The Broward Education Foundation has announced the inductees to the 2016 Hall of Fame of Distinguished Alumni, which honors and recognizes alumni of Broward County Public Schools.
Presented by Publix Super Markets Charities, the Hall of Fame Distinguished Alumni Awards will be presented at a breakfast in their honor at 7:30 a.m. on Thursday, October 20 at First Baptist Church of Fort Lauderdale Global Grille Event Center, 301 E Broward Blvd. The Walk of Fame sponsor is BrightStar Credit Union. Individual tickets are $35.
The inductee who will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award, which honors an alumnus who is dedicated to improving public education, is George Platt, Managing Partner of LSN Partners. Platt was a member of the Fort Lauderdale High School Class of 1962 and has spent more than 50 years volunteering his services to foster positive change and improvement of education. The Lifetime Achievement Award is sponsored by JM Family Enterprises, Inc.
The three inductees who will receive the Community Achievement Award, sponsored by Bank of America, for significant achievements in any field are:
Ulrich “Ric” Green, President/CEO of Greater Pompano Beach Chamber of Commerce, Pompano Beach High School, Class of 1972
Nancy Botero, Executive Director of Broward College Foundation, Northeast High School, Class of 1977
George LeMieux, Chairman of the Board of Directors at Gunster Law Firm, Coral Springs High School, Class of 1987
Receiving the Education Achievement Award, sponsored by ACAI Associates, Inc., for their dedication to a career in public education are:
Roderick “Rocky” Gillis, County Athletic Director for Broward County Public Schools, Pompano Beach High School, Class of 1978
Olayemi Awofadeju, Principal of South Broward High School, Plantation High School, Class of 1995
Angel Gomez, Principal of Piper High School, Western High School, Class of 1987
Emcee for the Hall of Fame Breakfast will be 26-year veteran reporter Ari Odzer of WTVJ NBC-Miami. Odzer is also a Broward County Public School alumnus, having graduated from Deerfield Beach High School in the class of 1982.
“It is a pleasure to welcome this impressive group of Broward County Public School graduates into the Hall of Fame this year,” said Christina Fischer, chair of the Broward Education Foundation Board of Directors. “These alumni have had great success in their professional careers and have made countless contributions to our school system and our community. They are business and educational leaders who truly make a positive impact.”
In addition to Publix Super Markets Charities, BrightStar Credit Union, JM Family Enterprises, Inc., Bank of America, and ACAI Associates, Inc., other sponsors also include Wells Fargo, RIVA by Premier Developers, Video Dynamics, The Charter Schools of Excellence and Pierson Grant Public Relations.
About the Broward Education Foundation:
Established in 1983, the nonprofit Broward Education Foundation (BEF) aligns with Broward County Public Schools by providing support for innovative teaching to advance Pre K-12 achievement; critically needed educational materials for Title I school teachers and students, and scholarships for qualified high school seniors. Each year, the Foundation contributes more than $2 million to Broward County schools, serving as the catalyst for educational excellence.
For more information, call 754-321-2030, visit www.browardedfoundation.org, like our Facebook page at facebook.com/browardeducationfoundation or follow us on twitter @BrowardEdFound.
