FYI Miami is a weekly feature of Miami Today, keeping readers ahead of the news. Here are highlights from the most current edition.

BUY OUT: Miami-based Fiera.com, an e-commerce company for Latin American, Spanish, Portuguese and US Hispanic communities, has acquired Argentina-based Marken Commercial — a computer and office supplies retailer. Fiera.com will transfer Marken's catalog clientele to Fiera's on-line shopping offers, promoters say.

CULTURE DEBUT: The Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau will present its new and improved Greater Miami & the Beaches Cultural Guide at 5:30 p.m. Sept. 12 in the newly restored Lyric Theater, 819 NW Second Ave., Overtown. The guide features maps of historic sites as well as descriptions of arts and cultural-related venues. Details: (305) 539-3000.

SOUTHERN HOSPITALITY: The Florida Hotel & Motel Association's 2000 Paul Brown award for "outstanding leadership and accomplishments in hospitality education" went to Stuart Blumberg, president and CEO of the Greater Miami & the Beaches Hotel Association. Mr. Blumberg has served on the board for the Academy of Travel & Tourism since 1991 and was chair of the Miami Beach Chamber of Commerce from 1989-91. He also chairs the Visitor Industry Council and created the Voluntary Educational Service Training Trust program for area hotel employees.

MEMORIAL ACHIEVEMENT: Florida Memorial College has been awarded national accreditation by the Association of College Business Schools & Programs — "a major institutional milestone," says Karl S. Wright, executive vice president and provost for the school. He said having the college's business division accredited "represents the first of what I expect will be a number of academic programs at the college to seek and eventually obtain national accreditation."

MILITARY CONTRACT: Aerothrust Corp., 5300 NW 36th St., announced it has been awarded a jet engine maintenance contract for $110 million by the US military.

FIFTY IN THE FALL: Fifty Over Fifty, the nonprofit funding organization, will hold a fall membership meeting Oct. 4 in Northern Trust Bank, 700 Brickell Ave. Reservations required. Cost is $20. Details: (305) 858-7298.

POSTER PARTY: Miami Book Fair International officials will unveil the event's 2000 poster by artist David Lee Csicsko at 6:30 p.m. Sept. 12 in Poet's Cafe at Power Studios, 3701 NE Second Ave. Details: (305) 237-3258.

CANCER RESEARCH AWARD: The 2000 Mucio Athayde Cancer Prize founded by Miami Beach developer Mucio Athayde, president of New Florida, is being given today (9/7) in Seattle to Dr. Eduardo Caceres, a clinical investigator and surgical oncologist in Lima, Peru. The award includes a $100,000 gift.

VOLUNTEER CALL: South Miami Hospital seeks volunteers for its gift shop, waiting rooms, foundation office and information desk. Details: (305) 662-8130.indent from left ST.

THOMAS TRUSTEES: St. Thomas University has named John E. Downey, Emmanuel Nawdike and Gregory T. Swienton to its 35-member board of trustees. Mr. Downey is a builder and developer in North Carolina while Dr. Nawdike is president and CEO of Pawa Complex International Inc. Mr. Swienton is president and CEO for Ryder System Inc. Re-elected as board chairperson is Ann P. Machado, president of Creative Staffing. James E. McDonald with the law firm Duane Morris & Heckscher was re-elected vice chair and Robert J. McKee with the law firm Krupnick Campbell et al. was re-elected secretary.

SAN JOSE BOUND: Knight Ridder isn't the only major corporation winging from Miami to San Jose, CA — so is American Airlines. In American's case, however, it's just to establish a daily nonstop flight linking the cities. American announced Tuesday that it will begin the flights Dec. 15, leaving Miami at 1:40 p.m. and San Jose at 7:18 a.m. Between American and American Eagle, the company now flies to 87 destinations from Miami — more than 260 flights a day.

BREAKFAST MENU: A Beacon Council Community Breakfast Sept. 8 in the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables will take a look at workforce development in Miami-Dade schools. Panelists include representatives from the school board and area universities. WTJV Channel 6 reporter Ed Odell will moderate. Cost is $30 or $20 for members. Details: (305) 579-1341.

HIGH-TECH WOMEN: The Women's Fund of Miami is accepting proposals for innovative programs serving women and girls in the community for its 2000 grant cycle. Grants range from $2,000-$5,000. Proposals for computer- or science-related programs are encouraged since the number of women entering these fields is decreasing. Deadline is Oct. 16. Details: womensfundmiami.org.

SMALL TIME: The US Small Business Administration's South Florida District Office is accepting nominations for Small Business Person of the Year and 12 other awards. Nominations will be accepted through Nov. 13. Details: Thaddeus Hosley, (305) 536-5521, ext. 167.

DIXIE OFFICE SALE: BBK Realty paid $812,500 for the YST Building, a 22,719-square-foot office structure at 17071 W Dixie Hwy. adjacent to railroad tracks where fiber-optic cable is soon to be laid. The law firm Young Stern Tannenbaum was the seller. Allen Morris Co. associate Louis J. Gallo negotiated the deal.

SKYLAKE ENLARGEMENT: Equity One announced a 55,781-square-foot addition to North Miami Beach's Shops at Skylake has been completed. Construction on a 24,000-square-foot addition to house a 16,000-square-foot Goodwill Industries and a Washington Mutual Bank branch, is about to begin.

NAME BRAND TENANT: Brand Institute, specializing in brand name development, leased 12,254 square feet, or the entire 12th floor, at 200 SE First St. Deanna Lobinsky of Abood & Associates represented the landlord, IEA Property, in the transaction.

CLOTHING LEASE: Genco Distribution Systems, a clothing liquidator, leased 20,000 square feet of warehouse space from Omni Realty at 167 SE 10th Ave. Jim Armstrong of Easton & Associates represented the tenant in the transaction.

CADILLAC SALE: Beta-Epsilon Cadillac bought the Cadillac Hotel, 3925 Collins Ave., for an undisclosed price from Promocom of America, under terms approved by the US Bankruptcy Court. Adam Petrillo and Mark Singer of Aztec Group, who negotiated the deal, say the new owners plan to reopen as a Marriott Courtyard Hotel after extensive renovations