Nova Southeastern University

Alumni Awards

NSU held its annual Celebration of Excellence on January 19, 2012 at Davie's Signature Grand. Each year, the awards presentation brings together community leaders and industry pioneers who have made significant contributions to their professions and communities. NSU also presented the Distinguished Alumni Awards to graduates of the university's schools, colleges and centers.

Nova Southeastern University (NSU) awarded Ron and Kathy Assaf   with the university's highest honor, the President's Community Award, at NSU's annual Celebration of Excellence. The President's Community Award is bestowed annually to individuals whose leadership and support provides the foundation for continued growth of the university.

Ron Assaf’s career began in 1955 as a management trainee at Kroger Company, an Ohio retail food chain. In 1966, he co-founded Sensormatic Electronics Corporation, moving the company to South Florida in 1971. Today, Sensormatic serves more than 80 percent of the 100 leading retailers in the world. In 1996, Assaf retired as chief executive officer of Sensormatic and, in 2001, retired as chairman of the board. He remains active in numerous civic organizations.

Kathy Assaf’s career began as an auditor with Arthur Young & Company. In 1974, she became a finance manager at Sensormatic, where she worked until 1984. She served on the Boca Bank Board of Directors from 1984 until 1995 and was the chairman of the board from 1993 to 1995. She then served as a director of Intercontinental Bank for two years. She has also dedicated her time to Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) in Palm Beach County.

The Assafs have been leaders in South Florida philanthropic and civic causes for more than three decades. Ron Assaf has served as a trustee of the Boca Raton Regional Hospital for 18 years and was the chairman of the board for four years. Their endowment of the Ronald and Kathleen Assaf Center for Nursing Excellence at Boca Raton Regional Hospital has helped recruit, train, and retain critically needed nurses. They are supporters of St. Andrew’s School, where Kathy Assaf served on the board of trustees, was chairman of the board, and has been named a trustee emerita. They are members of the St. Andrew’s Founder’s Society, which recognizes lifetime contributions of $1 million or more. They are founding members of, and active parishioners at, St. Jude Catholic Church in Boca Raton.

Ron Assaf was elected to the NSU Board of Trustees on July 1, 1994. Since then, he has served as chairman of the Executive and Finance Committees and numerous other university committees. He became chairman of the board on May 20, 2005. Ron and Kathy serve on NSU’s Ambassadors Board, which enlists widespread support for the university’s development efforts, promotes NSU programs, and acts as ambassadors to the university’s communities and constituencies. The Assafs are also members of NSU’s Sharks Society, which consists of philanthropists who have given $1 million or more to the university. They support higher education with endowments at Lynn University, Florida Atlantic University, and the University of Akron.

Distinguished Alumni Award Winners

NSU also presented Distinguished Alumni Awards to graduates of the university's schools, colleges and centers. Honorees are: