Fritz Henderson, chief executive officer of General Motors, and Mike Jackson, chairman and chief executive officer of AutoNation, America’s largest automotive retailer, jointly held a town hall meeting at the Huizenga School on Oct. 8 to discuss the future of the auto industry. Michael Fields, Ph.D., dean of the Huizenga School, served as event moderator. Henderson became CEO of GM on March 29, and has led the company in its emergence from bankruptcy. His efforts to revitalize GM and the automotive industry include cutting-edge products such as the Chevy Volt, an electric vehicle due to enter showrooms next year. Jackson has been a vocal advocate for the reinvention of America's auto-driven economy. He has regularly called for a renewed energy policy, increased taxes on fuel, enhanced efficiency standards and advanced engine technologies.

Adam Charach, a graduate of the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship's M.B.A. program, was recently offered and accepted a full-time position with Litfield Pictures, after completing a successful internship with the company. Litfield Pictures is a New York-based, full-scale television production company that creates entertaining programming, including reality, scripted, comedy, commercial, corporate, news and documentary.

Charach's internship finished in March 2009, but he continued working with Leftfield Pictures on a temporary basis. Charach's primary responsibilities included research and development for the company. Based on his success at the company, he was recently offered a permanent position.

The highlight of Charach’s work experience thus far was naming the television program called "Pawn Stars," which airs on the History Channel. The documentary-like show is about the only family-owned Pawn Shop in Las Vegas and features the strange items they encounter. In addition, Charach has also been involved with the television program called "Happily Ever Faster," which will air on TLC. This program is about a family-owned wedding chapel in Las Vegas.

"It looks like I have found my niche in the job market!" said Charach. "I was fortunate enough to get the internship experience and also be able to find a job in this economy."

Christine Fernandez, a student in the Huizenga School's MBA in Entrepreneurship program, was named NSU's inaugural winner of the Wall Street Journal Student Achievement Award. Fernandez, who is scheduled to graduate in December, was chosen based on her outstanding academic performance and student engagement. She was selected by a committee of Huizenga School faculty and Dean Randolph Pohlman, Ph.D. For winning the award, Fernandez received a commemorative paperweight embedded with a Student Achievement Award medallion and a one-year complimentary subscription to the Wall Street Journal. Her name will also be on a plaque to be displayed in the Carl DeSantis Building on NSU's main campus and she will be listed among the winners of the award in the Wall Street Journal.

Hugh Brown, an MBA in Finance student, was one of 12 students from Florida colleges and universities selected to the fifth class of the Gubernatorial Fellows Program. The announcement of the class was made on June 15 by Florida Governor Charlie Crist. Students in the program work in the Executive Office of the Governor or in Governor’s agencies in Tallahassee, gaining firsthand experience into the operations of state government. Students were selected based on a competitive application process, which included the ability to show strong leadership, written and oral communication skills, community activism, and a desire to serve the people of Florida. Brown, 29, began the MBA program earlier this year and is taking classes at NSU's Student Educational Center in Tampa. He will remain in the program and take distance learning courses while in Tallahassee. Brown will begin the fellows program in August, which runs through May 2010. More information on the Gubernatorial Fellows Program is available at http://www.myflorida.com/fellows/index.htm.

Deputy Fire Chief Maurice Kemp, a graduate of the Huizenga School's master of public administration program, will be promoted to Chief this August, making him the first African-American to hold the post in Miami. Kemp has worked his way up the ranks of the City of Miami Fire Department for last 24 years. He has held the positions of lieutenant, captain and assistant fire chief. In 1999, he was promoted to Deputy Fire Chief. Kemp is a Task Force Leader for the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, FEMA Urban Search and Rescue.

Continuing their growth, The Cereal Bowl recently announced an agreement to expand its brand internationally into regions of the Middle East including Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates. The Cereal Bowl was founded by Huizenga School alumni and twin brothers, Kenneth and Josh Rader. Kenneth, President and CEO, graduated from the Bachelor of Science in Professional Management program. Josh, CFO, graduated from the Master of Accounting program. In the U.S., The Cereal Bowl expects to open over 20 new units over the next 24-36 months, with current franchise agreements along the east coast stretching from Alabama to New Jersey.

The Florida Marlins' Community Foundation presented the H. Wayne Huizenga School of Business and Entrepreneurship with a scholarship check for $3000. The scholarship will be given to an undergraduate student enrolled in the Huizenga School's Bachelor of Science in Sports and Recreation Management program. It is the third scholarship the Marlins' Foundation has granted to a Huizenga School student. The check presentation, held on the field during the Marlins' May 22 home game coincided with NSU's annual Night with the Florida Marlins.

Jade Chen, Director of Development, Dr. Jeffery Fountain and Dr. Peter Finley, Assistant Professors of the Sports and Recreation Management program, represented the Huizenga School and accepted the scholarship check from Nancy Olson, Executive Director for the Marlins’ Foundation.