Richard A. “Dick” Corbett, Aquinas Class of 1956, is a native of Rochester. He graduated from the University of Notre Dame and went on to receive an MBA from Harvard Business School. He was a presidential aide in the John F. Kennedy administration and subsequently was employed by the Kennedy family in managing their real estate trust portfolio in New York City. He later relocated to Tampa, where he acquired various real estate assets throughout the state and at one time owned the NASL Tampa Bay Rowdies Soccer Team.
Corbett has been a successful catalyst for effective, broad-based public and private projects and policies affecting Florida. His contributions to Florida’s economic development, agricultural systems, K-12 education and growth management have been substantial and lasting. Through his memberships on state and local governing agencies and boards, Dick has demonstrated that he is a leading and recognized strategic thinker who is committed to working with others to address the array of Florida’s dynamic and distinctive public policy issues. He is committed to improving the quality of life and the economic vitality for people who live in Florida.
Dick has played a two-pronged, vital role in the development and preservation of large agricultural systems in Florida. He co-owns Pinckney Hill Plantation, a 16,000 acre farm and natural wildlife preserve in Jefferson County, FL. Since 2003 he has served as one of seven commissioners appointed by the Governor to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), and he is currently Chair. He is very involved and plays an active role with the Florida Youth Conservation Centers Network, a new program jointly sponsored by the FWC and the Wildlife Foundation of Florida, which leads the effort to reconnect Florida’s children with traditional outdoor activities.
