Richard George is a 1984 Business College graduate from the University of South Florida. Richard has been with Junior Achievement (JA) since graduation, celebrating over 30 years with JA Tampa Bay. He has served as President since 1985. Through two consolidations Richard has expanded JA franchise operations leading 12 counties in the region empowering over 95,000 students, annually.
In 2005, Richard led the transformation of JA, working with JA Board Members to implement the JA BizTown program in Tampa. Since then, the organization has raised over $45 Million dollars to expand JA’s workforce readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship programs, educating 804,000 students.
JA Tampa Bay currently has over 10,000 business and education volunteers led by over 200 local community board members throughout the region.
Richard won the Charles R. Hook Award in 2002. The Hook Award is the highest honor awarded to area JA staff president from Junior Achievement USA. JA Tampa Bay has grown in student participants twenty-six (28) consecutive years and is the 10th largest JA area in the US. Richard recently currently served as the JA Presidents Roundtable Chairman; elected by his peers throughout the U.S.
He has been married 25 years and has three children.
Affiliations: Board Member – Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce – 2008 -2011
Florida Financial Literacy Council (Appointed by State CFO) – 2007-2009
Safety Harbor Little League – 2012 to 2015
Pinellas & Hillsborough County Schools Volunteer – 1998 to present
Junior Achievement of Florida Foundation – Member – 2012 to present