The NSU community mourns the loss of Board of Trustees member and South Florida philanthropist, Rick Case. Case died on Sept. 21 at the age of 77 after a brief battle with cancer. Case is survived by his wife, Rita, and his children and grandchildren.
Case, founder and CEO of the Rick Case Automotive Group, along with his wife, are known for their philanthropic contributions to charitable and educational organizations, according to The SunSentinel. The couple was honored at NSU’s 21st annual Celebration of Excellence with the 2019 President’s Award for Excellence in Community Service, an award given to celebrate the core value of “community.” The university renamed the arena in the Don Taft University Center to the Rick Case Arena in 2017, although Case had served on NSU’s Board of Trustees since 2002. The Cases’ generosity towards NSU has benefitted the university in many ways, including grounds improvement and scholarship funding.
“If you’re looking for a great example of what it means to give back to the community, look no further than our backyard. The impact from Rita and Rick Case can be felt here at NSU, the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, American Heart Association, Cleveland Clinic, Joe DiMaggio Children’s Hospital, Habitat for Humanity and many other organizations throughout South Florida,” said President George Hanbury in an NSU news brief about the 2019 Annual Celebration of Excellence in Dec. 2018, as covered by The Current.
As stated in an email sent to the NSU community from the Office of the President on Sept. 23, there will be a private ceremony held for Case’s immediate family and a memorial service in the future. Messages can be sent to the family by contacting family@rickcase.com.
Read more about Rick Case’s philanthropic legacy in The Current’s article about NSU’s 21st Annual Celebration of Excellence.
