CLEARWATER, FL (Sept. 18, 2023) – Clearwater Marine Aquarium is proud to announce Marian Goodman and Matt Novak have been named to its Board of Directors. Under the leadership of Eric Busch, these prominent members will help expand the important work CMA performs in our community and around the world.
“Marian and Matt bring a vast amount of experience to the Aquarium,” said Joe Handy, CEO of CMA. “We were attracted to their outstanding list of accomplishments, which are strategic to our future plans.” Goodman has expertise in hospitality and hotel development while Novak is the president of Morton Plant Hospital. “Although different industries, both tourism and healthcare play important roles, since we attract tourists daily as well as provide care for marine mammals,” he said.
Marian Goodman is a 30-year veteran of the hospitality industry and began as an equity and operating partner of a Ramada Inn in Clearwater. She grew the hotel partnership portfolio of hotels and moved into new hotel development when she purchased and developed her first Microtel Inn & Suites franchise in the late 1990s. Goodman has been involved in the development, opening, and operation of nearly 100 hotels throughout the United States connected to Marriott, Hilton, IHG, Wyndham, and Choice brands.
Goodman has served as a member of the Franchise Advisory Boards of IHG and Wyndham and has been a member of the Microtel Inn & Suites Advisory Board since 2000. She served as a Board member and Chairman of Family Service Centers of Pinellas County, and as a board member of the YWCA. Goodman is a graduate of Leadership Pinellas and currently serves on the Long-Range Planning Committee for Carlouel Beach & Yacht Club.
Goodman attended Florida State University and received her B.A. in Business Management from Eckerd College.
Matt Novak is the president of Morton Plant Hospital and previously served as president of Mease Countryside Hospital and Mease Dunedin Hospital, which are all part of the BayCare Health System. Prior to his appointment as president of Mease Countryside Hospital and Mease Dunedin Hospital, Novak served as president of St. Joseph’s Hospital-South. He has worked for BayCare for 21 years, serving in a variety of leadership roles.
Novak has served on the American Heart Association Heart Walk Tampa Bay Executive Cabinet, boards of the Clearwater Free Clinic, Hillsborough Community College Foundation and West Coast Federal Credit Union. He is a graduate of Leadership Pinellas and currently serves on the Pinellas County Emergency
Medical Services Medical Control Board and on the executive council for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Light the Night event.
Novak received a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Arts from the University of West Florida, Pensacola, and a Master of Health Administration degree from the University of Phoenix.
MEDIA CONTACT: Marsha Strickhouser | mstrickhouser@CMAquarium.org | (727) 242-0770
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- About Clearwater Marine Aquarium
- Clearwater Marine Aquarium (CMA) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit working marine rescue center dedicated to inspiring the human spirit through leadership in education, research, rescue, rehabilitation and release. With a mission to preserve the environment and its marine life, CMA is home to rescued dolphins, sea turtles, river otters, stingrays, a nurse shark and more. Through Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, CMA conducts important global research focused on protecting manatees, North Atlantic right whales and sea turtles. Major motion picture Dolphin Tale (2011) and its sequel Dolphin Tale 2 (2014) features the true stories of rescued resident dolphins Winter and Hope, inspiring millions around the world. The mission and potential to change people’s lives differentiates Clearwater Marine Aquarium from any other aquarium in the world. CMAquarium.org.
© 2023 Clearwater Marine Aquarium | 249 Windward Passage, Clearwater, FL 33767 | 727-445-1139 | 727-441-1790 | mission.cmaquarium.org | cmaquarium.org
We believe in preserving our environment while inspiring the human spirit through leadership in the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of marine life; environmental education; research; and conservation.
A Florida non-profit 501(c)(3) organization