George Pino is a Miami real estate broker and CEO of State Street Realty, now on trial for manslaughter in the 2022 Biscayne Bay boat crash that killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez.
George Pino is a prominent South Florida commercial real estate broker and CEO of State Street Realty, a Miami-based brokerage and advisory firm he founded in 2011. With over 30 years of industry experience, Pino built a career handling some of the largest lease and sale transactions in South Florida. However, in 2022, his life took a dramatic turn following a fatal boating accident that killed a teenage girl and left another permanently disabled.
Since then, Pino has faced escalating legal charges. His manslaughter and vessel homicide trial began in June 2026, drawing national attention and placing this once-celebrated real estate figure at the center of one of South Florida’s most high-profile criminal cases in recent memory.
Quick Facts About George Pino
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | George I. Pino |
| Age | 55 (as of 2026) |
| Nationality | American |
| Profession | Commercial Real Estate Broker, CEO |
| Company | State Street Realty (Doral, Florida) |
| Spouse | Cecilia Pino |
| Children | At least one daughter, Carolina Pino |
| Education | Industrial Engineering, University of Miami |
| Known For | South Florida real estate; 2022 Biscayne Bay boat crash |
| Net Worth | Estimated $5–$10 million (2025) |
Early Life and Background
George Pino was born and raised in Miami, Florida, and has been a South Florida resident since 1960. He grew up immersed in the culture and rapid development of one of America’s most dynamic metropolitan regions. His early interest in business and construction laid the groundwork for what would become a long and decorated career in commercial real estate.
Pino pursued higher education at the University of Miami, earning a degree in Industrial Engineering. He is a Licensed Real Estate and Mortgage Broker in Florida and holds the designation of Registered Professional Engineer with the State of Florida. Fluent in both English and Spanish, Pino built strong relationships across the bilingual business community of South Florida.
Real Estate Career: Building a South Florida Empire
Pino launched his career as Real Estate Manager for Tecton, Inc. in Miami, where he oversaw a 500,000-square-foot portfolio of commercial and residential properties. He also handled property disposals for the United States Marshals Service and the Resolution Trust Corporation, gaining early exposure to complex, high-stakes transactions.
His career accelerated when he joined Flagler Real Estate Services, part of the prominent Codina Group, where he served as Senior Vice President for nearly 20 years. In that role, he managed the leasing and property management of over 4 million square feet of office and industrial space across Miami-Dade County. He became one of the firm’s most consistently recognized performers, earning “Broker of the Month” recognition and multiple “Deal Maker” awards from the Daily Business Review.
In October 2011, Pino struck out on his own, founding State Street Realty, a full-service commercial brokerage based in Doral, Florida. Under his leadership, the company grew into a major force in South Florida’s industrial and office real estate markets. Key projects under his management have included Beacon Tradeport Industrial Park (3.1 million sq ft), Beacon Centre Business Park (1.8 million sq ft), and Miami International Logistics Center (650,000 sq ft), among others. By 2015, his total transaction volume had surpassed $1.75 billion across more than 30 million square feet in leasing.
Pino also became a fixture in South Florida’s professional real estate community, serving on the Board of Directors of the Commercial Industrial Association of South Florida (CIASF) and holding active memberships in NAIOP, BOMA, and the South Florida Office Brokers Association (SFOBA).
Awards and Industry Recognition
George Pino’s track record earned him a distinguished list of accolades. He was a five-time recipient of the NAIOP Industrial Broker of the Year for South Florida (2009, 2010, 2011, 2014, and 2015), a recognition reserved for the region’s top industrial deal-makers. He received the CoStar Power Broker Award every year from 2003 through 2017, a remarkable 15-year streak.
In 2007, he was one of only 15 commercial real estate professionals selected nationally as an ONCOR International Top Producer. He was also designated the “2011 Featured Broker” by Prologis, the world’s largest industrial REIT. In 2013, he earned the coveted SIOR (Society of Industrial and Office REALTORS®) designation, a credential requiring at least five years of specialized experience and demonstrated professional excellence. The South Florida Business Journal named him a “Power Leader” as recently as late 2024.
Personal Life
George Pino is married to Cecilia Pino, who also serves as a media contact for State Street Realty. The couple has at least one daughter, Carolina Pino, whose 18th birthday celebration in September 2022 became the backdrop for the fatal boating incident that would reshape the family’s public life entirely.
Pino has long been a member of the exclusive Ocean Reef Club in Key Largo, Florida, where he also serves on its Advisory Committee. Outside of business, he has volunteered with the Redlands Migrant Christian Association and the Mike Lowell Charity Foundation, reflecting a community-minded side that stood in contrast to the legal narrative that emerged after 2022.
Net Worth and Financial Standing
As of 2025, George Pino’s estimated net worth falls between $5 million and $10 million, according to available financial profiles. His wealth derives from decades of high-value commercial real estate commissions, business equity in State Street Realty, and investments tied to South Florida’s booming property market. Throughout his career, Pino participated in transactions totaling hundreds of millions of dollars, consistently ranking among the region’s top-producing brokers. His financial standing, however, has likely been affected by the mounting legal costs of his ongoing criminal trial.
