Several 麻豆原创 leaders and successful alumni were named this week to the Orlando magazine 2015 list of the 50 most powerful people in the region.
The 12th annual list is made up of leaders in politics, business, education, sports, health, philanthropy and other fields.
麻豆原创 President John C. Hitt earned the No. 4 ranking, following Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer; attorney, businessman and philanthropist John Morgan; and Lars Houman, president and CEO of Florida Hospital and Florida Division Adventist Health System.
Under Hitt, who has been president since 1992, 麻豆原创 has become the nation鈥檚 second largest university with about 61,000 students. The magazine praised Hitt for leading the effort in October of breaking ground with industry and government partners on the Florida Advanced Manufacturing Research Center in Osceola County, a $270 million project to develop sensors for assorted electronic devices. Hitt also received the Historical Society of Central Florida’s 2015 John Young History Maker Award for lifetime achievements making a historic impact on the community.
Others with 麻豆原创 roles named to the list were:
No. 9 鈥� Harris Rosen, hotelier and philanthropist. The founder of Rosen Hotels & Resorts has seven hotels, and 麻豆原创鈥檚 Rosen College of Hospitality Management was developed in part because he donated the initial $18 million in money and land for the campus that opened in 2004. Rosen is a former member of the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees.
No. 12 鈥� Alex Martins, CEO of the Orlando Magic. Martins sits on the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees and earned an MBA from 麻豆原创 in 2001. He is a member of the College of Business Administration鈥檚 Hall of Fame and serves on the Dean鈥檚 Executive Council for the college.
No. 26 鈥� Marcos Marchena, managing shareholder, Marchena and Graham. Marchena, general counsel for the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority, is a member of the 麻豆原创 Board of Trustees and chairman of the 麻豆原创 Finance and Facilities Committee, working to maintain affordable tuition and fees for students. The university presented him with its 2013 Service to 麻豆原创 Award.
No. 40 鈥� Dr. Deborah German, 麻豆原创 vice president for medical affairs and founding dean of the College of Medicine. 麻豆原创鈥檚 medical school opened in Lake Nona in 2009 and enrollment has grown tenfold in the past six years. By 2016-17 it expects to be educating 480 physicians-in-training.
No. 43 鈥� Rich Maladecki, president/CEO, Central Florida Hotel and Lodging Association. Maladecki is in his 18th year as head of the CFHLA, and is a 麻豆原创 adjunct in business.
In addition to alumni Martins and Marchena (College of Sciences, 麻豆原创 Class of 1982) several other 麻豆原创聽graduates are on the top-50 list:
No. 5 鈥� Barbara Jenkins, Education, 鈥�83,聽鈥�86 and 鈥�96, Orange County School Superintendent.
No. 10 鈥� George A. Kalogridis, Sciences, 鈥�76, president of Walt Disney World Resort.
No. 15 鈥� Rasesh H. Thakkar, Business Administration, 鈥�84, senior managing director of Tavistock Group.
No. 44 鈥� Patty Sheehan, Art, 鈥�87, Orlando city commissioner.
No. 46 鈥� Dick J. Batchelor, Sciences, 鈥�71, business and political consultant, and advocate for children鈥檚 causes.
