Harris Rosen made a name for himself as Florida’s largest independent hotelier. A self-made millionaire, Rosen was president and COO of Rosen Hotels & Resorts. But, he would have never pursued a career in hospitality had it not been for a chance encounter with Marilyn Monroe as a child.

Not just a hotelier, Rosen was a visionary businessman whose ventures included an in-house healthcare company and extensive philanthropic work, ranging from early childhood education and cancer research initiatives to his storied ‘adoption’ of the Tangelo Park neighborhood in Orlando.