Space Coast Public Service Awards Recognizes Dr. Maxwell C. King With Lifetime Achievement Award

By  //  August 27, 2016

SPACE COAST PSA HALL OF FAME NOMINEE

ABOVE VIDEO: The Space Coast Daily “Brevard Masters” Series profiles Dr. Maxwell C. King, a legendary Brevard County visionary who has inspired thousands to achieve their goals through the pursuit of higher education.

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ABOVE: MAXWELL C. KING PHOTO GALLERY

NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR:  In every community there are great men and women who have, by their strength of will and character, become ingrained in the consciousness of our society. They are doers and risk takers who have made a stand and a commitment for the common-good. They are labeled as public servants, but they are truly our natural leaders whose legacies are the milestones of our progress.

BCSO Chief Deputy Doug Waller
BCSO Chief Deputy Doug Waller

The Public Service Lifetime Achievement Award recognizes public service professionals who have dedicated years of service during a distinguished career where they significantly advanced the public safety or service profession, and by substantial service, has furthered the cause of justice and the mission of community service.

The award is presented to a deserving individual (living or deceased) who has taken a long-term leadership role in a public or community service profession. Recipients of this award are recognized for making extraordinary contributions and sacrifices through a body of work that positively impacted their organization and community over their lifetime.

The first annual Space Coast Public Service Awards & Hall of Fame Induction Gala will be held Saturday, September 24, 2016, inside the spectacular Canaveral Port Authority’s Cruise Terminal 1 at Port Canaveral.
The first annual Space Coast Public Service Awards and Hall of Fame Induction will be held Saturday, September 24 at the King Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne. The public is invited and encouraged to attend this compelling event where all proceeds will benefit the Brevard County Public Safety Charity, a not-for-profit organization that was created to help Brevard County Public Safety Officers and their families during difficult hardships. CLICK HERE FOR TICKETS

MAX KING LEGENDARY VISIONARY, PHILANTHROPIST

BREVARD COUNTY, FLORIDA – Dr. Maxwell C. King, is among Brevard’s most-ever prolific philanthropic leaders. 

He is a legendary Brevard County visionary and philanthropist who has inspired thousands to achieve their goals through the pursuit of higher education and was honored with the 2014 Central Florida Humanitarian Lifetime Achievement Award.

He has embraced volunteerism with the same fervor and dedication that he approached his incredible career in education.

Twice recognized by his peers as the best community college president in America, King – for three decades president of what is now Eastern Florida State College – is known as a visionary who has inspired thousands to achieve their goals through the pursuit of higher education.

In 1989, Florida’s Governor and Cabinet honored King for being recognized as America’s top administrator in higher education by the American Association of University Administrators. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush perhaps summed King best. “Max is a great American,” wrote Bush to BCC Board Chair Jim Handley. (Image For Space Coast Daily)
In 1989, Florida’s Governor and Cabinet honored King for being recognized as America’s top administrator in higher education by the American Association of University Administrators. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush perhaps summed King best. “Max is a great American,” wrote Bush to BCC Board Chair Jim Handley. (Image For Space Coast Daily)

Dr. King’s teaching career began in St. Lucie County High School. By the time he was a ripe old 32 years of age, he had been appointed president of Indian River Community College, a job that made him the nation’s youngest college president.

He became the third president of Brevard Community College in 1968 and served as district president for 30 years. Among his awards are the Nation’s Outstanding Community College President, an honor presented by the Association of Community College Trustees.  He embraced volunteerism with the same fervor and dedication that he approached his career.

After retiring from Brevard Community College, several days a week he would drive 70 miles one-way to his hometown of Ft. Pierce, where he was volunteer director of development for Sunrise Theatre, the same theater that had provided him with a job as a teen.

Dr. King was critical in the creation of a runaway and youth crisis shelter in Cocoa for Crosswinds Youth Services, helping to raise $2 million for the shelter and subsequently an additional $3 million for a new learning center at Crosswinds, the Jim and Cynthia Handley Learning Center. His efforts paid off in millions of dollars for the restoration of the historic venue.

Dr. King also served as chair of Wuesthoff Hospital’s Hospice House and as chair of Diamond Community School’s capital campaign.  He helped raise funds to build new headquarters for the Cocoa Beach Chamber of Commerce and served on the board of Junior Achievement, Alzheimer’s Association, Webster University and Brevard Museum of History and Natural Science.

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The Brevard Library Foundation, the Economic Development Commission of east Central Florida, the Salvation Army, the Astronaut Memorial Foundation, Harry and Harriette Moore Memorial Foundation, Navy League of Cape Canaveral, Military Order of World Wars, the Space Missile Museum Foundation and the American Heart Association are among other nonprofits that benefitted from King’s support.

The sky is literally the limit when it comes to King’s interest in making Brevard a better place.

In 1989, Florida’s Governor and Cabinet honored King for being recognized as America’s top administrator in higher education by the American Association of University Administrators. Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush perhaps summed King best: “Max is a great American.”

CLICK HERE TO OBTAIN TICKETS TODAY

Max King was critical in the creation of a runaway and youth crisis shelter in Cocoa for Crosswinds Youth Services, helping to raise $2 million for the shelter and subsequently an additional $3 million for a new learning center at Crosswinds, the Jim and Cynthia Handley Learning Center. (Image For Space Coast Daily)
Max King was critical in the creation of a runaway and youth crisis shelter in Cocoa for Crosswinds Youth Services, helping to raise $2 million for the shelter and subsequently an additional $3 million for a new learning center at Crosswinds, the Jim and Cynthia Handley Learning Center. (Image For Space Coast Daily)
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PUBLISHER’S NOTE: Space Coast Daily is very proud to sponsor and produce the first annual Space Coast Public Service Awards and Hall of Fame Induction, which will be held Saturday, September 24 at the King Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of Eastern Florida State College in Melbourne. With all the seemingly endless politically-charged negative rhetoric in the media aimed at our first responders, we felt it was time as a media entity to make a statement and give these men and women the respect and support they deserve. The public is invited and encouraged to attend this compelling event where all proceeds will benefit the Brevard County Public Safety Charity.

Tom Palermo
Tom Palermo

Seating for this celebration of these outstanding public servants is now available, so don’t delay in making your reservation. The festivities will include a meet-and-greet with our outstanding public servants, food and drink, and the induction proceeding – which will feature compelling video tributes.

All proceeds of this event will go to the Brevard County Public Safety Charity which benefits our law enforcement officers and firefighters in their time of need. These funds will help our public safety members when they face critical challenges such as medical emergencies, long term illness or even the tragedy of a line of duty death. This charity organization is designed to help protect those that protect us. 

For additional information about the Brevard County Public Safety Charity, please contact Sue Parker at Sue.Parker@BCSO.us.

– Tom Palermo, Space Coast Daily President & Publisher

FOR MORE INFORMATION about the Space Coast Public Service Awards and Hall of Fame Induction, call 321-615-8111 or 321-323-4460.

CLICK HERE TO OBTAIN TICKETS TODAY

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