NSU Welcomes Three New Members to Its Board of Trustees

FORT LAUDERDALE/DAVIE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University (NSU) is proud to announce three new members who have been appointed to its Board of Trustees – and while they may be new to the Board, their involvement with NSU is well established. Rita Case, James Donnelly, and George Platt, III were appointed and confirmed on Monday, October 12 and will serve for a three-year term.

“These new members are champions for NSU who have long been supportive with their time and resources and will be an excellent addition to our Board of Trustees,” said Charles L. Palmer, NSU Board Chair. “They join a notable group and will continue the board’s prestigious mission by guiding the important decisions that support our students, faculty and staff.”

The new board members and their respective accomplishments include:

Rita Case is widely known as a successful entrepreneur and philanthropist, serving as President and Chief Executive Officer of Rick Case Automotive Group. The Rick Case Automotive Group and the Cases have been recognized with countless awards in business and are a consistent benchmark for success. Recognized as leaders in the auto industry, the Cases have received numerous dealership recognitions including National Dealers of the Year by Sports Illustrated, Time, USA Today magazines, as well as from the American International Automobile Dealers Association and the National Automobile Dealer Association. Within the numerous awards received, the Rick Case Automotive Group recently collected the highly prestigious Honda President’s Award Elite again in 2019 which recognized their ability to not only sell volume but also to uphold top standards of service.

Ms. Case also contributes to the community on a philanthropic level and is a supporter of the American Heart Association, Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Cleveland Clinic Florida, EASE Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, Holy Cross Hospital, Humane Society of Broward County, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Museum of Discovery and Science, Nova Southeastern University, University of Miami Health System, Women in Distress, and many others.

She is a member of NSU’s Fellows Society at the Diamond Shark level. Ms. Case and her late husband Rick Case were also the recipients of NSU’s 2019 Excellence in Community Service Award, which recognizes superior professional engagement activities in the community. The NSU Arena was renamed the “Rick Case Arena” in 2017 to honor the family for their years of commitment to the University. In 2019, Ms. Case was inducted as part of the 30th class of the Entrepreneur Hall of Fame at the Huizenga School of Business & Entrepreneurship, alongside Rob Kornahrens and Arlene Pecora.

Recently NSU and the greater South Florida community lost a champion, Rita’s husband Rick Case. Among the many areas of involvement, Rick was very large presence at NSU. He provided support both financially and with his time serving on several committees as well as the Board of Trustees. NSU is thrilled that Mrs. Case will be continuing their family’s legacy at NSU by agreeing to be a member of the Board of Trustees.

James Donnelly is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Castle Group, a property management company. The company has more than 1,750 employees and offices throughout the State of Florida that oversee more than 300 properties comprising of more than 125,000 units. In addition to establishing a successful business, the Donnellys have made a large impact in the community. In 2010, CastleCares® was established as the philanthropic arm of the Castle Group with a mission to serve children and families in need throughout Florida.

Mr. Donnelly is a community leader and benefactor to numerous philanthropic organizations. He is an active member of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, the United Way Tocqueville Society, and the Broward Performing Arts Foundation. Mr. Donnelly is currently the Chairman of the Community Foundation of Broward and sits on the Board of Advisors of the LeMieux Center for Public Policy at Palm Beach Atlantic University. He previously co-chaired the Broward Business Council on Homelessness in 2019 and is the immediate past Chairman of the Broward Workshop.

The Donnellys are members of NSU’s Fellows Society and in 2016, they helped create the Huizenga College of Business property management program that allows students to get a minor in Property Management. The couple helped to fund the program with a significant gift and were instrumental in creating the curriculum.

In 2020, the Donnellys were the recipients of NSU’s President’s Award for Excellence in Community Service Award, which was celebrated at the annual Celebration of Excellence gala. Mr. Donnelly was also inducted in 2014 into the Huizenga College of Business Hall of Fame. He previously served on NSU’s Campaign Leadership Cabinet during the Realizing Potential Campaign.

George Platt is a managing partner of LSN Partners, a full-service consulting firm, offering strategic advice and counsel in the areas of government affairs, government procurement, business development and communications. Known for his considerable experience in Governmental and Public Policy Law, Mr. Platt’s skill helped him earn a reputation as a leading lawyer and lobbyist in Broward County.

Mr. Platt’s familiarity with local government is not only based on his legal work, but also on his years of government and civic involvement. As a former Broward County Commissioner, Mr. Platt has been involved in countless organizations in several capacities. Currently, he serves on the Broward Airport Master Plan Advisory Committee, Broward County Cultural Tourism Task Force, Broward Workshop Transportation Committee, Performing Arts Center Authority, and the Port Everglades Association Political Action Committee in various capacities.

He served as an Ex-Officio on NSU’s Board of Trustees and is the Chairman of the Farquhar Honors College Board of Advisors. He is also a member of NSU’s Levan Ambassadors Board and has been very involved in NSU’s Art Museum for many years as a member and continues to support and attend numerous events. He previously served on its Board of Governors. Mr. Platt is also a previous member of the Alvin Sherman Library’s Circle of Friends and a former President’s Associate.

“What a privilege it is for our university to have such notable community leaders join its Board of Trustees,” said Dr. George L. Hanbury, NSU’s president and CEO. “I have had the honor of knowing each of these new members for many years through their commitments to NSU and I have all the confidence that they will help push us forward on our path to preeminence.”

For more information about NSU’s Board of Trustees, visit https://www.nova.edu/about/board-of-trustees.html.