Mr. Assaf was born June 2, 1935 in Akron, Ohio of Lebanese and Irish heritage. He was raised in Akron and attended public school there, as well as the University of Akron on an academic scholarship.

   He began his business career in 1955 as a management trainee with the Kroger Company, a retail food chain. Mr. Assaf spent the next twelve years with Kroger in various management capacities in the Akron/Cleveland area. In 1966, with a partner, Assaf founded Sensormatic Electronics Corporation for the purpose of developing a product for use by retail stores to protect against shoplifting. In 1971 he was elected Chairman of the Board of Sensormatic, and in 1974 assumed the additional duties of President. He remained CEO until August 1996 when he retired from full time responsibilities. He continues with Sensormatic as Chairman of the Board.

   Sensormatic is an international company with revenues of $1 billion, doing business in 80 countries. It is the world leader in its industry.

   Mr. Assaf is active in numerous civic organizations, with special emphasis on education. He is the Past President of the Florida Atlantic University Foundation Board; Past Chairman of the Executive Advisory Board to the Business School of Florida Atlantic University, a past Trustee of Lynn University, and a current member of the Board of Trustees of Nova University. He is also a Trustee of the Boca Raton Community Hospital and a Director of the International Museum of Cartoon Art.

   Mr. Assaf is also a Director of Hilite Industries, a U.S. public company, and Senvest, a Canadian public company.

   He has lectured at Harvard University, Carnegie-Mellon University, Nova Southeastern University, Stetson University, Lynn University and Florida Atlantic University.

   In addition to the Ellis Island Medal of Honor, he has received numerous other professional and civic awards, the most recent with his wife being the Palm Beach County Philanthropist Of The Year. Other awards include the Nova University Entrepreneurial Hall of Fame; the Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel Excalibur Award as Broward County Businessman Of The Year; The National Conference of Christians and Jew Silver Medallion Award; The Florida Atlantic University Entrepreneur Of The Year; INC Magazine's Florida Spirit of Entrepreneur Award; Distinguished Alumni Award-University of Akron, as well as the Boca Raton Civic Award. In addition, he has been awarded honorary Ph.D degrees from Florida Atlantic University and Lynn University. The Academic Center at Lynn University is named in he and his wife's honor.

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