ORLANDO, Fla. (Dec. 15, 2020) – The Greater Orlando Sports Commission (GO Sports) has announced its 2021 officers as well as 15 incoming members to its Executive and Advisory Board of Directors. New incoming members will serve as the team that will help us continue to collaborate and bring innovative ideas and leadership to Greater Orlando. With their help, GO Sports will be able to expand our mission of bringing a robust calendar of sporting events to Central Florida. This team will provide vision, guidance and counsel when it comes to attracting and managing sports-related events, conferences and activities that are designed to drive positive economic developments and visitation to the greater Orlando area. They will also be laser-focused on marketing the destination that extends across the City of Orlando and Lake, Orange, Osceola and Seminole Counties. “I am proud that this organization has been so successful in continually attracting and recruiting some of the most diverse, talented and respected individuals in our community to serve on the board of directors,” said Faron Kelley, Chairman of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission board and Vice President of ESPN Wide World of Sports, runDisney and Disney’s Water Parks. “We look forward to the contributions of this incoming group and are excited to work alongside them for many years to come.” “We are proud to formally announce our 2021 officers and new members of our board of directors,” said Jason Siegel, President and CEO of the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.
2021 Executive Committee Officers:
- Chairman: Faron Kelley is the Vice President of ESPN Wide World of Sports, runDisney and Disney’s Water Parks at the Walt Disney World® Resort. Kelley joined the Walt Disney Company in 1990 as a production manager and producer for Walt Disney Entertainment, and held several other positions before joining the sports team in 2008 as Marketing Director. Kelley was promoted to the VP role that he currently holds in 2016.
- Chair-Elect: Scott Carr is the Deputy Athletic Director, Brand Activation for UCF Athletics. In this role, Carr oversees the marketing and promotions department, media relations/public relations, ticket sales and operations, sponsorships, annual fund and premium seating, video and creative services, community relations and spirit squads. He is also responsible for gameday experience, merchandise and licensing.
- At Large: Sharon Line Clary has been with AdventHealth for 25 years and currently serves as the Vice President of Strategic Marketing and Communications, where she oversees marketing, sales communications and sports and entertainment partnerships for the nationally ranked health care system. Prior to AdventHealth, Line Clary held various roles within sports and hospitality, including stints with the Florida State University Athletic and Sports Information Departments, World Cup Soccer, Olympic Games, and Mission Inn Resort & Club.
- Past Chair: Paul Johns has been with Orlando Health since 2003 and has served in his current role as Chief Operating Officer of Orlando Health South Lake Hospital since 2012. He is responsible for operational strategies and oversight of all ancillary services at the 160-acre campus, which includes 170 patient beds, an ambulatory surgery center, a short-term rehabilitation facility, the National Training Center and other pre- and post-acute healthcare services. Johns was previously the Administrator of Ancillary and Support Services at Orlando Health Dr. P. Phillips Hospital.
- General Counsel: Chris Carmody is a Shareholder at GrayRobinson, P.A. He earned his certification as a Designated Professional Lobbyist and is an attorney admitted to practice in all Florida state courts. Carmody has substantial experience handling government relations matters, including representation before the Florida legislative and executive branches, purchasing and procurement appeals, and professional licensing.
Executive Board:
- Tim Cass took over as the General Manager of the United States Tennis Association’s state-of-the-art national campus in the Lake Nona area of Orlando at the beginning of 2016. His background includes a wealth of coaching and business operations experience at the highest level of collegiate athletics. An all-American player at the University of New Mexico, he graduated in 1987 with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.
- Joie Chitwood, III joined the Arnold Palmer Group as the Vice President of Corporate Development in August 2020 after a long career in motorsports, having worked most recently as Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of International Speedway Corporation (ISC). He is now responsible for growing the various Arnold Palmer Group businesses as well as the golf events of the Arnold & Winnie Palmer Foundation, including its flagship event, the Arnold Palmer Invitational presented by Mastercard, and the Arnold Palmer Cup.
- Tammy Gustafson is currently an Executive with Universal Parks & Resorts, responsible for Sales Integration across the global sales portfolio. Gustafson has been part of the Universal family since 2007 and during that time has seen the resort grow to three parks and eight hotels, including Citywalk. In 2018, her team launched the first trade partner community that serves over 65k trade partners globally. In addition to her volunteer board service, Gustafson and her husband Andrew founded the non-profit basketball club Florida Force in 2008.
Advisory Board:
- Ronnie Bitman is the managing partner and co-founder of Bitman O’Brien & Morat, PLLC. He is considered one of Florida’s leading lawyers. In addition to handling the firm’s day-to-day management and operations, he litigates a wide range of complex and unique matters, which have gained him a number of recognitions. A sports management major, he has stayed at the helm of sports and law, heading the firm’s Sports & Entertainment practice group.
