Official Announcement Celebrated at October 13 Grand Opening Event To Unveil NSU’s New Sales Program & Institute
FT. LAUDERDALE-DAVIE, Fla. (October 13, 2010) – Nova Southeastern University (NSU) has announced a major gift by businessman, entrepreneur and philanthropist H. Wayne Huizenga to the new Sales Institute, which now will be called the Huizenga Sales Institute. The Institute is opening this semester at NSU’s H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship. The announcement was made by the university’s president George Hanbury, Ph.D., during the October 13 Grand Opening celebration to unveil the nation’s foremost, university-based sales training center in support of NSU’s newly launched Sales Program.
“Wayne Huizenga is not only exemplary as an entrepreneur, but he is a consummate salesman,” said President Hanbury. “We are proud to not only have his name associated with the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship but now also with the new Huizenga Sales Institute.
“Nova Southeastern University students, faculty and administration are grateful for Wayne Huizenga’s continued leadership and support,” said Ray Ferrero, Jr., J.D., chancellor of Nova Southeastern University. “We work diligently to make the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business an accurate reflection of his spirit, ingenuity and professionalism.”
According to Michael Fields, Ph.D., dean of the Huizenga Business School, the financial support to the Huizenga Sales Institute will be invaluable to keep NSU at the forefront of cutting-edge business education and preparing students for corporate success. “Mr. Huizenga saw in the Sales Institute an opportunity to shape the next generation of business professionals who can propel Corporate America in new directions,” said Dean Fields. “Mr. Huizenga has long been an ardent believer in our university and in our business education initiatives, and we deeply appreciate this latest gift.”
“I was instantly impressed with the Sales Institute concept and NSU’s commitment to arm students with effective skills that will give them a competitive edge in the business world,” said namesake and benefactor H. Wayne Huizenga. “I have always recognized the importance of strong sales skills as a fundamental attribute for business success, and am proud to have my name associated with this remarkable Sales Institute.”
The Huizenga Sales Institute is an 8,200 square foot, state-of-the-art teaching facility and corporate meeting venue comprising the entire north wing of the third floor of the Carl DeSantis Building on NSU’s main Ft. Lauderdale-Davie Campus. It is the centerpiece of the new NSU Sales Program — an innovative business curriculum developed in exclusive collaboration with Sandler Training® to deliver sales-centric degrees and certificates for collegians and working professionals. NSU created the Sales Program in answer to corporations’ demands for highly qualified, well-prepared sales professionals to help drive their business.
As the nation’s foremost, university-based sales training center, the technology-enhanced institute was designed for academic use to instruct students in real-world environments, and for private use by corporations to employ as a new resource where to conduct business. Highlights of the Huizenga Sales Institute include:
- 16 interview/presentation rooms equipped with video monitoring for professor assessments, classroom instruction and self-evaluations
- High-tech conference rooms with live remote capabilities
- Sophisticated digital video capture systems to create video resumes/portfolios for employers
- LCD monitors (ranging from 42” – 55”) in all meeting/presentation areas
- A versatile Grand Room that can transform to accommodate corporate networking functions or onsite training workshops
The NSU Sales Program offers sales-specific degrees and courses to undergraduate and graduate students, and working professionals wanting to augment their career advancement potential through continuing education. NSU is setting a new professional standard of practical preparation through specialized curricula blending traditional academic strategies with original methods of instruction. A new degree being rolled-out in the Sales Program is the Bachelor of Business Administration. Other additions to the Huizenga Business School curricula include an undergraduate minor in professional sales, sales and sales management concentrations in the MBA program, graduate-level certificates, and required sales courses for all Bachelor of Science programs.
# # #
About H. Wayne Huizenga
H. Wayne Huizenga is Chairman of Huizenga Holdings, Inc., a private money management firm, and is the sole or majority owner of several services businesses. He has numerous real estate interests throughout Florida, including office buildings, warehouses, shopping centers, marinas and underdeveloped real estate acreage.
Mr. Huizenga has had an unprecedented business career as an entrepreneur. He is the only person in America to be responsible for six companies listed on the New York Stock Exchange and to have founded three Fortune 500 companies. He created Waste Management, Inc., the global leader in the waste industry, as well as the third largest U.S. waste disposal company, Republic Services. Additionally, he was the CEO of Blockbuster Entertainment, the global leader in video entertainment; and the founder of AutoNation, Inc., the country’s first and world’s largest public automotive dealership. He was also founder of Boca Resorts, Inc., an owner and operator of luxury resorts in South Florida, and co-founder of Extended Stay America, which operated in the lodging industry in many areas around the United States.
Mr. Huizenga was responsible for bringing Major League Baseball to South Florida in 1993, serving as Chairman of the Florida Marlins through 1998, and under his direction the Marlins won the World Series in 1997. He also brought the National Hockey League to South Florida, serving as Owner, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Florida Panthers for the first eight years (1993-2001) of the team’s existence, including the 1995-96 season when they reached the Stanley Cup finals. Mr. Huizenga is currently a minority owner of the Miami Dolphins and Sun Life Stadium.
Mr. Huizenga’s numerous entrepreneurial achievements were recognized by the Horatio Alger Association who presented him with their top honor, along with Henry Kissinger and Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. Business and academic groups have honored Mr. Huizenga seven times as “Entrepreneur of the Year.” In 2004 he received the Ernst & Young United States Entrepreneur of the Year Award, and in 2005 he was honored with the Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of the Year Award.
He is a five-time recipient of Financial World Magazine‘s “CEO of the Year” and was named the “Business Leader of the Year” by Georgetown University’s Business School. Among Mr. Huizenga’s other awards are Yale University’s Gordon Grand Fellow Award, the highest non-academic award bestowed by the school, and the University of Missouri-Kansas City’s International Entrepreneur of the Year. His is a member of Nova Southeastern University’s Board of Trustees and recently provided the resources to establish the Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship at the University. He has been inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, the Greater Miami Sports Hall of Champions and the Broward County Hall of Fame.
Mr. Huizenga’s community involvement has included membership in many civic organizations, including the Florida Council of 100, the Florida Council of Economic Education, the Salvation Army of Broward County and the Boys and Girls Club of Broward County.
Mr. Huizenga and wife, Marti, live in Fort Lauderdale. They have four children: Wayne, Jr.; Ray; Scott and Pam and eight grandchildren.
About the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship: Serving more than 6,000 students, the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship at Nova Southeastern University offers bachelor’s, master’s and doctoral degree programs in areas such accounting, finance, marketing, human resource management, public administration, sales and more. The Huizenga Business School also boasts the largest Master of Business Administration program in Florida. The school is housed in the five-story state-of-the-art Carl DeSantis Building on Nova Southeastern University’s main campus in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. but programs are available at multiple locations and online. For more information, visit http://www.huizenga.nova.edu/.
About Nova Southeastern University: Situated on 300 beautiful acres in Davie, Florida, Nova Southeastern University is a dynamic fully accredited institution dedicated to providing high-quality educational programs of distinction from preschool through the professional and doctoral levels. NSU has more than 29,000 students and is the seventh largest not-for-profit independent institution nationally. The university awards associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, specialist, doctoral, and first-professional degrees in a wide range of fields, including business, counseling, computer and information sciences, education, medicine, optometry, pharmacy, dentistry, various health professions, law, marine sciences, early childhood, psychology and other social sciences. For more information, visit www.nova.edu.