Alan B. Levan

Chair, Board of Governors, Alan B. Levan | NSU Broward Center of Innovation

Chairman of BBX Capital Corporation (NYSE: BBX) and Chairman and CEO of Bluegreen Vacations (NYSE: BXG)

Throughout his career, spanning more than four decades, Mr. Levan has served as Chairman of four New York Stock Exchange listed companies and been a driving force in raising more than $2 billion in debt and equity. In 1971, at the age of 27, he founded IRE Financial, the predecessor to BBX Capital Corporation, and over the next ten years, raised hundreds of millions of dollars and built a national portfolio of real estate exceeding $1.5 billion in value. Mr. Levan spearheaded the acquisition and development of several master-planned communities including tens of thousands of square feet of commercial space, shopping centers and thousands of homes. After acquiring control of BankAtlantic in 1984, Mr. Levan built the company into a 100-branch, $6 billion Florida Banking franchise and later led its sale to BB&T. As a director of Benihana, Inc. (formerly listed on NASDAQ: BNHN), Mr. Levan managed the sale of the company. Benihana grew from $2 per share, to a $16.30 per share acquisition deal price. Under his leadership, BBX Capital has invested in and acquired businesses in banking, retail brokerage and investment banking, hospitality and timeshare, real estate and other sectors.

Mr. Levan serves on the Nova Southeastern University (NSU) Board of Trustees. Previously, he served as Chairman. He is also Co-Founder and Co-Chairman of the Susie and Alan B. Levan NSU Ambassadors Board. He is Founder and Chairman of the BBX Capital Foundation, which has contributed over $15 million to the South Florida community and is one of Broward County’s largest Habitat for Humanity supporters. He is currently a member of YPO Gold, the successor organization of Young Presidents Organization (YPO). Mr. Levan has received Habitat for Humanity’s Spirit of Humanity Award, NSU’s Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame Award, Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce’s Cutting Edge Award, Sun-Sentinel’s Excalibur Business Leader of the Year Award, Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business, Business Leader of the Year award and Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year award for Florida.

Mr. Levan received a bachelor’s degree from Tulane University and subsequently received their Distinguished Alumni Award. Additionally, he received an honorary Doctorate in Business Administration from Nova Southeastern University.