The presentation will share a Floridian’s perspective on how Finnish Americans have shaped services in Florida and why their presence continues to be a vital asset to our communities.

Dan Benson, a native Floridian, has seen firsthand the significant impact that Finnish Americans have had on local communities. Florida, with its large Finnish population, has benefited greatly from their dedication, strong sense of community, and commitment to supporting services tailored to their needs.
The concentration of Finns in certain areas has led to the development of specialized healthcare facilities, senior living communities, and home care services that not only serve Finnish Americans but also contribute to the broader healthcare industry. This demand has created jobs for Finns, and strengthened the local Finnish economy.

Presenter Bios:

Armi Sturges
Retired teacher and Social Worker, MS of TESOL, BS Social Work, Florida International University, Miami-Dade Public School South Dade Technical College. Born in Helsinki, Finland.

Daniel Benson, MS, LNHA
CEO of the Finnish American Rest home
A native Floridian and sixth-generation resident, Dan Benson has been a healthcare executive in the South Florida market for over 22 years. His extensive background includes serving as an Administrator, Executive Director, Regional Operations Manager, and CEO across various healthcare sectors, including nursing homes, assisted living facilities, home health agencies, nurse registries, and outpatient therapy clinics.
With his deep-rooted ties to Florida, extensive healthcare expertise, and dedication to the Finnish community, Mr. Benson is a distinguished speaker on all aspects of healthcare in South Florida, offering a unique Floridian perspective on Finns in the region.

Tiina Rogers
Director of HR at Finnish American Village
Tiina Rogers was born and raised in Finland, before moving to Florida in 1991. Tiina has worked in the travel industry and banking industry in both Finland and the United States. She has also held key administrative roles in Finnish associations and companies.
Beyond her professional endeavors, Tiina is deeply involved in the Finnish-American community, dedicating much of her free time to various Finnish organizations. She has held leadership roles in the Midnight Sun Festival, serving as President after previously acting as Treasurer. Through her ongoing work with the festival and other cultural initiatives, Tiina strives to keep Finnish traditions alive and foster a strong sense of community among Finnish-Americans.

Timo Vainionpää
The Owner and editor of USAsuomeksi.com
Timo Vainionpää has more than five decades of experience in the IT field. In earlier years Timo was a part of a development team of products that drew international interest and Timo was often seen as a speaker in international software conferences.
After moving to USA Timo developed one of the first Finnish websites some 30 years ago.
USAsuomeksi.com gained popularity and consequently got Timo to start producing content for the readers. This brought Timo to photojournalism and honed his writing skills. These articles were widely noticed and Timo was invited as an international correspondent of a news bureau in Finland.