The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) will celebrate the exceptional contributions of Lee Issa and Paul Issa at the 2025 Jamaica Charity Gala on Saturday, April 5.
The event will be held at the Loews Coral Gables Hotel in Miami, Florida, recognizing both honorees for their transformative impact on Jamaica and beyond.
Lee Issa, Chairman of Couples Resorts, will be awarded for his international achievements. His leadership at Couples Resorts, which operates four properties with over 900 rooms and employs 1,600 people, has made a lasting mark on Jamaica’s tourism industry. Beyond hospitality, Issa is well-known for his success in retail through Lee’s 5th Avenue Apparel Stores and his contributions to real estate development, most notably with the Richmond Estate Project, a community featuring over 1,100 homes. With a career spanning more than 40 years, Lee Issa has been a cornerstone of Jamaica’s economic and social progress.
Paul Issa, a director at House of Issa, will be honored for his humanitarian efforts. As Chairman of the Issa Trust Foundation, he has championed initiatives in education and health care. Under his leadership, the foundation has partnered with international nonprofits to provide Jamaica’s public health sector with approximately $40 million worth of medical equipment, medication, training, and supplies. His latest endeavor, the Mary Issa Paediatric and Adolescent Health Center in Richmond, St. Ann, aims to enhance health services for young people along Jamaica’s North Coast and beyond.
The gala promises to highlight the significant achievements of these two icons while supporting American Friends of Jamaica’s mission to advance education, healthcare, and economic development in Jamaica.
 will honor Lee Issa and Paul Issa at the 2025 Jamaica Charity Gala on Saturday, April 5.){kind=link}