MARK FREID PHOTO
The Winter Park Institute (Website) says it is planning to expand its programming and re-establish itself as a regional platform for public talks, author events, and live discussions, as it enters its 18th year. The organization announced it has named Mark Freid (LinkedIn) as executive director, bringing in a long-time Winter Park resident with decades of leadership experience in branding, strategy, and civic engagement.
In a prepared statement, the Institute said the next chapter will focus on topics like well-being, creativity, ethics, leadership, and civic life, building on a history of headline speakers that has included Sir Paul McCartney, Maya Angelou, Jane Goodall, Paul Simon, Gloria Steinem, and others.
Freid’s background includes more than 30 years in executive leadership roles. He founded Think Integrated (Website), an award-winning marketing and strategy firm, and has advised international companies, entrepreneurs, and nonprofits. He has also held leadership and board roles with several community organizations, including serving as board president of the Holocaust Memorial Resource & Education Center of Florida, and serving on boards including the Central Florida YMCA and the Greater Orlando Sports Commission.
The announcement comes after a period of major transition for the Winter Park Institute, which was launched at Rollins College as a way to bring nationally known speakers to the community, but Rollins pulled its funding for the program in 2020 during the early stages of the pandemic. The organization was later taken in by Winter Park Magazine as a temporary home, but that arrangement ended in 2021, leaving the Institute to re-form and rebuild as an independent nonprofit.
In late 2023, the Winter Park Institute was effectively “back” as an independent organization, led at the time by Lauren Zimmerman, owner of Writer’s Block Bookstore, and Jeffrey Blyndenburgh, with programming restarting at Rollins College’s Bush Auditorium. That reboot has continued into the 2024–2025 season, including an event featuring Harvard professor and author Arthur C. Brooks at the Dr. Phillips Center’s Steinmetz Hall in February 2025.
Now, with Freid stepping into the executive director role, the Institute says it plans to expand beyond its recent restart phase by bringing in internationally recognized speakers while also adding more intimate and interactive experiences meant to foster community connection and civic engagement. Board chair Tony Jenkins said the Institute was created as a lasting cultural resource for Winter Park, and said the organization sees this as the right time to build on that vision with new leadership.
The Institute said additional announcements, including upcoming speakers and signature events, will be released soon, but we asked for who Freid would like to see, and he said, “I’m interested in people who can contribute to the way we think about how we thrive as individuals and a community, so my people range from creativity to human performance to philanthropy to civic life.” He said his wish list would include ambitious names like Michelle Obama and Craig Robinson, Malcolm Gladwell, Questlove, David Byrne, McKenzie Scott, Brene Brown, James Clear, and Steph and Ayesha Curry.
