Distinguished Alumni and Leadership Awards

Join the Education Foundation of Palm Beach County, the Business Development Board, and The School District of Palm Beach County as we celebrate the Distinguished Leadership and Alumni Awards on March 14, 2024 at the Palm Beach Gardens Marriott. Senator Bobby Powell, Jr. will receive the prestigious Distinguished Alumni award, and Publix will be recognized as the Business Partner of the Year. Our esteemed keynote speaker, Chris Neilsen, Founder & CEO of Levatas, will share insights from his latest book “Irreplaceable: How to Thrive in a World where everyone knows everything all of the Time.” Along with a cocktail reception and the awards ceremony, we also have some surprise guests joining us from the School District of Palm Beach County. Don’t miss this unforgettable event!

Would you like to support public education and the amazing leaders in our county?  Become a sponsor by contacting Teresa@educationFoundationPBC.org

More on our recipients:

Distinguished Alumni Recipient

State Senator Bobby Powell, Jr., was elected to the Florida Senate in 2016 following two terms in the Florida House of Representatives. Elected by his peers, Senator Powell served as the Senate Minority (Democratic) Pro-Tempore from 2020-2022. He also recently served from 2020-2022 as the Chairman of the Florida Legislative Black Caucus, which consists of 27 Black State Legislators representing nearly every area of the state.
Senator Powell is a Palm Beach Gardens High School alumnus who went on to graduate Magna Cum Laude, from Florida A&M University obtaining a degree in Journalism with a concentration in Public Relations. He has also obtained a Master’s of Science in Urban & Regional Planning degree from Florida State University. A native of Riviera Beach, Florida, Senator Powell works as a project manager for Urban Design Studio and is certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners in Palm Beach County.
His motto, “A life of service is a life that counts,” guides his moral compass and work as a dedicated public servant.

Leadership Award Recipient

George Jenkins founded Publix more than 90 years ago not only to be the premier grocery retailer in the world but also to be a company committed to caring for our communities. From the very beginning, he believed that giving back was not only an investment but, in fact, a privilege.

Building on his legacy, Publix has long supported organizations and nonprofits throughout our operating area, including those focused on education. Since 2017, Publix has donated nearly $2 million in Palm Beach County to support education and provide schools, teachers and students the resources they need to succeed in the classroom. Throughout the years, our dedicated associates have also regularly volunteered in classrooms, shared their stories during career days and participated in school supply drives.

Publix continues Mr. George’s commitment to helping people, especially children, prepare for opportunities that set them up for success. We’re humbled to be recognized as the 2024 Business Leader of the Year and proud to do good together for children and our communities.

Keynote Speaker
Chris Neilsen, Founder & CEO, Levatas

Irreplaceable: How to thrive in a world where everyone knows everything all of the time

Chris Nielsen serves as the Founder and CEO of Levatas, an AI firm renowned for developing the Cognitive Inspection Platform that leads the industry. Levatas’ collaboration with Boston Dynamics, a mobile robotics company, has resulted in the development of Spot robot dogs with cognitive intelligence powered by Levatas’ software. Customers can now automate their industrial inspection programs for safety, security, and facility/equipment maintenance across advanced mobile robots and industrial AI.