About US
Oceans Group International was founded more than 18 years ago to develop real estate and provide expertise across the continuum of development and operations. OGI’s investors and management team include seasoned entrepreneurs and successful business leaders who focus on strategic planning, design, engineering, financing, permitting, construction, marketing, sales, operations, utilities, property management, and information systems. The company’s largest development project to date is the famous Red Frog Beach Resort & Spa that is immersed in one of the most exotic and unique ecosystems in the world in Bocas Del Toro, Panama. Red Frog is recognized as one the most important destination locations in the country and is the largest employer in the region. As OGI looks to expand Red Frog as a first of its kind enclave of luxurious resorts with surrounding real estate and amenities that are detached by vast spans of nature, the team maintains its commitment to socially responsible principles and sustainable practices within the tourism industry, as evidenced by Red Frog receiving the prestigious Green Globe Certification – the first resort in Panama to receive this distinction.
Meet the Team
Joe Haley - CEO/Partner
Joe is the President and CEO of Oceans Group International. Joe leads the strategic planning and execution of all Oceans Group International initiatives and operations. Joe has extensive experience in the development and construction industry, with over 20 years of involvement across many facets of the business, primarily in Panama.
Strong leadership, strategic planning, and analytical skills are some of his key attributes. Joe has also demonstrated the ability to build and lead high performance teams that consistently deliver quantum results in sales, market share, and client satisfaction. Joe has the unique aptitude to develop relationships with business leaders facilitating win-win outcomes for the business, community, and shareholders..
Joe has a deep expertise in leading complex developments into profitable operations. His experience includes contract negotiations, property acquisition, partner creation, resort management, designing global organizational vision, strategic analysis, and executing successful sales plans.
Joe received his Master’s degree in Leadership at Skidmore College and Bachelor of Science degree in Business with minors in Marketing and International Business at Miami of Ohio. Joe splits his time primarily between Panama and Minnesota and covets his time the most wherever he is with his wife and 3 children.
STEVEn BOLTON - Senior Shareholder
Steven Bolton is the senior shareholder of Oceans Group International and plays an integral role in the scope and overall strategy of the company. He has an extensive track record of success in many different business enterprises. Most notably, Steve was the founder and president of a successful food and beverage franchise.
Steven has a passion for life and people, and that passion has helped Oceans Group International become a unique consulting and development company that can elevate any development or hotel operation in construction, logistics and sales & marketing.
Building confidence and showing respect to employees and guests is fundamental to his business goals. As an avid nature lover, you will often find Steven on his bike or kayak. He is involved in many charitable organizations and loves spending time with his wife in the great outdoors.
marc d. kirshbaum – global Advisor
Marc D. Kirshbaum is a business leader and strategic advisor who is passionate about delivering sustainable and measurable results for businesses and their employees, customers, and shareholders. Marc is retained by family offices, investment groups and CEOs to effectively evaluate prospective and existing portfolio companies, then collaborate to successfully and methodically build strategies and execute on aligned and well-communicated plans. Marc brings to his partners and businesses his passion, energy, communication skills and 25+ years of experience leading businesses and serving as a board member across an array of industries, including healthcare, biotech, software, and data & analytics.
Marc’s leadership has proven effective to grow $200M+ global businesses and also propel early-stage ventures. Marc leads and cultivates teams that are rooted in accountability and effective, consistent, transparent communication. Marc’s contribution and results achieved as a board member and executive leader over the past decade were greatly influenced by his tenure as a senior executive at Experian plc, a $4B+ global information services company that provides data and analytics tools to clients around the world. From 2002 through 2008, Marc led global businesses for Experian plc, focusing on developing strategic plans, building teams, creating alignment, and turning around underperforming businesses.
Marc speaks and writes on a variety of topics, including strategy, effective communication, leadership, strategic partnerships and raising capital. He serves as a faculty member for the Merage Institute’s Leadership Program for Life Sciences Executives, working with CEOs of early stage companies to help them develop skills necessary to build critical relationships and sound businesses poised for market adoption and growth.
Marc received his law degree from The University of Chicago and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Political Science magna cum laude from the University of Southern California. When not traveling, Marc and his family split their time between Orange County and Los Angeles, CA.
MIRANDA BUSSING – Director & SR.Vice President
Miranda is a dedicated and loyal leader with a hands-on, direct approach. Miranda has a vast depth of expertise in multiple management and accounting systems, local and national politics, government regulations, tourism training, and tax codes to help lead strategy for the business.
