Business College Picks Associa® Director of Property Management

FORT LAUDERDALE, FLA. – After an international search, Nova Southeastern University’s (NSU) H. Wayne Huizenga College of Business and Entrepreneurship (HCBE) appointed Ricardo Russi as the first Associa^® Director of the James Donnelly Property Management and Real Estate Program.

The position of Associa^® Director — named by Associa^®, the largest residential community management firm in the nation and a multimillion-dollar property management business — is funded by a $1 million gift from John Carona, founder and chief executive officer of Associa^®. The James Donnelly Property Management and Real Estate Program at NSU is one of college’s fastest-growing undergraduate majors, drawing students from across the nation to become leaders in an industry with high demand for property managers and community association management. James Donnelly, the program’s avid supporter and namesake – founder and chairman of the Castle Group, one of Florida’s largest property management companies – is an NSU Shark Circle and Board of Trustees member.

“The Associa^® director combines the competitive advantages of our college in business education, professional experience and leadership, and the vision that James and John share for the industry and our students.  This position is mission critical to our college in educating top talent for an industry with growing high demands for property managers and community association leaders,” says Andrew Rosman, dean of the AACSB-accredited college, which is among the top six percent of business schools worldwide.

Russi, as a licensed real estate broker, licensed real estate instructor, licensed community association manager, and project manager has more than 30 years of experience in property management and community association management with academic success in business administration, entrepreneurship, financial planning, real estate, and property management. He holds a B.S. in Legal Studies from Barry University, an M.B.A. from Florida Atlantic University, a M.S. in Personal Financial Planning, from Kansas State University, and he is working toward a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Florida Atlantic University.

Russi’s strategic vision for the bachelor’s degree in business administration in property management and real estate includes growing the program as THE destination for educating new leaders in property management, aligning the program with professional certifications and licensing, and creating a global example of how college education in business and property management fully integrates into a professional career from day one.

Upon being selected as the director of the James Donnelly Property Management  and Real Estate Program, Russi expressed his passion for and appreciation of the property management industry. “I am honored and blessed to have this opportunity to give back to an industry that has been so good to me for over 30 years. I am committed to providing our students with innovative education and the resources necessary to flourish in property management and direct the future of the industry. I envision the James Donnelly Property Management Program as an internationally recognized authority on property management education, innovation, and research.”

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