Belinda Keiser

Vice Chancellor, Keiser University, Fort Lauderdale

Founded in 1977, Keiser University is one of Florida’s largest private, nonprofit universities. It has about 20,000 students, 4,000 team members and 100,000 alumni at campuses throughout Florida, online and internationally. The university has an annual economic impact in Florida of $3 billion and helps address the workforce needs of the state. As a former member of the board of directors for Enterprise Florida and Space Florida, Keiser has worked to accelerate Florida’s economy by increasing homegrown talent and recruiting employers in targeted industries such as health care, aerospace, financial services, information technology and others.

EDUCATION: Florida State University (BS), Keiser University (Certificate in Paralegal Studies), Nova Southeastern University (MBA)

MENTOR: I have always regarded Sen. Rick Scott as a mentor. His self-made success story exemplifies the value of hard work, and his remarkable humility is truly admirable. Sen. Scott is results-oriented and leverages his experience and abilities to achieve significant outcomes. He inspires these qualities in his team of positive and kind professionals, fostering an environment of excellence and integrity.

READING: Managing Oneself (Harvard Business Review Classics), by Peter F. Drucker

INSPIRING FLORIDIAN: The person who inspires me most is my late father, Ralph A. Mills. Though he is no longer with us, his teachings about the importance of taking calculated risks have left a lasting impact on me. Most significantly, he taught me to live my life through faith.

WHAT I’VE LEARNED: Never give up!