Her title indicates accountability over the entire organization and daily processes, because Miranda’s 15-year tenure with Red Frog Beach Resort paired with her problem-solving abilities allows her to effectively lead projects across a wide range of functions. She applies extensive bandwidth to engage in legal affairs, corporate strategy, financing, entitlements, large vendor contracting, owner BOD interfacing, banking relationships, and government affairs. Miranda is the consummate professional, driven to deliver on the company’s strategic goals for which she is an essential component of success.
Miranda is fluent in 3 languages, receiving her degree at the Institution of Haaglanden in Tourism Management.
MATT HALEY – director & development advisor
Matthew Haley is an experienced utility specialist with over 30 years in the industry, delivering on energy conservation and green energy production targets. Matthew has led the implementation of conservation projects saving over 500,000,000 kwh across several countries. Matthew has led the implementation of green production projects of over 10 megawatts, primarily with solar and wind.
His knowledge in various aspects of engineering, water and energy have been critical to Red Frog Beach Resort’s infrastructure development. Matt led the comprehensive formation of a fully integrated utility system on Isla Bastimentos, which included solar and diesel generation, electrical distribution, load management strategies and implementation and coordination of all telecommunications. His continued involvement will be essential to the progress of phase 2 of the resort’s infrastructure.
Matthew received his Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration at Cardinal Stritch University and he is a US Navy veteran.
jp miramont – Blueprint global marketing
As President and Managing Director of Blueprint Global Marketing, Jean Pierre (JP) oversees the strategic growth of Blueprint Global Marketing’s project businesses. He brings over three decades of much coveted real estate industry experience and successes to the leadership team and to Red Frog Beach Resort, with 25 of those years focused on luxury real estate being a very important asset in the envisioning stages right from the master planning, conceptualization of the product to actual execution of building strategy, building organization leading to execution of sales unveiling and actual sales launches.
His former positions include being Executive Vice President of Intrawest and Playground real estate sales and marketing EMEA (Europe, Middle East & Africa) as well as Northeast North America division, where he oversaw more than $6 billion in real estate sales in 15 international marketplaces having been involved in more than 100 complex real estate projects and mix-use destination and resort around the globe including a number of Four Seasons Hotel & Private Residences like Mauritius, Toronto, and Montreal. He presently heads the real estate sales & marketing for the Four Seasons Private Residences of Montreal.
JP is definitely a proven industry leader, having achieved an important track record of significant real estate successes and possesses a unique understanding of marketing to the affluent consumer marketplace. He also has extensive experience in the resale brokerage business in Canada, having been the EVP of Sotheby’s International Realty Canada for a number of years.
Luis Rodriquez – design director – noack little
Luis is a pioneer. In 1995, his mentor, David Graeber, the visionary who brought Advanced Technology to Austin advised and encouraged Luis to go back to Costa Rica and share his valuable experience there. By 1997, Luis was the project manager and design director for the world class Los Sueños Resort and Marina. Luis directed multiple design disciplines in the fruition of the first master planned community in Costa Rica; directed the design and permitting process for the first world-class marina to be developed there; and managed the design of the first real estate development in Costa Rica for leisure and adventure travelers and investors. Luis, alongside courageous developers, opened the first major successful resort development in Costa Rica in the year 2000. Today, Los Sueños is a thriving community boasting of a world class 200+ luxury hotel, an iconic golf course, and 1,500 luxury residences.
As a true pioneer, Luis developed a hybrid construction system (widely used in Costa Rica) that would marry traditional construction and modern methods which allowed aggressive delivery schedules, high quality, and energy efficient product. After 2004, Luis was commissioned to design and build luxury homes at the Peninsula Papagayo Four Seasons Resort; later master planned the first resort in Lago Ilopango, El Salvador; and was commissioned to provide master planning, residential and marina design services for a group of audacious developers (pioneers) at the Red Frog Beach Resort, Panama in mid 2000’s.
Luis was engaged by the developers of the first major resort in Nicaragua. At Guacalito de la Isla, Luis directed world-class renown design teams to develop a 40-key ultra-luxury and sustainable boutique hotel, and 800 hectares of residential and commercial real estate properties. Luis directed the master planning of the 1,500-hectare Santa Elena Coastal Development in Costa Rica, which now boasts a 400-key luxury Dreams Hotel. As design director, Luis collaborates in all phases of the projects and all development disciplines, from vision to execution, including sales and product delivery.