FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 10, 2004
Board selects Stewart to be next Commissioner
GAINESVILLE – Dr. John A. Stewart was selected as the Florida High School Athletic Association's sixth full-time Commissioner by the Association's Board of Directors at its meeting Thursday at the Wyndham Westshore Hotel in Tampa.
Stewart, 60, was one of three finalists interviewed Thursday morning by the Board of Directors. Also interviewed were Tom Seitz, Executive Director and CEO of USA Water Polo, and Gary Shiffrin, Principal of Merritt Island High School. A fourth finalist, Dr. W. Daniel Boyd Jr., withdrew his name from consideration after accepting the position of superintendent of schools in Alachua County.
"I'm very excited and happy and appreciate the vote of confidence the Board has given me," said commissioner-elect Stewart. "I look forward to working with the staff to make sure the confidence they have in me is well-founded."
Stewart is currently the Associate Commissioner for Athletic Operations for the FHSAA, a position he has held since August 2003. He will succeed current Commissioner Robert W. Hughes, who will retire Jan. 15, 2005 after more than six years in the position.
"I'm extremely excited about the Board's choice of my successor," said Commissioner Robert W. Hughes. "I have tremendous confidence in Dr. Stewart's ability to be an outstanding commissioner."
Prior to his tenure at the FHSAA, Stewart spent three years as deputy superintendent for Pinellas County Schools, two years as Deputy Commissioner of Educational Programs for the Florida Department of Education and 13 years as Superintendent of Polk County Schools. He served three separate one-year terms on the FHSAA Board of Directors, two representing the Florida Association of District School Superintendents and one representing the Florida Department of Education.
"I believe the State of Florida is very fortunate to have such a qualified, outstanding and credible individual as Dr. Stewart to head the FHSAA," said Nickolas Grasso, president of the Board of Directors. "He's an great communicator, problem solver and one that can see into the future to head off potential concerns that may arise when you deal with high school athletics."
Stewart graduated from Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton with a Master of Education Degree in 1970 and a Doctor of Education Degree in 1981.
The commissioner search committee recommended for approval to the Board of Directors a timeline and search-and-hire process at its Nov. 24th meeting, then a job description and timeline for advertising, interviewing and filling the position at its Jan. 26th meeting. The committee reviewed applications and recommend a list of finalists at the Board's Mar. 29th meeting.
"The action plan and procedure provided the Board an excellent process for objectively deciding on the next commissioner," said commissioner search committee chairman Sam Ward. "We had an outåstanding pool of candidates, and are thrilled to have the best one, Dr. Stewart, as our next commissioner."
Contact:
Jack Watford
Director of Communications, FHSAA
(352) 372-9551 ext. 170
jwatford@fhsaa.org
