Legendary golfer Gary Player and educator and civic leader Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler to receive Lifetime Achievement Awards from Palm Beach State College at Emerald Torch Awards Gala

Legendary retired professional South African golfer Gary Player and Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler, educator, civic leader, philanthropist and trailblazer, will receive an award for Lifetime Achievement at the Palm Beach State College Emerald Torch Awards Gala at 6 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 15, at SoFi Center - home of the TGL – the only venue in the world dedicated to golf innovation and technology - on the College’s Palm Beach Gardens campus.

The third annual event, hosted by Jim Grimes, broadcast anchor for CBS12 News, will celebrate alumni and leaders who strengthen the community along with PBSC’s rich Panther legacy of transforming the lives of students. Festivities include a cocktail hour, dinner, dancing, and an awards presentation.

Tickets are on sale now and are $300 for an individual and $3,000 for a table of 10. All proceeds from the event will support The Foundation for Palm Beach State College and its initiatives to fund student scholarships and enhance programs of study. To purchase, click here.

The event will also honor the following alumni who will receive an Emerald Torch Award: Wolfgang Brunet, founder and CEO of Ideal Nutrition, a healthy meal prep service serving Florida; and George Gentile, senior partner and a principal of Gentile Holloway O’Mahoney 2GHO Inc., one of South Florida’s leading land planning and landscape architecture firms.

“It is a true honor to celebrate and recognize the extraordinary achievements of our distinguished honorees — legendary South African golf icon Gary Player, visionary entrepreneur Wolfgang Brunet, and community leader George Gentile,” said PBSC President Ava L. Parker, J.D. “Their commitment to excellence, innovation, and service reflects the very values of Palm Beach State College. The gala not only shines a light on their contributions, but also reaffirms the College’s mission to inspire futures, strengthen our communities, and drive the growth and success of Palm Beach County.”

All proceeds from the event will support The Foundation for Palm Beach State College and its initiatives to fund student scholarships and enhance programs of study. The award winners are:

Gary Player, Lifetime Achievement Award

Gary Player is a South African professional golfer who is one of only six men in history to capture the career grand slam - winning all four of golf’s Major Championships. He was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame’s inaugural class in 1974, and during his career, Player won nine Major Championships on the Regular Tour and nine Major Championships on the Senior Tour. He is the only golfer in history to complete the career Grand Slam on both Tours. He has won more National tiles than Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer combined and has won the most tournaments of any professional golfer alive today.

Nicknamed the Black Knight, Mr. Fitness, and the International Ambassador of Golf, he is also a renowned golf course architect with hundreds of design projects throughout the world. Player has authored or co-written 37 books on golf instruction, design, philosophy, motivation and fitness. In 2016, he captained the South African Olympic Golf Team in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Player has received numerous accolades including the Laureus Lifetime Achievement Award, the PGA Tour's Lifetime Achievement Award, and was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in the United States.

Gary’s life was profoundly shaped by his childhood experiences. After his mother passed away when he was young, Gary found refuge and strength in his school in South Africa. His father was working in the mines, and his brother was off at war, leaving Gary feeling alone. Yet, his school was a safe haven—a place where he was able to thrive, belong, and find hope for the future.

The work of the GVPF began many years ago on the Player farm and continues today in SA as the Blair Atholl preschool. After the passing of Gary’s late wife, Vivienne, Gary and Vivienne established the foundation in the United States, driven by a shared desire to give back. Upon learning that 1 in 6 children in this country live in poverty — with millions at risk of homelessness, hunger, and neglect — they felt called to act. The foundation was re-named and re-established to focus on providing vulnerable and underprivileged children with a safe, nurturing environment where they can thrive.

Gary and Vivienne wanted to give back to the communities that contributed to Gary’s incredible journey and success. The GVPF’s mission is to lift children out of poverty through targeted education, health, and housing initiatives. Over the past three years, the foundation has touched the lives of more than 36,000 children. The needs are great, and the work is vital.

At the Emerald Torch Awards, PBSC will celebrate the man and the incredible dedication and impact of the Gary and Vivienne Player Foundation—an organization driven by love, hope, and a shared commitment to change lives.

Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler, Lifetime Achievement Award

Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler is a celebrated educator, civic leader, philanthropist, and trailblazer in Florida’s public service. She was the first African American woman appointed to the Miami-Dade County Board of County Commissioners in 1979 by Governor Bob Graham and later became its first African American chairwoman from 2002 to 2004, marking groundbreaking progress in the region’s governance.​

Born Barbara Jean McCollough in Fernandina Beach, she graduated as valedictorian from Peck High School in 1957. She earned a Bachelor of Science in speech from Florida A&M University in 1961 and a Master of Arts in communication from Ohio State University in 1962. While serving as an educator, she later completed a Master of Education at the University of Miami in 1969 and a Doctorate in Educational Supervision and Administration from the University of Florida in 1978.​

