TAMPA, FL – Tampa Partner Ronald Christaldi has been named the next Vice Chair of the New College Board of Trustees. The Board of Trustees is vested with a broad range of authority and responsibilities for governing and managing New College. Its specific powers and duties include responsibility for making cost-effective policy decisions, authority to adopt rules, authority to acquire and to dispose of real and personal property and for controlling college-owned property, responsibility to establish degree programs, and generally, authority and responsibility to do all things needed to administer New College.

"We are proud that New College alumnus Ron Christaldi will be serving as Vice Chair of our Board of Trustees,” said  Don O'Shea, President  of New College. “He brings an impressive level of business and legal experience and an extensive network of community connections to our Board. We look forward to working with him in the coming years."

Mary Ruiz, incoming Chair of the Board of Trustees, said, "I look forward to working with Ron as we lead New College into the future and continue to build on this unique institution’s role as the Honors College of Florida.” Mary added, “Ron’s successful career as a business lawyer and his community leadership roles embody New College’s mission to prepare intellectually curious students for lives of great achievement."

Ron, a business lawyer representing clients in complex transactions and litigation, and the President and CEO of the public affairs firm Shumaker Advisors Florida, is well-known for his legal acumen and for building relationships within the community. Named one of the 100 most influential lawyers in the nation and one of the top 100 lawyers in the State of Florida, Ron is a past-chair of the Tampa Bay Chamber.  Mayor Buckhorn appointed him to serve as a Commissioner on the City of Tampa Charter Review Commission, where he played an instrumental role in re-writing the Tampa, City Charter. Ron is also tireless in his efforts to better the Tampa Bay community and he chaired the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) Suncoast Chapter’s 2018 Tampa Light The Night Walk and the 2019 AMI Kids 50th Anniversary Gala. Ron also serves in leadership roles for numerous organizations, including the Tampa Museum of Art, Tampa Bay Chamber, Tampa Bay Economic Development Council, Friends of the Riverwalk, the Tampa Economic Advisory Committee and the Ybor City Development Corporation Board of Directors

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