DAVIE, Fla., Oct. 10, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Florida entrepreneur and philanthropist Ron Bergeron, Sr. is now one of the newest members of the Board of Directors of the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans. Along with other prominent CEOs and Corporate Chairmen, Bergeron has become part of a 76-Member Board that governs the Association. Bergeron was elected to the Board by the Association's membership. His term begins immediately and will extend for four years, through the fall of 2023. As a Board member he is charged with guiding the Association in advancing its mission and ensuring the achievement of strategic goals.

"Elected to the Board of Directors of Horatio Alger by my peers is another major achievement and milestone in my life," says Bergeron. "In my role as a Board member, it allows me to continue my mission of philanthropy and giving back, helping to change the lives of young people across North America. It's such an honor to have a leadership position in an organization that is tasked with providing scholarship assistance to deserving young people who have demonstrated integrity and determination in overcoming adversity."

In addition to Ron Bergeron, Sr. the Association's new director class includes:

• Gregory E. Abel, Vice Chairman - Non-Insurance Businesses - Berkshire Hathaway Inc.; Executive Chairman, Berkshire Hathaway Energy
• Don R. Daseke, Founder, Chairman, & CEO - Daseke, Inc.
• Linda D. Rabbitt, Founder and Chairman - rand* construction corporation
• Ernest S. Rady, Founder, Executive Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, and President, American Assets Trust, Inc.; Founder and Executive Chairman, ICW Group Insurance Companies

Prior to his election to the Board, Bergeron was awarded the prestigious Horatio Alger award in 2018. The award is bestowed on those who have "demonstrated honesty, determination and a strong work ethic in their pursuit of personal and professional success." Members have faced adversities, overcoming significant life challenges to achieve their success. The Horatio Alger Association is a nonprofit educational organization honoring the achievements of outstanding individuals and encouraging young people to pursue their dreams through higher education.

Philanthropy is in Ron Bergeron's DNA. An ardent champion for the protection of the Everglades, he is active with the Everglades Coalition, an umbrella organization for conservation and sportsmen's groups in South Florida and supports the Boys & Girls Clubs of Broward County, the Broward Partnership for the Homeless, Equine Therapies for Handicapped Children, the Nova Entrepreneur Program and many other charities.

Founder and CEO of Bergeron Land Development, Inc., Bergeron Family of Companies, and Bergeron Properties & Investment Corp., Ron Bergeron's companies are recognized and respected across Florida. Bergeron Land Development is one of the state's largest site development and roadway construction contractors. The Bergeron Family of Companies includes Bergeron Properties & Investment Corp., a real estate holding company, Bergeron Land Development and Bergeron Emergency Services, a disaster recovery business. In 2019 he was appointed by Florida governor Ron DeSantis to the South Florida Water Management District Governing Board. He is also a former Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissioner and founder of the Bergeron Everglades Museum & Wildlife Foundation.

About Ron Bergeron
Affectionately nicknamed "Alligator Ron," Bergeron rose from rags to riches through decades of hard work, a shining example that the American Dream is alive and well. He learned from his grandfather, a game warden in the Everglades, how to wrestle alligators as a young boy. After graduating high school and leaving home with just over $200 to his name, Bergeron took a job pumping gas. A few months later, he began working for his former Boy Scout Master, who allowed him to live in a home on his coconut plantation in exchange for help with grounds maintenance. Bergeron soon bought his first tractor, baling hay and harvesting fruit for his boss and several neighbors. Within a few years, he saved up enough money to create Bergeron Land Development, Inc; by the time he was 25, he had made his first million by investing in real estate, rock quarries and selling limestone. Today the Bergeron Family of Companies oversees a diverse and experienced team of land development, emergency services and real estate professionals. For more information about Ron Bergeron, please visit alligatorronbergeron.com.

About Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans:
Founded in 1947, the Horatio Alger Association of Distinguished Americans, Inc. is dedicated to the simple but powerful belief that hard work, honesty and determination can conquer all obstacles. The Association honors the achievements of outstanding leaders who have accomplished remarkable successes in spite of adversity by bestowing upon them the Horatio Alger Award and inducting them as lifetime Members. Horatio Alger Members support promising young people with the resources and confidence needed to overcome adversity in pursuit of their dreams through higher education. Through the generosity of its Members and friends, in 2019, the Association awarded more than $21 million in undergraduate and graduate need-based scholarships across the United States and Canada, and also provided college support and mentoring services to its Scholars. Since 1984, the Association has awarded more than $143 million in college scholarships to more than 25,000 deserving young people. For more information, please visit www.horatioalger.org.

Horatio Alger Members:
Horatio Alger Members are part of a select group of individuals who have experienced a wide spectrum of what life can offer. Similar to characters in stories by Horatio Alger, Jr., they traditionally have started life in "humble" or economically challenging circumstances.

SOURCE The Bergeron Family of Companies