J. David Armstrong, Jr. is president emeritus of Broward College, one of the largest and most diverse institutions in America, serving 63,000 students across 11 campuses and centers in South Florida. Prior to assuming this role, President Emeritus Armstrong served as the sixth president of Broward College from June 2007 to June 2018 and has been recognized for his visionary and innovative approach to college education. Under his leadership, Broward College was consistently ranked among the top community colleges in the country. In 2017 the College was named a Finalist with Distinction by the
Washington, D.C. based Aspen Institute, the nation’s preeminent recognition of high achievement and performance in America’s community colleges. The College was also selected as a Top Ten Finalist for the for the prize three times in 2012, 2016 and 2018.
With a strong commitment to the community, a business owner’s understanding of the evolving workforce landscape and the changing role of higher education, as president, J. David Armstrong, Jr. led a redesign of the College to focus on new programs and partnerships that better address skills gaps for students and employers. Under his leadership, Broward College expanded access to higher education with new locations and improved facilities including its international educational partnerships.
President Emeritus Armstrong serves in a variety of positions with non-profit, workforce and educational organizations. He is currently the co-chair for the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance Six Pillars Economic Program and serves on the Board of Directors for the Broward Workshop, the Broward College Foundation, and the Council for International Exchange of Scholars (CIES), Fulbright Scholar Program. He is also past chairman of Leadership Florida and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance.
He has been recognized for his influential work and service in the business community, receiving several awards, including a 2018 “South Florida Business Journal Ultimate CEO” Award, the Association of Community College Trustees (ACCT) “Southern Region CEO/President of the Year,” Symphony of the Americas “Style and Substance” award, Leadership Broward Foundation “Profiles in Leadership” award, the Seafarer’s House “South Florida Business Leader of the Year” Award, South Florida Business Journal “Diamond CEO Award,” South Florida Business and Wealth “Apogee Award,” and Urban League of Broward County “Diversity Champion Award.” President Armstrong also has been recognized as a South Florida Business Journal “Power Leader,” one of Gold Coast Magazine’s “50 Most Powerful People in Broward County,” and most recently named the 2017 Hall of Fame Honoree by the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce.
Prior to his work with Broward College, J. David Armstrong, Jr. was the Chancellor of the Florida Community College System where he provided leadership for the 28 member institution and the State Board of Community Colleges. He is a graduate of the Program for Senior Executives in State and Local Government from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, received his master’s degree from Troy State University in Management and his bachelor’s degree in Social Science from the University of Montevallo in his home state of Alabama. In his spare time, he enjoys reading broadly, traveling, visiting museums, attending concerts, plays, opera and dance performances, watching his son play soccer, spending time on his tractor and boat on his family farm and river house near Birmingham, Alabama and investing and helping entrepreneurs grow businesses and jobs.
