Shawn H. P. Smith chosen for Leadership Florida Cornerstone Class

Shawn H. P. Smith, general manager, Florida Operations and jetBlue Park at Fenway South has been chosen for Leadership Florida’s Cornerstone Class 42 for 2024-2025.

Created in 1982 by the Florida Chamber of Commerce, Leadership Florida seeks to build a sense of statewide community by identifying and educating individuals who have the passion, commitment, and positioning to help make great things happen.

The upcoming Cornerstone Class includes 55 leaders aged 40 and older chosen to participate in a thought-provoking nine-month educational program that consists of a series of two and three-day sessions held in cities throughout the state. The sessions include programming on issues critical to Florida, refining well-developed leadership skills via sessions with leading experts, and relevant information on Florida’s history, demography, diversities, challenges and opportunities.

One of the program’s benefits is the chance to spend time interacting with other leaders from various professions, philosophies, and geographies who represent Florida’s diverse ethnic and racial composition.

Leadership Florida convenes regular regional and statewide meetings to facilitate continuing issues-oriented education, advanced leadership training, networking, and the opportunity for members to work together toward shared goals.

The over 3,300 graduates of Leadership Florida programs are men and women who serve as chief executive officers of some of Florida’s top corporations, mayors, and other elected officials, executives of pivotal non-profit groups, and leading academicians. They are also farmers, managers of high-tech consortiums, rural hospital administrators, and head Florida’s most important agencies. They own small businesses and even include law enforcement officers in communities throughout our state. They are committed to local and state communities through their collective service on over 5,000 boards of companies and organizations throughout Florida.

Class 42 sessions will run from October 2024 through June 2025.

Smith manages all Florida business development, community, facility, and event operations for the Boston Red Sox,  Spring Training, as well as oversees all capital improvement projects of jetBlue Park and the adjacent Fenway South parcels.

Smith’s experience in the sports and entertainment industry includes serving over 18 years in various roles within the Boston Red Sox organization and nine years with the league offices of the National Basketball Association.  He has also served as an executive leadership consultant for a wide variety of industry clients specializing in brand development, revenue generation and event management.

“I am honored to be selected for Leadership Florida’s upcoming class,” Smith said.  “I look forward to meeting my fellow class members and learning more about conditions and challenges facing our great state and working with them for the betterment of all.”

Smith is a graduate of Purdue University and Syracuse University, where he earned his bachelor of arts degree and master of science degree at the Newhouse School, respectively.