JARETT LEVAN
PRESIDENT & CEO, BBX CAPITAL, FORT LAUDERDALE
BBX Capital is a diversified holding company whose principal investments include Altman, IT’SUGAR, Las Olas Confections and Snacks, Hoffman’s Chocolates and Renin. Its companies operate in 29 states and Canada. Levan became CEO of BankAtlantic (BBX Capital’s predecessor) in 2007 and CEO of IT’SUGAR in 2023. “I have maintained a long-standing commitment to nonprofit organizations in Broward County, with philanthropy being a deep personal passion,” he says. BBX Capital established a $1-million endowment for the arts in Broward County.
EDUCATION: University of Miami (JD), Emory University (BBA)
FIRST JOB: Working in the mailroom at BankAtlantic at the age of 12. I later advanced to a bank teller position at 15.
SOMETHING SURPRISING: Many years ago, I successfully climbed Mt. Kilimanjaro, Africa’s highest peak at 19,341 feet above sea level.
PASSION PROJECT: I’m in the process of converting an old passenger Sprinter van into a functional camper, which we’ve appropriately named “LeVan.”
INDUSTRY TREND: One notable trend is the power of TikTok to influence consumer demand overnight. For example, at IT’SUGAR, we have seen how viral moments can turn niche products, like Swedish candy or the Dubai chocolate bar, into instant sensations.
