Florida College DECA

A post-secondary division of DECA was officially approved in 1967. However, in 1965, with its visionary leadership, Florida established a post-secondary division for the students enrolled in the junior college and mid-management programs. The name was the Florida Association of Managerial Education.

The first National Leadership Conference for the division was held in 1967 and in 1969, the division was renamed the Junior Collegiate Division. On September 27, 1982, the Junior Collegiate Division of DECA became Delta Epsilon Chi. In June 2008, Florida College DECA, a division of Delta Epsilon Chi, in association with DECA, Inc. was adopted as the name of the organization.

The Kinney Shoe Corporation contributed $50,000 in 1983-84 for the development of new Delta Epsilon Chi chapters on college campuses throughout the country and Canada. In 1984, the Delta Epsilon Chi division of National DECA was granted its first representatives on the DECA, Inc. Board of Directors.

International Delta Epsilon Chi will celebrate its 48th anniversary during the 2008-2009 academic year. This year’s theme is “Delta Epsilon Chi …MAKE YOUR MARK” tying into the International Career Development Conference in Anaheim, California April 22-26, 2009.

Florida College DECA will hold its 44th Annual State Career Development Conference March 5-8, 2009 at the Doubletree Castle Hotel, Orlando. The official theme is “Florida College DECA…MAKE YOUR MARK”.

More than 185,000 student members throughout the United States and Canada apply the marketing and management principles they learn in the classroom and the workplace through chapter projects, including many community related activities and competitive events.

Florida has been one of the leading states in supporting and participating in Delta Epsilon Chi. Several International Presidents have hailed from Florida and others have served as Southern Region Vice President. The many chapter advisors throughout the state continually demonstrate their devotion to the student organization by their many hours of involvement in chapter activities and preparing students for competitions. The Executive Director of Florida College DECA has served as National Trainer for Delta Epsilon Chi’s new state advisors, and is a member of DECA, Inc., the National Retail Federation, the American Marketing Association, Association of Career and Technical Educators, Florida Career Technical Educators, and MarkEd.

In 1993, Florida College DECA was transferred, with DECA, from the State Department of Education to become an independent corporation. Jack J. Rose, State Advisor, 1987-1993, was contracted as the corporation’s first and only Executive Director and State Advisor. In 1999, Florida College DECA was separated, for DOE funding purposes, from DECA. Florida College DECA looks forward to serving over 2600 students at 20 chapters throughout the state during the 2008-2009 academic year and will reach out to the more than 11,000 high school DECA members throughout the State.

During the past decade, Florida College DECA has been very visible at the International Career Development Conferences where the great majority of students made it to the final round of competition and many placed in the top ten. During these past years, Florida students have come home with many first, second, and third place awards, which reflect the education received in the classroom by a group of dedicated educators and advisors. In addition, two International Presidents have hailed from Florida. Andrew Monarch served as International President for the 2000-2001 academic year, and Wilson Enriquez served as International President during the 2002-2003 academic year. Both international presidents served as presidents of Florida College DECA prior to their international election. This organization is extremely proud of our post-secondary students…the leaders of tomorrow.

Kaila S. Nichols, a junior at the University of Central Florida in Orlando, was elected President of Florida College DECA at the 2008 State Career Development Conference, and will lead the State Action Team through another successful year. Kaila’s goal is to increase membership and corporate sponsorships for the organization, and expand the visibility of the organization throughout Florida. The other members of the State Action Team are: Vice President, Julia Sander, University of Florida; Secretary/Treasurer, Cacia Carleton, Pasco-Hernando Community College; Reporter/Historian, Anthony Roberts, Jr., Johnson & Wales University; and Parliamentarian Zachary Larkins, Broward College – North Campus.

For further information on Florida College DECA, please visit our website at www.fldex.org or contact our Executive Director, Jack J. Rose, at jrosefldex@aol.com.

Eric Stenger, Director of Communications, Florida College DECA