Today, FAU’s College of Business recognized two-time FAU Alumna Fabiola Brumley as Business Leader of the Year. Since 1991, this special event has recognized the work of outstanding contributors to South Florida’s business climate while raising funds for College of Business student scholarships.

Fab, as she is known by everyone, is Bank of America’s market president in Palm Beach County, and leads the company’s corporate social responsibility work in the region. She is known almost as much for her civic and community service as she is for her business acumen and leadership excellence, and has been recognized with the Palm Beach County Business Development Board’s Economic Development Leadership Award, South Florida Business Journal’s Palm Beach County and South Florida’s Ultimate CEO and Top 100 Power Leaders, Sun-Sentinel’s Excalibur Award, and United Way Leadership Award. Over the years, Fab also has helped support her alma mater by facilitating a number of gifts from Bank of America to FAU, for the Dorothy F. Schmidt College of Arts and Letters, the College of Business, and the Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

The Business Leader of the Year breakfast was the first event I attended as president five years ago, and I continue to look forward to this event each year, to meet and catch up with the dynamic men and women who drive South Florida’s economy. Kudos to College of Business Dean Dan Gropper and his staff for presenting another world-class event this year.