Palm Beach Atlantic University Celebrates Opening of Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Business Hall

West Palm Beach, Fla. - Community leaders, city officials, donors, University officials, alumni, and students gathered today to celebrate the grand opening of the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Business Hall at Palm Beach Atlantic University (PBA), marking a major milestone for the institution and the continued growth of West Palm Beach's financial and business sector.

The new six-story, 125,000-square-foot academic facility will serve as the home of the University's AACSB-accredited Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. College of Business and is designed to prepare the next generation of business leaders through hands-on learning, collaboration, and access to the latest industry-level technology. The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) is a prestigious business school accreditation. Only about six percent of business schools around the world hold the recognition.

PBA's leadership, major donors, and community partners participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony held at the University's downtown campus location at 1095 South Olive Ave.

"I am so incredibly grateful for the late John Rinker. John was a pioneer in so many ways and saw something five years ago that wasn't evident to most people: downtown West Palm Beach is rapidly becoming a national center for finance, innovation, and investment-Wall Street South as we now call it," said Dr. Debra A. Schwinn, President of PBA. "This lead gift from the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Foundation, Inc. and from John, with his wife Sheila's support, has enabled us to prepare more students to walk across the street for internships and job opportunities as they meet the demands these companies have for articulate, kind, smart young leaders."

The Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Business Hall features modern learning environments designed to mirror real-world business settings, including the 300-seat tiered Titus Lecture Hall, the stunning Maschmeyer Inspiration Room, collaborative classrooms, and a state-of-the-art stock trading room with professional terminalsthat will give students hands-on experience in understanding global markets.

The building will also house several of the University's signature Centers of Excellence, including the Center for Financial Literacy, the LeMieux Center for Public Policy, the Raney Center for Free Enterprise and the Titus Center for Franchising, further expanding opportunities for students to engage in financial education, public policy dialogue, and entrepreneurship.

"As West Palm Beach continues to grow as a center for business and finance, the demand for talented leaders is also rising," said Dr. Brian Strow, Dean of the Rinker College of Business. "This facility will help prepare students with the skills and experience needed to support the region's evolving economy."

Designed to support the evolving needs of modern business education, the building offers expanded classroom space, specialized technology, and new dining options that create welcoming spaces for students, faculty, and guests to gather for social and professional engagements.

"Palm Beach Atlantic University continues to play a vital role in the growth and vitality of our city," said Keith A. James, Mayor of the City of West Palm Beach. "As West Palm Beach emerges as a national hub for finance and innovation, this new facility will help prepare the talented workforce that will drive our economy forward and strengthen the future of our community."

The Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Business Hall was made possible through the generosity of transformational donors, led by John and Sheila Rinker, along with the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Foundation Inc.; Karl and Michele Watson, Jr.; Buddy and Connie Raney; Troy and Deborah Maschmeyer; Ray and Andrea Titus; Tom and Kerry McCaffrey; Tim and Marybeth Sotos; Jim and Jill Jenkins; and Tom and Judith Iovino.

In addition to the donors who helped PBA reach its first milestone under the God-Sized Dreams campaign, support was also received from Templeton Advisors; Wexford Real Estate Investors LLC; DonorsTrust, Inc.; Kingdom Charitable Trust; the David D. Smith Family Foundation, Inc.; NextEra Energy, Inc.; Florida Power & Light Company; Frisbie Group; Baker Group Enterprises, LLC; Maurer Family Foundation; George Philanthropy Group, LLC; Marshall E. Rinker, Sr. Foundation, Inc.; Johnson Scholarship Foundation; Family Church; TRIBOX Private Wealth, L.L.C.; and Moss Foundation.

Read more about the hall in recent coverage by local news.

Palm Beach Atlantic University, founded in 1968, is a private, Christian university, offering 100 different programs and pathways, including undergraduate degrees, graduate degrees, and professional degrees. The University has two campuses in West Palm Beach, Florida-19 acres downtown and the 78-acre Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Campus provides facilities for training and hosting intercollegiate sports. Sailfish athletes compete in 18 NCAA Division II and Sunshine State Conference varsity sports. PBA affirms the values that have built American society, including religious liberty and the free enterprise system. The University is dedicated to equipping students to grow in wisdom, lead with conviction, and serve God boldly. For more information about future events, please visit pba.edu.