Photo by Al Evans/Downtown Photo
It is a testament to her drive and dedication that Lisa Scott-Founds — who began as a Winterfest, Inc., volunteer in 1987 — has now spent three decades leading the organization as president and CEO.
After graduating from Florida State University, she began volunteering for Winterfest, and then she joined the staff as corporate and community relations manager in 1995. She was promoted to executive director the following year and, in 2006, took the helm as president and CEO.
Her connection to the event dates back to 1971, when, as a child, she watched the parade (known then as Winterfest Boat Parade) alongside her mother, beginning what became a cherished family tradition.
“I’ve always believed in volunteering and grew up with the boat parade,” says Scott-Founds, 62, a Fort Lauderdale native who still lives in the city with her husband, David.
The couple has been married for 26 years, and she is a proud stepmother and step-grandmother to a family who lives up north. That sense of connection and community carries into every part of her life. “It’s our responsibility to help organizations, especially if you have the wherewithal to do so,” she says.
That philosophy has fueled a lifetime of community involvement. Scott-Founds has been honored by numerous local organizations, winning the Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce’s Circle of Excellence Award, the March of Dimes Woman of Distinction Award, the Symphony of the Americas Woman of Style and Substance Award and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation’s Fort Lauderdale’s Finest Award.
Since Scott-Founds took the reins as president and CEO, Winterfest (officially known as the Seminole Hard Rock Winterfest Boat Parade since 2004) has grown into an internationally recognized event. Billed by organizers as “The World’s Most-Watched Boat Parade,” it draws more than a million cheering spectators each year, making it Florida’s largest one-day live event. It’s also the seventh largest in the country, generating an estimated $50 million annually for the local economy, Scott-Founds notes.
It’s no surprise that under her leadership, Winterfest has become a signature South Florida celebration that unites residents and visitors alike.
“Our objective is to put on the best possible parade, with the highest level of entertainment, costumes, sounds and dance choreography,” Scott-Founds says. “I really care about this event more than you can imagine.”