ERIC KELLY

President, Quantum Foundation, West Palm Beach

Raised with his two sisters by their mother in public housing, Kelly says his early experiences instilled in him a passion for helping others. He has been at the Quantum Foundation for 14 years, 11 as president. The foundation is a private grant-making organization formed in 1995 with the net proceeds from the sale of the JFK Medical Center in Atlantis. It’s mission is to fund initiatives that improve the health of Palm Beach County residents. The foundation has about $160 million in assets and has given more than $170 million to thousands of nonprofit organizations. Kelly has served as chairman of the Healthy Start Coalition of Palm Beach County and serves on the board and executive committee of the Economic Council of Palm Beach County.

EDUCATION: Florida State University (BS), Florida Atlantic University (MA), University of Southern California (Ph.D.)

IF I WERE GOVERNOR: I would allocate additional funding to scale Purpose Built Communities across the state. I would combine that effort with the research and efforts of the Florida Chamber Foundation to eradicate poverty in the state’s most impoverished neighborhoods, including historic African-American communities like Coleman Park in West Palm Beach.

MENTOR: Paul Leone, CEO of the Breakers. He is a friend, an incredible businessperson, a family man and a man of high moral character.

READING: Caste, by Isabel Wilkerson

MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA: ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart.’