elected Governor in 1978, he served two terms, managing refugee crises and riots in Miami while advancing education and environmental initiatives. He then represented Florida in the U.S. Senate from 1987 to 2005. Deeply tied to Miami Lakes—developed by his brother from the family farm—Graham remained active post-retirement through the Bob Graham Center for Public Service at UF. He passed away on April 16, 2024, at age 87.