Board Vice Chair Ron Christaldi honored
As the vice chair of the New College of Florida Board of Trustees, Ron Christaldi is known for his strong and steady leadership. But his skills span far beyond the campus community.
Last week, Christaldi earned the prestigious Tampa Bay Chamber Parke Wright III Leadership Award for his outstanding community service. The award is presented annually to a member of the nonprofit organization, Leadership Tampa Bay, who has “demonstrated exceptional leadership and made a significant difference in the Tampa Bay community.”
“I am humbled to be recognized in this way,” said Christaldi, who is a managing partner for the law firm of Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick, LLP in Tampa; as well as the president/CEO of Shumaker Advisors Florida, LLC. “And I am thankful to New College for helping to instill in me a sense of giving back to this community.”
Christaldi earned his bachelor’s degree in history from New College; his master’s degree in international affairs from Florida State University; and his law degree from Florida State University College of Law. His term as the New College board vice chair began in January 2020 and ends in January 2025.
“Ron exemplifies the kind of leadership New College intentionally fosters,” said Mary Ruiz, New College board chair. “He seeks to solve problems and realize opportunities to benefit the community. He doesn’t do it for recognition but because it is his guiding principle in life.”
Christaldi’s practice with Shumaker, Loop and Kendrick, LLP is comprised of both transactions and complex litigation; and Shumaker Advisors Florida, LLC is Christaldi’s government relations and public affairs firm. For his work, Christaldi has been recognized as one of the “Top 50 Lawyers in Florida” and one of the “100 Most Influential Lawyers in America” by the Tampa Bay Business Journal.
On the community engagement front, Christaldi has served on the City of Tampa’s Creative Industries Council, The Spring of Tampa Bay Board of Directors, the Ybor City Lions Club, the Friends of the Riverwalk Board of Directors, and the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s 2018 Light the Night walk (as chair).
He also serves on the boards of the Ybor City Development Corporation, the University of South Florida Community Advisory Council, the City of Tampa’s Economic Recovery Task Force, the Tampa Museum of Art (as a trustee), the Tampa Bay Super Bowl LV Host Committee, and the American Heart Association’s 2021 Heart Ball (as chair).
Christaldi has been instrumental in the effort to keep Major League Baseball and the Tampa Bay Rays in Tampa. He has also helped connect Tampa Bay with the world through his work in international relations, namely by normalizing relations with Cuba and maintaining sister-city relationships with Ireland and Italy.
About Christaldi, Tampa Mayor Jane Castor was quoted as saying: “First and foremost, Ron Christaldi is someone who literally walks the talk, and that means standing up, taking initiative and creating change. He has committed his time and effort to so many causes over the years. I know he will continue to make a difference through his community involvement and leadership. I personally thank Ron for working to make our city great.”
The Parke Wright III Leadership Award is named for the Tampa Bay Chamber Executive Committee member who led the creation of Leadership Tampa (which was launched in 1971, making it the third-oldest leadership program of its kind in the nation). Previous winners have included Castor, attorney Rhea Law, Mark House of The Beck Group, University of Tampa President Ron Vaughn, and Corporation to Develop Communities of Tampa, Inc. Founder Chloe Coney.
Abby Weingarten is the senior editor in the Office of Communications & Marketing.