The 2022 Biscayne Bay Boat Crash
On September 4, 2022 — the Sunday of Labor Day weekend — George Pino was at the helm of his 29-foot Robalo boat carrying 14 passengers, including his wife, his daughter, and 11 of his daughter’s teenage friends. The group had spent the day at Elliott Key in Biscayne Bay celebrating his daughter’s 18th birthday. On the return trip, while traveling through the Cutter Bank channel toward the Ocean Reef Club in north Key Largo, the boat struck a concrete channel marker near Boca Chita Key.
The impact capsized the vessel and threw all 14 occupants into the water. Eleven passengers were injured and six were transported to hospitals. Three teenage girls were pulled from the water unconscious. Luciana “Lucy” Fernandez, a 17-year-old senior at Our Lady of Lourdes Academy in Miami, died the following day — her cause of death ruled drowning. Katerina “Katy” Puig, then 18, suffered a traumatic brain injury that left her with physical and neurological disabilities requiring ongoing care.
Investigators later found more than 60 empty alcoholic bottles and cans aboard the vessel. However, Pino was not given a sobriety test at the scene. He told investigators he had consumed only two beers and claimed a wake from another passing boat had caused him to lose control. Prosecutors allege no such “phantom boat” existed, and that GPS data showed Pino on a collision course for several seconds prior to impact, traveling at nearly 50 mph on the wrong side of the channel.
Criminal Charges and 2026 Trial
Charges against Pino escalated in stages over the three years following the crash. He initially faced misdemeanor careless boating charges, to which he pleaded not guilty. As new witness testimony emerged — including accounts from teenage passengers about alcohol consumption prior to the crash — prosecutors upgraded the charges. Pino eventually faced second-degree manslaughter and vessel homicide, each carrying a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison, for a combined potential exposure of up to 30 years.
His trial began in Miami-Dade Circuit Court before Judge Marisa Tinkler Mendez on June 8, 2026. The first day ended abruptly when Pino suffered an apparent emotional breakdown during his defense attorney Howard Srebnick’s opening statement, prompting the judge to suspend proceedings and order a medical evaluation. The trial is expected to last approximately two weeks. The Puig family has also filed a civil lawsuit against Pino alleging negligence, which remains pending.
Conclusion
George Pino’s story is a striking study in contrasts — a celebrated professional career built over three decades, now overshadowed by a single evening’s tragedy. His achievements in South Florida commercial real estate are significant and well-documented, earning him recognition from the industry’s most respected organizations.
Yet the events of September 4, 2022, and the trial that followed have redefined how the public knows his name. As the legal proceedings continue, the case has also reignited broader conversations about boating safety, alcohol enforcement on Florida’s waterways, and accountability in the aftermath of tragedy.
Whatever the outcome of his trial, the lives lost and permanently altered on that Labor Day weekend remain at the center of this story — a reminder that no professional legacy exists apart from the full arc of a person’s life.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: Who is George Pino?
George Pino is a Miami-based commercial real estate broker and CEO of State Street Realty, a South Florida brokerage firm he founded in 2011. He is a five-time NAIOP Industrial Broker of the Year and recipient of the CoStar Power Broker Award from 2003 to 2017. Since 2022, he has been at the center of a high-profile criminal case related to a fatal boating accident.
Q2: What happened in George Pino’s boat crash?
On September 4, 2022, Pino was operating his 29-foot boat in Biscayne Bay when it struck a concrete channel marker near Boca Chita Key. The crash killed 17-year-old Lucy Fernandez and left another teenager, Katy Puig, with permanent neurological disabilities. Eleven of the 14 passengers on board were injured.
Q3: What charges does George Pino face?
Pino faces second-degree manslaughter and vessel homicide charges, both felonies that carry up to 15 years in prison each. He has pleaded not guilty to both charges and his trial began in June 2026 in Miami-Dade Circuit Court.
Q4: What is George Pino’s net worth?
His net worth is estimated between $5 million and $10 million as of 2025. His wealth was built through more than 30 years in South Florida commercial real estate, including over $1.75 billion in transaction volume during his career.
Q5: Who is George Pino’s wife?
George Pino is married to Cecilia Pino. Cecilia was also aboard the boat during the September 2022 crash and has been publicly present with her husband throughout his legal proceedings.
Q6: Where did George Pino go to college?
George Pino earned an Industrial Engineering degree from the University of Miami. He is also a Licensed Real Estate and Mortgage Broker and a Registered Professional Engineer with the State of Florida.
Q7: What is State Street Realty?
State Street Realty is a Miami-based commercial real estate brokerage and advisory firm founded by George Pino in October 2011. The company specializes in representing property owners, investors, and occupiers of office and industrial space throughout South Florida, and has been involved in billions of dollars in transactions since its founding.
