“I think my favorite memory has to be… when I graduated from Miami Senior High,” Valentin Menendez said. “Many of my friends from high school are still my closest friends today.”
Valentin Menendez came to Miami in 1961 following the takeover of Cuba by then dictator, Fidel Castro. Though the Cuban coasts rested just 90 miles from American soil, it was a completely different world when he arrived. Faced with a new land, a new language, and a new life, it was up to Menendez to make of it what he would.
“I’ve always loved working with cars,” Valentin said. He considered himself to be “very blessed,” to have turned that love into a career through Auto Sport International. Menendez brought the company to life in 1989 with just 3 employees steering the ship. Menendez dedicated 30 years of his life going “above and beyond the call of duty,” as his wife, Cary Menendez put it. To no surprise, Auto Sport International went on to be held in high regard by virtually every dealership in Miami and was certified by Honda, Acura, and Nissan among others for quality and service. At their peak, Auto Sport International stood at 19 employees all dedicated to that standard of excellence.
Suddenly, Valentin Menendez and Auto Sport International were hit by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Menendez spared no effort to keep the business going strong and through the two years that the pandemic has gone on, he managed to retain 14 employees without sacrificing service quality. Many of those employees have worked with the business for 25 years and still do to this day.
That chapter, however, is now coming to a close. The company was sold and Valentin Menendez will soon be moving to Central Florida with his wife to “slow down,” as he put it. “Life in Miami is too fast for me now. Moving to central Florida is a welcome change of pace,” Valentin said. He talked about his deep fondness for the city he called home by recalling various moments such as his graduation from Miami Senior High or even the years in which his company was responsible for the painting of the Miami Fast race car at the Miami Grand Prix. He plans to continue his passion for cars and added that he spends a lot of time watching and going to NASCAR events. Despite the times slowing down, it was quite clear that his passion for cars and for the city of Miami never took the foot off the gas pedal for even a second.
Valentin Menendez, the Driving Force Behind Auto Sport International - Miami's Community Newspapers
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