If South Beach had a walk of fame, Irene Marie's star would be front and center.

As founder of Irene Marie Management Group, Irene is regarded as an icon in South Florida, credited with spearheading the modeling scene in the region. After enjoying success as a high fashion model in Paris, Irene returned to her native home of Miami, Florida and brought her modeling industry experience with her.

In the early 1980s, a visit from a fashion industry leader in Paris proved to be a life-altering event for Irene. With the opportunity offered to partner in opening a modeling agency together, Irene once again packed her bags for Paris, and trained with her associate to learn the ins and outs of the business. The year-round warm weather, blue skies, sandy beaches and Art Deco architecture of South Florida seemed to be the perfect backdrop for photo shoots and fashion spreads. Realizing the potential of the area, Irene  returned to Ft. Lauderdale in 1981 after training and opened City Models Florida, the city's first international full-service model management agency. In 1983 the name of the agency was changed to Irene Marie Models and by 1988 had outgrown its Ft. Lauderdale location.

Having realized Miami Beach's potential as a fashion production superpower (unpopulated beaches, vibrant colors, unique lighting), Irene soon decided to move her agency South to the relatively undiscovered South Beach. In 1989, Irene was one of the first real estate investors in South Beach to purchase and renovate an original ocean front building. She moved her agency to the former Sunray Apartments (made famous by the chainsaw scene in the movie Scarface) located at 728 Ocean Drive. The relocation would prove to be instrumental in establishing South Florida's acceptance as a fashion mecca.

Following her move to her new oceanfront office, Irene diligently worked with state and local officials to develop positive growth and revitalization in the South Beach area. She sat on prominent local boards including the Florida Motion Picture & TV Association, the Ocean Drive Association, the Miami Beach Development Corporation and the Miami-Dade County Film & Print Advisory Board. Irene's work paid off, and the influx of entertainment related production in the area lead to South Beach being recognized as a key locale and dubbed the "third fashion capital of the world."

Soon after establishing her Miami Beach agency, Irene became internationally renowned as a leading force in both the fashion and talent management industries, discovering future iconic faces such as then 14-year old Niki Taylor. Under Irene's trained eye and skillful management, Niki skyrocketed to world-wide fame, at the time appearing on more magazine covers than anyone else her age. The agency continued to grow during the early 1990s with the discovery and development of other iconic models and actors such as David Fumero, Amber Smith, Tom Pricone, Garcelle Beauvais, Brandi Quinones, Yollie Roman and Britt Bradford.

In 1992 Forbes magazine listed Irene Marie Models as one of the top 8 most successful modeling agencies in the world. The following year Irene opened agency branches in Atlanta, Tampa and was the first Florida based modeling agency to ever open in New York. During this period Irene represented the top models in the business including Marcus Schenkenberg, Jason Shaw, Kimora Lee, Beverly Peele, Bruno Santos and Ana Nicole Smith. In 1997 after giving birth to her fifth child, Irene decided to consolidate her several agencies into one entity, again based out of her Miami Beach office.

Over the next decade, Irene continued to discover and develop talent including Cindy Taylor, Amber Arbucci, Vinci Alonso and Brett Novek. In 2006, Irene along with MTV launched the hit reality television series 8th & Ocean which chronicled the lives of 10 models and their relationship with Irene and her staff. The following year Irene received the key to the City of Miami Beach in recognition of her cultural and commercial contribution to the development of the city. The City's proclamation declared July 11th Irene Marie Day in the City of Miami Beach.

In 2009, after 25 years of service to her community and industry, the Grand Dame of Modeling retired from the modeling world and now focuses her time on mentoring students, inspiring new entrepreneurs and consulting with industry professionals. Her legacy remains ever-present in the City of Miami Beach and the fashion community at large.

Throughout the years, Irene has achieved many accolades in her industry, including the 2005 Women in International Trade (WIT) Award for outstanding achievement in promoting South Florida as a center for international business and trade. Irene continues to be a member of the Film, Fashion, Music and Entertainment Task Force of the Greater Miami Convention & Visitors Bureau and is also a founding mentor of the Women of Tomorrow Mentor & Scholarship Program. Irene has frequently served as a special correspondent for print and television networks including CNN, E! and MTV.