91社区 College of Business to Honor Rita and Rick Case
91社区鈥檚 College of Business will host听the 28th听annual听听breakfast on Monday, Jan. 27, 2020 at 8 a.m., at the听, 501 East Camino Real, in Boca Raton. This year鈥檚 program celebrates the accomplishments of Rita and Rick Case of the听.
鈥淩ita and Rick Case are exemplary leaders in business and in our community.听听With a reputation for innovation, entrepreneurial spirit, and care for their customers, they have built an incredible business. They are also a remarkable couple, making strong contributions in business together as well as individually, and they set a great example for our students,鈥 said听, Ph.D., dean of 91社区鈥檚 College of Business. 鈥淭heir many contributions as community leaders are also notable 鈥 supporting so many worthy causes. They continue the great tradition of 91社区 Business Leaders of the Year, and we are pleased to honor them in this academic year.鈥
Sponsorships for the event are available, including a corporate table and event admission at the Boca Raton Resort & Club. A portion of the sponsorship dollars raised from the Business Leader of the Year event will provide scholarships to 91社区 students.听These awards are granted to students enrolled in the College of Business at 91社区 who have strong academic achievement and demonstrate leadership qualities.
Rita and Rick Case have been partners in business, life and their humanitarian efforts since 1980. Rick started his automotive career selling cars from his parents鈥 front yard in high school, and he opened his first dealership in 1962. Rita was mentored in her parents鈥 auto dealership and became general manager after college. Rick, from Akron, Ohio, and Rita, from Northern California, met at a Honda automobile convention in 1977. Together they worked to build an automotive dealership group that provides a customer and community friendly experience. All of their 16 dealerships, located in Cleveland, Atlanta and South Florida, participate in the philosophy of giving back to the community and helping their customers do the same.听听
The Rick Case Automotive Group is celebrating its 58th year in business and produces more than a $1 billion in annual sales, with more than 1,200 associates. It鈥檚 recognized nationally with numerous awards as one of the top performing dealership groups. Rita and Rick Case hold national sales records for Honda and other brands, building the world鈥檚 largest dealerships and challenging themselves to not only break sales records but charity fundraising records as well.听
Since moving to South Florida in 1985, they have displayed a passion to support and improve their community, donating and raising more than $100 million by creating and leading fundraising events to benefit many organizations. Their own Rick Case Bikes for Kids program, started 38 years ago, has donated more than 100,000 bicycles to children with a need during the holiday season.听
Believers that education is the greatest gift you can give to someone of any age, they have been a leading supporter of the Broward County Boys & Girls Clubs since 1986, helping the number of clubs grow from three to 12 during that time. Rita and Rick have given four-year scholarships to Nova Southeastern University for Broward County Boys and Girls Club alumni. They continue to support the development of more educational programs for adults as well.听
Their two children, Ryan, 38, and Raquel, 35, are involved in the business and charitable efforts of their parents, and it is their goal that the Rick Case Automotive Group continues for generations to be a leader in both automotive dealership success and outstanding community support.听
Since 1991, 91社区鈥檚 College of Business has presented the Business Leader of the Year award, honoring the work of outstanding business leaders in the southeast region of Florida and the state.听Some of the past recipients of the award include Fabiola Brumley, Colin Brown, Heiko Dobrikow, Naren Gursahaney, Jeff Stoops, Jordan Zimmerman, Wayne Huizenga, Jim Robo, Mike Jackson, Ronald Assaf, Alexander Dreyfoos, Jim Moran, Carl DeSantis, Pat Moran, Jeb Bush, and Alan Levan.
91社区鈥檚 College of Business is pursuing excellence in education for the South Florida community, and is among the top 15 largest AACSB-accredited business schools in the country, with more than 8,100 students currently enrolled. The college has multiple programs ranked in the top 50 by听U.S. News & World Report, including the online MBA and online graduate business programs in accounting, finance and health administration, and its executive education open enrollment programs were ranked among the best in the world and No. 3 in the southeastern USA by the听Financial Times听of London. At the undergraduate level, the international business program is currently ranked No. 25 by听U.S. News听and the entrepreneurship program is now ranked in the top 40 by听Princeton Review听 and听Entrepreneur听magazine.
To purchase tickets, go to听. For more information, contact Tonya May at 561-297-4732 or听tmay@fau.edu.
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