Greater Orlando Sports Commission Announces 2019 Officers and Eleven New Board Members

ORLANDO, FL (April 30, 2019) – The Greater Orlando Sports Commission (GO Sports) – a private, non-profit organization dedicated to attracting and managing world-class sporting events – announced today its 2019 officers as well as 11 new directors to its Executive and Advisory Boards. The Executive Committee officers include Jackie Hayter of Orlando Health (Chair), Paul Johns of South Lake Hospital (Treasurer), Suzanne Gilbert of Holland & Knight (Secretary), and Michael Forde of the Orlando Magic (Past Chair). New directors elected to the Executive Board include Virgil Christian, Ed Furey, III, and Jenise Osani. New directors elected to the Advisory Board include Rob Allen, Scott Breault, Derek Frederickson, Jon Hughes, Dan Ickes, Andrew Marcus, Sean Murphy, and Dan Pollock.

“We are proud to formally introduce these new board members,” said Jason Siegel, CEO of Greater Orlando Sports Commission. “Their expertise, influence and guidance will help to advance our initiatives across Central Florida, driving significant economic impact for our region.”

Executive Committee Officers
• Jackie Hayter, Director of Sports Marketing, Orlando Health – Chair
• Paul Johns, Chief Operating Officer, South Lake Hospital – Treasurer
• Suzanne Gilbert, Partner, Holland & Knight – Secretary
• Michael Forde, Chief Sales Officer, Orlando Magic – Past Chair

Executive Board
• Virgil Christian, Senior Director of Collegiate and Market/Facility Development for the USTA, has created a reputable name for himself in the tennis industry. A graduate of Penn State, he now oversees the development of tennis facilities throughout the southeast.

• Ed Furey, III, CEO of Furey Advisors, enjoys helping clients with complex financial matters and consulting in the areas of commercial real estate and risk management. Beginning his career as a Certified Public Accountant, he later worked with a variety of companies in the commercial real estate industry before starting his advisory business almost five years ago.

• Jenise Osani is the Interim Managing Director of Marketing, Communications and Community Relations for OUC, where she is responsible for all internal and external corporate relations. Osani was a founding board member of the Orlando Chapter of the American Institute of Graphic Arts (AIGA) in 1999 and served in various positions for 10 years before joining OUC in 2009.

Advisory Board
• Rob Allen, the Business Development Manager for Austin Commercial, has 21 years of hands-on development and construction experience. Allen maintains customer relations for Austin Commercial, a division of Austin Industries, one of the nation’s largest, most diversified U.S based construction companies.

• Scott Breault, VP of Marketing for Planet Fitness, has more than 15 years’ experience leading marketing efforts for both national and international fitness brands. Breault is a recognized brand builder and marketing executive, having a reputation for driving sales and increasing growth.

• Derek Frederickson, Territory General Manager for Coca-Cola Beverages Florida, oversees all sales, distribution, warehousing, and production for the company’s Orlando facility. Frederickson attended Syracuse University, where he was a football student-athlete and the starting Free Safety for three seasons.

• Jon Hughes, co-owner of Track Shack and president of EMMI, is a recognized leader in the sport of running. Hughes has pioneered the organization of amateur athletic events, first in his home-base of Central Florida and now throughout the world.

• Dan Ickes, Chief Operations Officer for the YMCA of Central Florida, currently leads operations in 20 family centers across Central Florida, 70 school sites and 10 work site/wellness centers. In addition, he manages more than 2,200 team members and has been instrumental in raising millions annually for the organization.

• Andrew Marcus is SVP and Associate General Counsel for Marriott Vacations Worldwide. Marcus is a real estate and business attorney and has extensive experience in the hospitality industry. He manages a team of international attorneys and other legal professionals.

• Sean Murphy is the CEO and founder of 3N2 Sports, a global sporting goods brand in Orlando, as well as, the founder and president of Crushtank, a limited liability company that directly serves consumers high-quality wines. Murphy spent time as a Senior Consultant and financial analyst where he advised senior executives of Fortune 500 companies.

• Dan Pollock, Regional Director of External Affairs for AT&T in Central Florida, has spent 25 years working in Florida politics, running legislative campaigns and serving as a legislative aide in the Florida Senate.

GO Sports bids on sporting events and activities in five key categories: marquee and pro sports events, youth and amateur tournaments, collegiate championships, Olympic level events, and esports.

For more information about GO Sports, 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 1,300 events in the Greater Orlando area with a total economic impact exceeding $1.4 billion in spending within the community. For more information, please visit GreaterOrlandoSports.com.

Media Contact:
Nathalie Franco
Uproar PR for GO Sports
321.236.0102
nfranco@uproarpr.com