Huizenga School Hall of Fame Members featured as Distinguished Lecture Speakers

Armando Leighton, Jr; Thomas H. Shea; Dean Preston Jones, D.B.A.

Three honorees of the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship’s Hall of Fame were featured as speakers of the Distinguished Lecture Series. Guest speakers were Hall of Fame members: Armando Leighton, Jr., Chief Executive Officer and Founder, CRS Jet Spares, Inc.; Felix S. Sabates, Jr., Chairman, Trinity Yachts, LLC; and Thomas H. Shea, Chief Executive Officer, Right Management, Florida/Caribbean.

The lecture was held in the Huizenga Sales Institute’s Executive Conference Center and led by J. Preston Jones, D.B.A., dean of the Huizenga Business School. Dean Jones opened the lecture with videos showcasing the entrepreneurs and their businesses. Each revealed the passion that drives entrepreneurs. As noted by 2013 honoree Armando Leighton, “You must have passion. Once you have the passion, you’ll be able to manage the rest, including where you have weaknesses.” The question and answer format provided insight into each entrepreneur’s path to success. William Mahoney, 2011 honoree shared his thoughts when asked about competition, stating “There will always be competition but it will force you to get out there.”

Hall of Fame members also answered questions from students on video. From three diverse entrepreneurial perspectives, the audience received first-hand knowledge and wisdom. On the topic of education, 2013 honoree Thomas Shea summed up one’s return on the investment in education, “You can never have too much education. You will be more valuable when your education is coupled with outside world experience.”

The Distinguished Lecture Series is sponsored by BankUnited. Welcome to one of the strongest and most well-capitalized financial institutions in the country. With more than $13 billion in assets as of June 30, 2013, BankUnited is uniquely positioned to serve individuals, families, and growing businesses in the communities we live in.