Graduating Student Spotlight: Curt Brown

Most people in their 50s think it's too late to go back to school. But not Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA) alum Curt Brown. This May, Curt will earn his Master of Business Administration (MBA).

And, he'll walk the stage alongside his son, Jared Brown, who's also completing his MBA at the Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. College of Business.

"I like doing things that aren't typical," laughs Curt, who as a young man didn't know what he wanted to do. However, seeing his father in behind-the-scenes banking roles inspired him to pursue the operational side of business.

"I always want to know why we're doing things a certain way so I can do them better," says Curt, who lives with his family in Royal Palm Beach.

A Lifelong Connection to PBA

After Curt graduated from PBA in 1993 with a business management degree, he worked for a furniture store in West Palm Beach, supporting space planning. He then worked with Enterprise Holdings, overseeing real estate and construction and facility needs, and later was the executive director of construction and design for U.S. operations at Sixt Rent A Car.

The Browns have long been a PBA family. His wife Denise, whom he met in high school, studied business and communication. She's also a Frederick M. Supper Honors Program alumna, and worked in PBA admissions while earning her MBA from the University.

Curt served on PBA's Alumni Association from 2003-2010, and in 2022 he was hired as the assistant vice president for construction and design. In this role, he oversees major building projects, like the construction of the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Business Hall-supporting critical operations as PBA enters the next chapter of its 58-year history.

Despite working in higher education, Curt initially didn't think about pursuing an advanced degree. It was Denise, who also holds a law degree from the University of Miami, that encouraged him.

"You have an amazing opportunity to continue your studies," says Denise. "We talked a lot about it, because it's a huge investment of time, but it's something that he wanted to do."

Their son, Jared, followed closely in their footsteps. In 2024 he earned his bachelor's degree in finance at PBA, joined the admissions team, and continued his studies.

Faith, Family, and Fortitude

Still, it wasn't always smooth sailing. In the last three years, Curt had to navigate the planning and launch of the business hall, and the new groundbreaking of the new dormitory. Curt also underwent neck and back surgeries in 2024 and 2025.

Still, he persevered. Jared even approached his father, telling him that they had to plan out their remaining classes intentionally so they could graduate at the same time. "I definitely had to keep up with Jared-he was going to have better grades than me!" Curt laughs.

"When Jared started his master's, Curt doubled down on all the classes he missed during his surgeries, so they could walk together," said Denise, who is the new director of PBA's Center for Global Leadership. "To see the drive and motivation for both our son and Curt to get advanced degrees in the midst of this busy life is really exciting and inspiring. I'm proud of both of them."

"This is something in life I never expected," admits Curt. "You'd have thought I would have gotten my MBA 20 years ago. It all goes back to God's plan, all the things that had to happen and put us on the stage at the same time."

To learn more about Palm Beach Atlantic University's MBA programs, click here.