FAU College of Business to Honor George W. Schaeffer

CEO of People’s Trust Insurance is the ‘Business Leader of the Year’

Florida Atlantic University’s College of Business is hosting its 30^th “Business Leader of the Year” breakfast to honor the accomplishments of George W. Schaeffer, founder of OPI Products and CEO of People’s Trust Insurance, on Tuesday, May 21 at 9 a.m. at Boca West Country Club, 20583 Boca West Drive, Boca Raton.

“We are humbled and pleased to have George W. Schaeffer as this year’s recipient,” said Daniel Gropper, Ph.D., dean of FAU’s College of Business. “He is an incredible entrepreneur and outstanding role model for our business students here at Florida Atlantic University. His story is inspirational, and he is a great community and business leader.”

Schaeffer launched OPI Products in 1981, building the beauty care company from the ground up into a market leader after working in his family’s New York City manufacturing business. The OPI brand would become a leading nail lacquer supplier, known throughout the world, and used by beauty professionals everywhere.

After selling the company, he acquired professional hair color brand Aloxxi. Schaeffer also took on the role of president and CEO of People’s Trust Insurance in 2014, an innovative Florida based homeowner insurance company. Schaeffer, the son of Holocaust survivors, immigrated to the United States from Hungary in 1956. Married to Irina Schaeffer, the couple has three adult children and live in Boca Raton.

Schaeffer has made philanthropy a priority in his life. He created the George and Irina Schaeffer Foundation which has donated millions to various health care charities and hospitals such as the American Heart Association, the Leukemia Research Foundation, and the National Lung Association.

FAU’s College of Business has presented the Business Leader of the Year award since 1991, celebrating the legacies of outstanding business leaders in the Southeast region of Florida and the state. Past recipients include Keith Koenig, Patrick Geraghty, Rick and Rita Case, Jordan Zimmerman, Jim Moran, Carl DeSantis, Alan Levan and former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush.

FAU’s College of Business is pursuing excellence in education for the South Florida community and is among the top 20 largest AACSB-accredited business schools in the country with more than 8,400 students enrolled. Its fundamental mission is to help create opportunities for students and the community through first-rate educational programs. The college has multiple programs ranked among the best by U.S. News & World Report, Fortune, Princeton Review and Entrepreneur magazine. The college’s non-degree executive education programs are ranked No. 2 in the U.S. and in the top 30 worldwide by the Financial Times.

There are many sponsorship levels available, including the presenting sponsor, as well as the platinum, gold, silver, bronze and corporate friends level sponsorships.

For more information, contact Lacey Taylor at LaceyTaylor@fau.edu or visit the event website.

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