PBSC’s New Dental And Health Innovation Building Honors Julie And John Kime
Story by Fiona Slusarev | Photos by Denise Fleischman and Courtesy Palm Beach State College
Julie and John Kime, longtime business leaders and philanthropists in the western communities and beyond, were recently honored by Palm Beach State College with the naming of a building on the Loxahatchee Groves campus.
The Julie and John Kime Dental and Health Innovation Building is a four-story space dedicated to readying students for successful careers in healthcare. The 83,954-square-foot building on the Loxahatchee Groves campus provides a place where students gain hands-on experience in dental and surgical fields. The center also gives back to the surrounding community by offering the public dental services.
“This new facility will help prepare the next generation of healthcare professionals and expand access to life-changing careers for students from the western part of Palm Beach County,” PBSC President Ava Parker explained. “It is a remarkable space — and most importantly, it will provide residents with access to affordable dental care.”
Palm Beach State College was Florida’s first community college when it was founded in 1933. It has grown exponentially since its inception, both academically and physically. In 2008, the school’s first bachelor’s degree program was approved by the Florida Board of Education, joining the associate’s degree programs already offered. The college now boasts five campuses in Lake Worth, Belle Glade, Palm Beach Gardens, Boca Raton and Loxahatchee Groves.
Both Kimes are alumni of PBSC, or Palm Beach Junior College as it was called at the time. They credit their time at the college for their success over their careers. Before their time at PBSC, John grew up in Martin County and served in the U.S. Navy. Julie, born in Connecticut, moved to Cuba in high school after her grandfather’s passing in order for her father to care for his mother.
Julie credits this transition, from the U.S. to Cuba, and subsequent transition back, for teaching her the importance of resilience, education and community. With PBSC as their foundation, the Kimes found successful careers in the insurance industry. Julie was the first Hispanic insurance agent in Palm Beach County, opening her Wellington Allstate agency in 1979. John likewise joined Allstate and opened his own office in Juno Beach.
“This community supported me. It trusted me. And I wanted to lift others up the way people lifted me,” Julie explained.
The Kimes have given back to Palm Beach County in many ways through the years. John served on the board of the Cox Science Center & Aquarium, formerly the South Florida Science Museum. Both Kimes have supported the Boys & Girls Club in Wellington for 38 years and are on the local club’s advisory board. They have also helped organize the annual Wellington Dinner Dance. Additionally, Julie sits on the corporate board of directors for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County.
“Philanthropy has been part of our lives,” Julie reflected.
John currently serves on the board of directors for the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Foundation. Julie, meanwhile, was a co-founder of the Executive Women of the Palm Beaches Foundation (EWPBF) in 1982, a leadership organization for professional women, and she remains a member more than 40 years later. She was also a founding member of the Palms West Chamber of Commerce, now the Central Palm Beach County Chamber of Commerce.
Julie has consistently been an example of what it means to be an active member of the community. She has been recognized with numerous accolades, such as the 1994 EWPBF Women in Leadership Award, the 2023 Lifetime Leadership Award for 30 years of philanthropy from the Boys & Girls Clubs of Palm Beach County, the 2024 PBSC Emerald Torch Award, and many more.
With their many avenues of community involvement in Palm Beach County, the Kimes remain perennial supporters of PBSC. They already had a history of supporting the school before the Dental and Health Innovation Building.
The Julie and John Kime Library Resource Center opened in 2022, providing students with a place to study, access course materials, and use technology like laptops and iPads. They also created the Julie Kime Hispanic Women’s Scholarship at PBSC.
“Establishing the Hispanic Women’s Scholarship was one of the most meaningful things I’ve ever done,” Julie said.
Education has always been important to the Kimes. Both worked full-time during their college careers and understand the fortitude needed to pursue a degree. They hope to make it easier for students to access a life-changing education at PBSC, like they were able to.
Parker noted that their support for the school and its students truly supports the community at large.
“For decades, Julie and John Kime have exemplified what it means to give back with purpose,” Parker said. “Their commitment has helped shape Palm Beach State College into the thriving institution it is today, reaching every corner of our community.”
Looking to the future, the Kimes have no plans to halt their commitment to Palm Beach State College. “We are so, so grateful and will continue to support PBSC,” Julie said.
To learn more about Palm Beach State College, visit www.pbsc.edu.
