Florida Tech Named ‘Large Business of the Year’ by Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce
By Space Coast Daily // November 2, 2023
more than 68,000 students from over 120 countries have earned degrees from Florida Tech

BREVARD COUNTY • MELBOURNE, FLORIDA – Florida Tech was named Large Business of the Year by the Cocoa Beach Regional Chamber of Commerce, recognition of the university’s community impact and regional significance.
The Florida Tech honor was one of 10 awards the chamber announced at its 35th Space Coast Honors, the popular event formerly known as the Business Champion of the Year Awards Ceremony.
The event is the biggest opportunity of the year for chamber investors to honor fellow businesses and recognize those businesses that are “dedicated to improving the community,” the chamber noted.
For its part, Florida Tech expressed in its nomination entry how it opened on the Space Coast in 1958 as Brevard Engineering College and has been innovating, evolving and producing world-changing graduates ever since.
“More than 68,000 students from more than 120 countries have earned degrees from Florida Tech,” the university wrote in its entry.
“While our notable alumni include five Space Shuttle astronauts, the first female four-star general in U.S. military history and a National Teacher of the Year, we celebrate the less known and the well-known. Most of our graduates are in their communities, engaged, making a difference.”
The entry touched on how the university weathered the COVID pandemic and came out stronger and now has a vision for a bright and impactful future under President John Nicklow.
That future includes a growing student body, new housing, increased research spending, and deeper, stronger university-industry-community partnerships.
Photo caption: Cocoa Beach Chamber President Jimmy Lane, far left, and Relentless Real Estate president and CEO and chamber Director Larry Jarnes, center left, present Florida Tech’s Paula do Vale Pereira and Rob Salonen the Large Business of the Year Award at the recent Space Coast Honors event.
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