Throughout her 25-year tenure on the Miami-Dade Commission, Carey-Shuler became known for her strong advocacy on urban transit, cultural preservation, and affordable housing. She was instrumental in establishing Martin Luther King Jr. Day as a local holiday before it became recognized nationally and oversaw the creation of major transit-oriented developments like the Brownsville and Overtown Transit Villages. Her cultural legacy includes championing the restoration of The Historic Lyric Theater, the Hampton House, and the founding of the Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts.​

Beyond public office, Dr. Carey-Shuler’s philanthropic work has shaped communities across South Florida. At Palm Beach State College, she founded and endowed the Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler Student Success Center, dedicated to advancing equity and improving retention among underrepresented students. She continues her husband’s legacy at Shuler’s Memorial Chapel and remains active on several nonprofit boards, including Pathways to Prosperity and the Spady Museum.​

For her lifelong commitment to social justice and education, Carey-Shuler has received numerous accolades, including the 2023 Presidential Lifetime Achievement Award from President Joseph R. Biden and multiple civic honors from Miami-Dade County, which renamed a section of Northwest 22nd Avenue as “Dr. Barbara Carey-Shuler Boulevard” in her honor.

Emerald Torch Award recipients for the Class of 2025:

Wolfgang Brunet (PBSC alumnus)

Wolfgang Brunet is the founder and CEO of Ideal Nutrition, a leading Florida-based company specializing in fresh, healthy, ready-to-eat meals. With a strong vision for making convenient nutrition accessible, Brunet transformed Ideal Nutrition from a small operation into a multi-million-dollar enterprise with retail stores, a central kitchen, and distribution networks that serve customers across Florida.

Before entering the food and nutrition industry, he dedicated seven years to serving as a police officer, an experience that shaped his leadership, discipline, and commitment to community well-being. Drawing on this background, Brunet has built a company culture centered on accountability, professionalism, and service.

Under his leadership, Ideal Nutrition has grown to employ over 300 team members and generates more than $45 million annually in sales. The company is recognized for its high standards in food quality, operational efficiency, and customer service. Brunet has also overseen key innovations, including extended meal shelf life, expanded delivery services, and the opening of multiple retail locations throughout Florida.

Brunet’s hands-on leadership style and dedication to excellence have earned Ideal Nutrition a place on the INC 5000 list, solidifying its reputation as one of the fastest-growing private companies in the United States.

Beyond business growth, he is passionate about promoting healthier lifestyles and empowering his team to embody the company’s mission: to make healthy eating easy, affordable, and enjoyable for everyone.

Brunet completed his Associate of Arts degree in Business Administration and Management at PBSC from 2005 to 2008 before going on to Florida Atlantic University to obtain a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Administration and a Master of Arts degree in Marketing.

George Gentile (PBSC alumnus)

George Gentile is a senior partner and a principal of Gentile Holloway O’Mahoney 2GHO Inc., where he is responsible for the daily management, operations and marketing of the firm as well as managing and participating in all project design and direction. Gentile has over 48 years of experience in landscape architecture, land planning and environmental consulting.

He continues to represent projects before public agencies and has had principal responsibility for the implementation of these projects as well. His extensive experience in the professions of landscape architecture and planning continues to provide valuable input to both public and private projects alike.

After graduating from Suncoast High School in 1971, Gentile obtained an Associate in Arts degree in Architecture from Palm Beach Junior College in 1973. He then got married and moved to the University of Florida where he obtained a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture degree in 1977. A year later, he obtained his license to practice landscape architecture after passing the State Board of Landscape Architecture exam. His most memorable projects include the Palm Beach County Dyer Landfill reclamation design and recently the design of the Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in Jupiter.

He also served on the board of the PBSC Foundation from 2013 to 2019, acting as its Chair from 2015 to 2019. Even after his formal service ended, he remains a close friend to both the Foundation and the College.

David Ladd (PBSC alumnus)

David Ladd is a PGA golf professional and the director of Golf and General Manager at the Champions Club at Summerfield in Stuart. Recently, He qualified for the 2025 Senior PGA Club Professional Championship, as well as the 2024 Senior PGA Championship and  the 2024 National PGA Club Professional Championship. 

Ladd has competed in tournaments for the last 25 years, garnering numerous wins at the professional level. Ladd’s professional wins have come on the Golden Bear Tour, Gateway Tour, and South Florida Tour.

His accomplishments include: Low Professional at the 2012 Florida State Open; 2012 PGA Apprentice Champion; Qualified to play at the 2013 U.S. Senior Open; Won the 2013 National Car Rental South Florida PGA Assistant Championship; and was T-3rd in the 2014 FSGA Senior Open.

A Boynton Beach native, Ladd credits his mother for always finding a way to keep a golf club in his hand. He attended Palm Beach Junior College–an opportunity he says changed the course of his life.

During his time at PBJC, he had a great golf coach and remembers Dean Moss and Watson B. Duncan's class. He says the College and the people there at the time truly impacted him. Now he says, "It's my turn to help." He assisted with early testing at the SoFi Center for the TGL before the first season started. For more information, email PBSCTorchGala@palmbeachstate.edu.