Engineering The Future: Three Generations Of The Romine Family Help Shape Engineering At Florida College
July 6, 2026 | 2 min read
The Romine family’s commitment to Florida College is three generations strong. With the 2026 opening of the Romine Engineering Building, the College honors a legacy first established by Maurice (‘62), carried forward by his son Brent (‘88), and proudly continued by the next generation: Brock (‘16), Baylee (‘17), and Beth (‘21).
After attending FC, Maurice graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering and began his career working with Honeywell and Boeing on various projects, including the Apollo program. He later joined (and retired from) M&S Computing, later known as Intergraph.
Following his time at FC, Brent earned a Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville, followed by a Master’s and PhD in Electrical Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology. He helped guide MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s Air and Missile Defense Division and later served the Missile Defense Agency as Director of the BMDS Capability Assessment Team, before returning to MIT Lincoln Laboratory as an Assistant Division Head.
In 2012, Brent and his wife, Becky (’87), co‑founded Huntsville-based engineering and technology firm nou Systems, Inc. Today, Brent also serves on FC’s Board of Directors, a role held by his father for 22 years. Following Maurice’s passing in 2024, the family chose to honor their patriarch by lending support to the recently announced mechanical engineering program at Florida College.
“FC is woven into our family’s story,” Brent says. “From a mission perspective, we want the engineering program at FC to form Christ-centered problem solvers who serve with integrity. Society needs engineers of both skill and conscience, and our mission anchors both. The engineering program extends that mission into a field where character and competence matter profoundly, and our hope is to develop skilled engineers who will bless businesses and communities across the country.”
A third-generation engineer who received his bachelor’s degree from the University of South Florida, Brock helps manage US facilities for nou Systems, Inc. He’s grateful for the legacy started by Maurice and remembers his grandfather fondly.
“He was patient and a great listener, always at our events and very present and attentive,” he recalled. “Growing up, you could tell how deeply my dad and granddad cared about FC, its mission, and students. They wanted it to succeed and encouraged us to attend because they knew we’d have a great experience.”
Brock is optimistic about the future of engineering at Florida College.
“I hope it continues to grow and thrive,” he said. “It’s encouraging to see that it’s already gaining momentum beyond what anyone anticipated.”
(Pictured: The Romine Family at the Romine Engineering Building ribbon cutting ceremony in February 2026)