Dear Friends,
This past Thursday (March 22, 2018), the community lost one of the world’s most savvy and successful businessmen and a remarkable community advocate and supporter. Wayne Huizenga helped shape this community and has left a huge mark on so many individuals and organizations.
To say that the largest Junior Achievement educational center in the world would not exist in Broward County if not for Wayne Huizenga, is an understatement. Along with his wife, Marti, Mr. Huizenga was the catalyst in making the vision of JA World Huizenga Center a reality.
Like with all his projects, both business and charitable, Mr. Huizenga took on the creation of JA World with determination, persistence and persuasion. He often used his private helicopter to take community and business leaders to visit other JA facilities around the country. His influence, combined with Marti’s passion to “teach children to fish, rather than give them a fish”, was key to building this unique educational asset on the Broward College north campus and to securing an agreement with the Broward County School Board that every 5th and 8th grader would participate in JA programming.
The mission of Junior Achievement is so aligned with the values and entrepreneurial spirit of Wayne Huizenga. Mr. Huizenga, the only person in history to have founded three Fortune 500 companies, was named the 2005 Ernst & Young World Entrepreneur of The Year. Through our JA Fellows entrepreneurship program, with which he was so impressed, we will continue to foster his passion for taking ideas to exceptional levels in our students.
At Junior Achievement of South Florida, we feel a profound loss for this amazing man who had such an impact on our organization. On behalf of the students, board of directors and staff of Junior Achievement of South Florida we feel so fortunate and honored to have gained his continued support, confidence, loyalty and commitment. Mr. Huizenga’s spirit and legacy will live on at JA World.
We express our heartfelt condolences to the entire Huizenga family for their huge loss.
Laurie Sallarulo
President & CEO
In lieu of flowers, the family has named Junior Achievement of South Florida, NSU’s Huizenga College of Business, Boys & Girls Club and Cleveland Clinic to receive donations in Mr. Huizenga’s honor.
