This morning our College of Business celebrated its 25th annual Business Leader of the Year awards ceremony and breakfast, which honors the work of outstanding local companies and their leaders, while raising funds for student scholarships. This was the very first event I attended after being appointed president of FAU in 2014, and it gave me a wonderful opportunity to meet the “movers and shakers” of South Florida’s business community.
Heiko Dobrikow, executive vice president at the Las Olas Company, general manager of the Riverside Hotel, and immediate past chairman of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce, was honored as this year’s Business Leader of the Year. The Las Olas Company, which owns the historic Riverside Hotel, is one of the leading commercial real estate and hospitality companies in Fort Lauderdale. FAU’s downtown Fort Lauderdale campus is located just steps from the Riverside Hotel on Las Olas Boulevard, so I’m especially pleased that we could present this award to one of our neighbors.
Thank you again to Heiko Dobrikow for your leadership in building a strong business community in South Florida, and congratulations to the College of Business on this milestone anniversary!