- Keita Joy Ductant, EDD, M.S. is the CEO of Success Uncensored Coaching as well as a transformational speaker, wife and mother, who channels her infectious energy and drive for life into inspiring others to be intentional about their personal and professional success. Dr. Joy is passionate about minorities and mental health awareness and being an advocate for the voiceless. From the NFLPA to the Miami Police Department to The University of Central Florida as a Success Skills professor, her words are powerful and produce change.
- Mark Freid is CEO/partner and Chief Creative Officer of Think Integrated, an award-winning marketing firm driven by a “Culture of Gratitude.” A veteran of the branding, marketing, and advertising industry, Mark comes into the office every day with a single goal – to inspire the team to think creatively, work strategically and play nice. Mark is one of Orlando Sentinel’s “Central Florida 100” community leaders, and he his team were the featured brand experts on the Travel Channel’s hit show, Hotel Impossible.
- Latria Graham is the President and Founder of GLB, whose purpose is to help build world class purpose-driven brands through authentic communications strategies and innovative products. GLB’s clients largely consist of sports and entertainment brands, large corporations, universities, and government entities. Prior to founding GLB, Graham worked in the NBA for eleven (11) seasons and also gained experience at ESPN Radio (WCCG), BET.COM, BET Nightly News, WJXT Jacksonville, and the University of Florida’s University Athletic Association.
- Sean Kolodziejski leads Destination Marketing for Hilton for Florida & Atlanta, driving strategic partnerships, promotions, digital media, and digital performance for the region. Kolodziejski has worked for Hilton for most of his professional career in the marketing space, after starting his career with a local Orlando digital agency and digital start-up. Originally from Chicago, Kolodziejski has called Florida his home for nearly 20 years.
- Stewart Lundeen, CPA is a Senior Manager in the Audit practice at MBAF. Lundeen joined MBAF in October 2013, and currently leads the audit department for our Orlando office. Lundeen provides assurance and consulting services to companies in various industries including professional sports franchises and stadium facilities within the NFL and Minor League Baseball. He also has extensive experience with industries including healthcare, hospitality, and wholesale/distribution among others.
- Ciaran McArdle is the CEO & founder of XL Sports World, who own and operate 10 sports facilities from Florida to Maine and a sports travel division, XL Travel. These facilities now welcome over 3 million visitors annually and the latest expansion is a second property in Orlando, a state-of-the art $10M facility in Lake Nona. McArdle sits on the board of Coaches Across Continents, which has won 29 Global awards including “Global Impact of The Year” from Beyond Sports.
- Didier Menard is Vice President and Client Account Manager for Jacobs, overseeing Business Development within Central Florida. He is a Professional Engineer having graduated with a degree in Civil Engineering from the University of Central Florida. Menard is also a graduate of Leadership Florida and was recognized by the Orlando Business Journal (OBJ) as one of the top 40 Under 40 Executives in Central Florida.
- Dr. Joe Richardson currently serves as the Vice President, Student Affairs at Valencia College. In this position, he provides senior leadership for the development, implementation, assessment, and oversight of student services at the College. He leads the development of systems that meet the needs of a diverse student population and enhances student learning, persistence, and completion. Dr. Richardson completed his undergraduate degree at the U.S. Air Force Academy, and received a Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and a Master’s Degree in Counseling from the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs.
- Megan Rose is the Senior Director of the USTA Competitive Pathway. In this role, Rose is responsible for all operational facets as well as for setting the strategic direction of the USTA’s Competitive Pathway department, which is the pathway from juniors to professional tennis for American players. In addition, Rose serves as the Team Leader for Team USA in both the Olympic and Pan American tennis events. She began her life in tennis as a junior in the USTA Player Development program and was a 5-time NCAA All-American at the University of Miami.
- Scott Ruberto is the President and Owner of Neoguard Pest Solution Services Inc. and has been dedicated to his career in the pest control industry for over 30 years. Neoguard was founded in 2000 and Ruberto has been a leader in the pest control industry throughout the state of Florida. The company has been a corporate partner with the Orlando Solar Bears for the last 7 years, and also works with organizations like FPMA, CPCO, CFHLA and Give Kids The World.
- Ricardo Villar been CEO of the Florida Cup since co-founding the event in 2014. Florida Cup has become a staple in Central Florida’s international soccer calendar, featuring top clubs from South America and Europe in a unique festival that combines first class entertainment with top level international soccer and music, reaching over 10 million in global TV audience the past 2 years. Villar is a former professional footballer who began his career in the youth ranks of São Paulo FC. He left Brazil to attend Penn State University, where he was an NCAA first team All-American and led Penn State to a No. 1 NCAA ranking in 1999.
For more information on GO Sports, its board members and the 2021 calendar of events, please visit GreaterOrlandoSports.com.
About Greater Orlando Sports Commission:
GO Sports is a private, non-profit organization established to attract and manage sports-related events, conferences and activities that drive positive economic development in the City of Orlando, Lake County, Orange County, Osceola County, and Seminole County. Founded in 1993, the organization has hosted or co-hosted more than 1,450 events in the Greater Orlando area with a total economic impact exceeding $1.9 billion in spending within the community. For more information, please visit GreaterOrlandoSports.com.
