Inductees Include James F. Allen, Dan Doyle Jr. and Kristin Johnson
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. – Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship (HCBE) will recognize three accomplished business leaders who will be inducted into its 2020 Entrepreneur and Business Hall of Fame, the college’s highest honor: James F. Allen, Dan Doyle Jr. and Kristin Johnson.
“It is my privilege to congratulate these world-class entrepreneurs and business leaders and welcome them to the Huizenga College’s Hall of Fame,” said Dr. George Hanbury, NSU’s president and CEO. “These individuals have made significant contributions to not only their respective businesses, but their communities as well while emulating NSU’s Core Values.”
The Hall of Fame program is celebrating its 31st year in 2020. And as with most events in 2020, this one will be held virtually on Monday, October 26.
The inductees and their respective accomplishments include:
James F. Allen, Chairman for Hard Rock International and the Chief Executive Officer of Seminole Gaming
James F. Allen is the chairman for Hard Rock International and the chief executive officer of Seminole Gaming. Since 2001, he has led all gaming, hospitality and entertainment operations at the Seminole Tribe of Florida and guided the development of Seminole Gaming into one of the world’s most successful casino and integrated resort operators. Allen envisioned the Guitar Hotel expansion of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood and the guestroom tower expansion of the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa and he was the guiding force responsible for their development. The simultaneous expansion projects opened in 2019 as the cornerstone of a $2.2 billion capital investment. Under Allen’s leadership, Hard Rock has expanded its global presence from 46 to 76 countries since its 2007 acquisition, and grown from 125 cafes to 211, nine hotels to 32 and from four casinos to 12. Allen also negotiated the 2016 naming rights agreement and is responsible for the name “Hard Rock Stadium,” home of the Miami Dolphins. As a gaming industry veteran with more than 40 years of experience, Allen has lectured on countless casino industry topics at many professional conferences, governmental programs and college campuses, including Harvard and Cornell universities as well as the New Jersey Governor’s Business Development Conference. Due to his expertise and thought leadership in the hospitality and entertainment space, Mr. Allen is a frequent guest on business networks like MSNBC, Fox Business, Fox News, CNN and CNBC.
Dan Doyle Jr., CEO of DEX Imaging, Inc.
Dan Doyle Jr. serves as CEO of DEX Imaging, Inc. What began as a start-up with 15 employees at a single location in Tampa has grown into 38 DEX Imaging sites throughout the eastern United States with more than 1,800 employees and more than $350 million in annual revenue. Doyle Jr. has been instrumental in conceiving and overseeing DEX’s Community Outreach Program, which donates one third of the company’s profits to charities and educational programs within the communities it serves. In 2013, Doyle Jr. was awarded the prestigious Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award in the Technology Industries category. Prior to founding DEX Imaging, Doyle Jr. was the founder and managing partner of a real-estate development and holding company based in St. Petersburg, Florida, that was responsible for developing, building and managing some of the most distinguished landmark properties in the Tampa Bay area. Doyle Jr. is a chair of the Young Presidents Organization and also serves on the Board of Directors for National Pediatric Cancer Foundation, the Community Foundation of Tampa, Big Brothers Big Sisters, St. Paul’s School, and The Doyle Foundation.
Kristin Johnson, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Hotwire Communications
Kristin Johnson is co-founder and chief executive officer of Hotwire Communications and leads the growth, operations, and technical and product development. Ever the innovator, her leadership made Hotwire Communications the first all fiber optics telecom for new construction in the United States, the first in Florida to offer Internet Protocol Television, and the first to offer Gigabit and 10 Gigabit speeds residentially making Hotwire the fastest ISP in the United States. Currently, Hotwire Communications employs more than 1,000 team members, servicing residential, commercial, hospitality, governmental, and institutional customers. Recognized in the industry for her leadership and business acumen, Johnson’s most recent achievements include the 2020 Ultimate CEO, awarded by the South Florida Business Journal, Cablefax’s 2019 Most Powerful Women—an award she also received in 2018—the SFBJ’s 2019 Power Leader in Technology, and the 2019 South Florida Business & Wealth Apogee Award. Outside of Hotwire Communications, Johnson is a member of the Young Presidents Organization, and is active on many community boards including Make a Wish Foundation, Broward Workshop, and the Urban League. Johnson founded Hotwire’s Empowering Community Foundation in 2020 with the objective to help bridge the digital divide in markets where Hotwire operates. Johnson is an avid proponent of women in STEM and engineering roles.
“I want to welcome these established and well-respected business leaders into the Huizenga College’s 2020 Hall of Fame class,” said Andrew Rosman, dean of NSU’s HCBE. “These new members exemplify leadership and ingenuity in our community and will join a distinguished group of past honorees.”
To learn more about the Huizenga College’s Hall of Fame and to see past inductees, visit https://www.business.nova.edu/hall-of-fame/.
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About Nova Southeastern University (NSU): At NSU, students don’t just get an education, they get the competitive edge they need for real careers, real contributions and real life. A dynamic, private research university, NSU is providing high-quality educational and research programs at the undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree levels. Established in 1964, the university includes 15 colleges, the 215,000-square-foot Center for Collaborative Research, the private JK-12 grade University School, the world-class NSU Art Museum Fort Lauderdale, and the Alvin Sherman Library, Research and Information Technology Center, one of Florida’s largest public libraries. NSU students learn at our campuses in Fort Lauderdale, Fort Myers, Jacksonville, Miami, Miramar, Orlando, Palm Beach, and Tampa, Florida, as well as San Juan, Puerto Rico, and online globally. With nearly 200,000 alumni across the nation and globe, the reach of the NSU community is worldwide. Classified as having “high research activity” by the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, NSU is one of only 50 universities nationwide to also be awarded Carnegie’s Community Engagement Classification, and is also the largest private institution in the United States that meets the U.S. Department of Education’s criteria as a Hispanic-serving Institution. Please visit www.nova.edu for more information.
About the H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship: Serving more than 2,800 students, NSU’s H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship offers undergraduate and graduate degree programs in areas such as accounting, finance, human resource management, public administration, supply chain management and more. The college is housed in the five-story state-of-the-art Carl DeSantis Building on NSU’s main campus in Fort Lauderdale-Davie, Florida. Programs are also available at multiple locations and online. For more information, please visit: www.business.nova.edu.
