Daytona State hosts evening with music/motor sports icon Mike Curb

Mike Curb

Mike Curb, the Renaissance man who has influenced the worlds of music, motorsports, politics and philanthropy, offered a personal perspective of his accomplishments and experiences to a capacity News-Journal Center audience gathered on Wednesday evening, Feb. 13.

“The secret to becoming successful as an entrepreneur is to be prepared,” said Curb, the year’s first guest of Daytona State College’s L. Gale Lemerand Entrepreneurial Speaker Series. “I think the opportunities for entrepreneurial activities have never been better. The key is if you have an idea, stick with it. You don’t have to be the best at anything, but if you can get the best people around you, you can build something that will last.”

Curb Records, which he founded more than 50 years ago as a young college student, singer and songwriter, is one of the most successful independent labels in the country. Curb’s motorsports teams have won national championships with some of the biggest names in racing. He’s a former lieutenant governor of California and served as an advisor, confidant and campaign operative to presidents Ronald Reagan and Gerald Ford. The Mike Curb Family Foundation has donated millions in support of music education, health-care programs and cultural arts.

Most recently, Curb has committed to donate $500,000 over five years to support Daytona State’s Mike Curb College of Music, Entertainment and Art. He reflected on the rewards of being able to give back through philanthropy, saying investing in the future of students leaves a permanent mark on their lives as well as their communities.

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