The Business Development Board of Palm Beach County will host its second Academic Leaders Council meeting, an initiative that focuses on preserving and expanding the intellectual capital in the County while ensuring that the curriculum taught in the classroom aligns with the growing targeted industries in the County.
The program was first launched in October 2016 and is led by the BDB, Palm Beach County college and university presidents, and the Superintendent of the School District of Palm Beach County. At the first meeting, academic leaders met with 17 Palm Beach County companies within the life sciences, aviation/aerospace/engineering, IT/communications and trades industries. The second forum will be held on Tuesday, April 18, 2017 and will focus on the industries of distribution/logistics, healthcare, and manufacturing.
The academic leaders attending April’s meeting include:
- Dr. John Kelly, President, Florida Atlantic University
- Dr. Gary Vonk, Flagship President, Keiser University
- Kimberly Lea, West Palm Beach Campus President, Keiser University
- Dr. Kevin Ross, President, Lynn University
- William “Bill” Fleming, President, Palm Beach Atlantic University
- Gene Fant, Provost, Palm Beach Atlantic University
- Ava Parker, J.D., President, Palm Beach State College
- Yong Tao, Dean & Professor of Engineering, Nova Southeastern University
- David Christiansen, Deputy Superintendent, Palm Beach County School District
- Keith Oswald, Chief Academic Officer, Palm Beach County School District
Examples of private sector companies attending the meeting include:
- Distribution & Logistics: Florida Crystals and Woodfield Distribution
- Healthcare: Jupiter Medical Center, Wellington Regional Medical Center, Boca Raton Regional Hospital, and Florida Community Health Centers, Inc.
- Manufacturing: SV Microwave, Wafer World, Baron Sign Manufacturing, SolarTech Universal, Viking, and Bee Access Products
