An Impressive Career
Palm Beach Atlantic University’s (PBA) Founders Day Chapel on Friday, February 28, honored Phil and Jennifer Rothschild as its Distinguished Alumni of the Year, while the luncheon that followed celebrated the remarkable legacy of Bill Fleming Jr., PBA’s eighth president.
President Fleming was in office from 2010 until his retirement in early 2020, and he oversaw a period of infrastructural growth at PBA that included the grand opening of PBA’s state-of-the-art sports facility, the Marshall and Vera Lea Rinker Athletic Campus. Also, during his term, over $180 million was raised in charitable support of the university.
Prior to serving at PBA, he had a long career of leadership in higher education that began in 1973 in Greensborough, North Carolina.
Because of this hard work and success, in 2022 Fleming was awarded the Life Leadership Award by the Chamber of Commerce of the Palm Beaches.
“The Greatest of These Is Love”
While his resume is outstanding, it was Fleming’s sincere love for the Lord and for others that was the highlight of last week’s luncheon.
To open the ceremony, A.J. Titus, PBA alumni and President of Signarama, spoke of the cherished moments that he shared with President Fleming during his time at the university.
One key trait of President Fleming that still resonates with Titus is his habit of knowing the names of every student during his presidency, a fact that Fleming vindicated in his own address.
After Titus’ speech, Fleming’s presidential portrait was unveiled, and he began his own oration, first by giving all the glory to God.
He made it very clear that his motivation for taking PBA’s helm was not to have his face immortalized in the Warren Library, but rather to humbly join in on what God was doing in West Palm Beach.
Fleming described PBA as a “possible dream,” whose success is owed to the sacrificial men and women who first believed in the vision for a Christian School in West Palm Beach and worked diligently for its completion.
He ended his speech by fondly stating that he has a strong case of “PBA fever” based in a deep-seated love for the school and its Christian culture.
The event concluded with a moving choral exhibition by PBA’s concert choir (a favorite of Fleming’s) and a strong benediction from Pastor Bernie Cueto, PBA’s campus pastor.
To give to PBA, visit: https://www.pba.edu/give/how-to-give/
To discover upcoming events at PBA, visit: https://www.pba.edu/events/
