ORLANDO, Fla. – January 29, 2022, Florida Technical College brought home the coveted 2022 Unity Award from A Night for Champions hosted by the Kissimmee/Osceola County Chamber of Commerce at their 97th Annual Meeting celebration held at Coronado Springs Resort recently.
Emceed by Elizabeth Watkins, Government Relations Manager at Walt Disney World, the award ceremony recognizes the achievements of Chamber members both within the Chamber and in their own lines of work.
A group of more than 400 Chamber members gathered for the awards event as well as to see the historic gavel pass from 2020-2021 Board Chair Adrianna Sekula of PureCycle Technologies to 2022 Chairman Kevin Crain with Osceola Press – Printing & Signs. The incoming 2022 Executive Committee and Area Council Chairmen were also presented.
During the much-anticipated Central Florida event, the Chamber presented four awards, Ambassador of the Year, the Eagle Award, and the event’s top two honors, the Linda Goodwin-Nichols Service Award and the Unity Award. Created in 2018, the Unity Award is awarded to an organization or individual who truly embodies the essence of the Chamber’s three core values, “Embracing Heritage,” “Creating Opportunity,” and “Building Unity.” This year, Martin Levert, Director of the FTC Kissimmee Campus, received the honor on behalf of the institution.
“At FTC, we believe in an ongoing collaboration that builds on resources, expertise, and knowledge of our campus and business community to ultimately enhance the quality of life of Osceola residents,” stated Martin. “As a community builder and partner in civic engagement, FTC will remain committed to the positive development of Osceola through active stewardship.”
Aside from leading the Kissimmee campus, Martin also sits on the Hispanic Business Council Board of Directors.
“We feel honored that one of our own was selected as this year’s Unity Award recipient, and I could not feel prouder of our organization and our team, and their willingness to make a difference on and off the FTC campus,” stated Dr. James Michael Burkett, President of FTC. “At FTC, we thrive on community-based partnerships. It’s what enables us to create more programs and opportunities for our community and for the future of generations to come,” added Burkett. “We believe that by leveraging strengths that each one of our colleagues’ members at the Chamber can offer and by collaborating with industry forces, we can build a supportive ecosystem and reinvigorate our region.”
Since 2011, FTC has remained an active member of the Kissimmee/Osceola Chamber of Commerce with a goal of helping to protect the heritage of the community and to increase access to opportunities for residents. Through its membership, FTC has been able to serve in a number of ways, including the Annual Back to School Event to distribute backpacks and school supplies to children across Central Florida.
About FTC: Founded in 1982 to provide private, post-secondary education in specialized fields, NUC University – Florida Technical College is an academic unit of NUC University (NUC), which is accredited by the Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104. (267-284-5000) www.msche.org. The MSCHE is an institutional accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Secretary of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA). NUC – FTC offers diploma, associate and bachelor’s degree programs in a range of professions, including Healthcare, Construction Trades, Hospitality, Beauty, Information Technology and Business. NUC – FTC campuses are located in Orlando, Kissimmee, Lakeland, DeLand, Pembroke Pines, Cutler Bay and Tampa. Program availability varies by campus.
