Augusto Sanabria

A native of Argentina, Augusto Sanabria is the President and CEO of Prospera, an economic development, nonprofit organization that since 1991 helps start, sustain, and grow Hispanic-owned businesses to achieve community prosperity.

Augusto began his career at Prospera in 2003 and advanced through the organization’s ranks. Since becoming President and CEO in 2009, the nonprofit organization has achieved significant growth, quadrupling its budget and staff. Today, Prospera has established valuable partnerships and collaborations with national organizations such as the U.S. Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Aspen Institute, U.S. Small Business Administration, Hispanic Federation, NALCAB, Ascendus, and the National League of Cities.

Prospera’s service area has also grown exponentially under Augusto’s leadership. In 2011, Prospera’s presence expanded beyond Tampa and Orlando to establish offices in South Florida. In 2014, Prospera began serving entrepreneurs in additional areas of Florida, including Jacksonville, the Panhandle, Ft. Myers/Naples, Sarasota, and West Palm Beach. In 2016, Prospera began providing services in North Carolina and by July 2017 opened its first office outside of the state in Charlotte. In 2021, Prospera began delivering services in Atlanta, Georgia and established an office in Raleigh, NC.

In mid-March 2020, the organization quickly pivoted to remote services in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The program was temporarily adjusted to increase consulting hours, responding to the spike in individual handholding requests. Educational programs were paused and all resources were focused on helping established business owners resolve immediate needs. Compared to the previous year, individual business consulting services increased by 23% and Prospera staff marketed five times the number of loans for small businesses. In the last five years, Prospera has helped clients create and retain more than 16,000 jobs across Florida and North Carolina.

When the COVID-19 pandemic began, Augusto was appointed to Mayor Jerry L. Demings’ Orange County Economic Recovery Task Force. In 2016, he received the Orlando Business Journal’s CEO of the Year Award and in 2015 the Orlando Business Journal’s 40 Under 40 Award. In 2013, he was recognized with Governor Rick Scott’s Award of Excellence, selected for Leadership Florida and graduated with Class 31, and named among “Orlando’s Power Brokers” by the Orlando Sentinel. In 2012, he was recognized with the “Compadre Award” by the Kissimmee/Osceola County Hispanic Business Council and by Telemundo Orlando in their “Triunfadores” Hispanic leader and influencer spotlight series. Also in 2012, HCCMO’s Vision magazine recognized Augusto as one of Central Florida’s 25 most influential Hispanics.

Augusto holds a master’s degree in Business Administration and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Central Florida. His wife María Jesús is also Argentinian and they have three beautiful children.