Jeannett Slesnick

Jeannett Black Slesnick (July 28, 1947 – August 3, 2023) was an American philanthropist, entrepreneur, community advocate, publisher, public official, and cultural patron. Slesnick had served in several leadership positions in South Florida boards and foundations as well as in elected office in the City of Coral Gables where she resided until her death. She published the widely circulated local news magazine Jeannett's Journal and founded the prominent South Florida real estate firm Slesnick and Jochem, which remains active under the direction of her business partner, Ginger Jochem.

Early life

Jeannett Frances Black was born on July 28, 1947, in St. Louis, Missouri to Roy and Cecilia Black. Her family owned a citrus grove in Vero Beach, Florida, where they would relocate for the rest of Jeannett's upbringing. She graduated from Vero Beach High School in 1965, after which she first attended the University of South Florida in Tampa, then transferred to the University of Florida in Gainesville. There she met her future husband, Don Slesnick, a fellow student, in 1967 at the age of 20. During that posting, she served as the education advisor sponsored by the University of Maryland. She began her career in 1975 working with Kerdyk Real Estate for nine years where she secured her realtor's license. She then went to work for EWM (Esslinger Wooten Maxwell) Realtors where she remained for over 25 years and became the firm's top producer in their Coral Gables office and further established herself in the field regionally. The primary impetus for creating her own firm was a desire to deepen her philanthropic work, which required more financial resources as well as more flexibility in her schedule. Later renamed Slesnick and Jochem in 2011, as the firm became more successful it would locate its offices on the grounds of the Biltmore Hotel, a prominent National Historic Landmark. The firm expanded its specialization and offerings in several primary South Florida real estate markets including Coral Gables, Brickell/Downtown Miami, Coconut Grove, and Key Biscayne. Within a decade Slesnick and Jochem would become the top listing brokerage in Coral Gables.

By 2017, she ranked in the top one-half percent of realtors nationally. In media interviews, Slesnick partly credited her success to her cumulative experience and deep knowledge of Coral Gables building and zoning codes.

In August 2017 Slesnick launched her best-known work, Jeannett's Journal, to report in-depth news in the Coral Gables community. It would cover notable stories, events, and issues in the area until her death in 2023. These included donations of books to families in need, free literacy screenings and evaluations, children's activities, and author events. A notable example would be a major sustainability and beautification project undertaken while Slesnick served as Chair of the Coral Gables Community Foundation.

Another major focus of her advocacy was historic preservation. In that field, Slesnick was a patron and supporter of the Historic Preservation Association of Coral Gables (HPACG), as well as an active member of the Dade Heritage Trust. The high-density development issue was seen by Slesnick as well as many residents and members of the historic preservation community as damaging to the city's long-established historic character, leading Slesnick to advocate in favor of more robust preservation efforts through government roles as a City Commissioner and as Vice Chair of the Coral Gables Historic Preservation Board.

Slesnick's other community leadership included serving as President of Gables Good Government (GGG), a not-for-profit community organization founded in 2009 to encourage transparency and public participation in Coral Gables government, and would lead the group from 2012 to 2015. Slesnick was also active in supporting cultural programming through Actor's Playhouse at the historic Miracle Theatre, where she served as a Board member for twenty years from 1995 to 2015, and supporting art openings. Other roles Slesnick held in South Florida through her public life included serving on the Board of the American Red Cross of South Florida as well as being a Board member of the Junior League of Miami. Over the next decade, Slesnick maintained a public profile by continuing to expand her community advocacy into more areas, serve on several additional boards, committees, and foundations, as well as launch her own successful real estate practice.

Beginning in 2001, Jeannett Slesnick reengaged with politics directly when she served as campaign manager for her husband Don's four successful Mayoral campaigns, leading to a record 10 consecutive years as the city's mayor. Slesnick was awarded the Elder Advocate Award in 2010 by the Alliance for Aging for her work in developing the program and its successful impact on senior residents of Coral Gables. She remained on the museum's Board of Directors for six years from 2006 to 2012.

In 2015 Slesnick ran again for a seat on the Coral Gables City Commission in a crowded field of candidates, this time winning her election. The race featured five other candidates and was considered highly contested as the seat's incumbent had been termed out after serving in office for 20 years. The Miami Herald reported Slesnick beat her next closest competitor in the field by a margin of seven points with turnout reflecting a significant increase from the 2013 election. Despite her late entry, Slesnick's campaign managed to reach a diverse coalition, including members of several prominent Coral Gables Hispanic families such as the Más Canosa, Permuy, Gonzalez, and Concepcion families. Other significant developments in the campaign elevated the race beyond the local level, including notable bipartisan endorsements by former U.S. Senator and Florida Governor Bob Graham, former Florida Senator Miguel Diaz de la Portilla, past Florida International University President Mitch Maidique, philanthropists Trish and Dan Bell, as well as the organizations Ruth's List, the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF), the Coral Gables Fraternal Order of Police, and SAVE Dade.

Slesnick ultimately lost the rematch, this time by a narrower margin of 123 votes, breaking their previous record as the closest mayoral election in Coral Gables history.

In 2022 Slesnick was honored as the Rotary Club of Coral Gables “Citizen of the Year” for her civic advocacy.

In 2023, the Coral Gables City Commission awarded Slesnick a rare second Key to the City of Coral Gables and as well as a City Proclamation naming July 11 as “Jeannett Slesnick Day” in Coral Gables. Both were accepted on her behalf by her husband Don Slesnick, who read her acceptance statement which concluded “Know that my love for our city and my fellow residents will burn brightly in my soul long after my departure”, a statement that had become widely quoted after her death. She was also named a 2024 Junior League of Miami “Women Who Make a Difference” Honoree and a co-recipient of both Henry M. Flagler Community Builder Award as well as the Gables Good Government (GGG) "Excellence in Public Service Award" alongside her husband Don, who accepted each on her behalf.

In 2025, Slesnick was honored with the designation of "Jeannett Slesnick Literacy Row" in the primary thoroughfare of the Coral Gables Youth Center in recognition of her role in establishing the Coral Gables Literacy Festival. The Resolution was passed in June 2024 and the designation was unveiled and inaugurated in May 2025. Also that year, Slesnick was honored nationally with an American flag flown over the United States Capitol by Congressman Carlos Giménez, and as a co-recipient of the George E. Merrick Award for Excellence alongside her husband Don by the Coral Gables Chamber of Commerce during the Centennial Year of Coral Gables.

In 2026, Slesnick was a posthumous recipient of the Civic Arts Award during the Coral Gables Museum Centennial Gala.

Following Slesnick's death, the Coral Gables Community Foundation manages and maintains the complete archives for Jeannett's Journal.

Personal life

Jeannett Slesnick was married to Donald D. Slesnick II for 54 years. They had two children, Kathleen Anne and Donald David III, as well as four grandchildren Ceci Slesnick, Sebastian Slesnick, Olivia Kauffman, and Julia Kauffman.