J. Scott Riddile, III

President, Junior Achievement of Central Florida, Inc. (retired)

Scott Riddile joined Junior Achievement (JA) in April 1972 as an Executive Director trainee. Upon successfully completing the training program, he was hired as the first Executive Director in Ashland, KY, in July 1972. During his career, Scott served as President of JA of Central Iowa (Des Moines) from 1974 to1980 and Iowa Division Director from 1977 to1980. In 1980, he was promoted to VP-Operations for JA of Southeastern Wisconsin (Milwaukee) and served in that position until 1983 when he accepted the role of President of JA of Central Florida (Orlando) and served for more than 23 years until his retirement in 2006.

During his JA career Mr. Riddile has held numerous leadership roles, including Host of the National Business Hall of Fame, 1991; Chairman of the National Leadership Conference, 1992; and Chairman of the President’s Roundtable, 1994-96. He was selected as the winner of the Charles R. Hook Award in 1992, JA’s top professional award. In 2000, he was selected to participate in JA’s inaugural Leadership Academy. In addition, JA of Central Florida has earned the Platinum Summit Award for 18 consecutive years and in 2001 and 2004 was honored as the Peak Performance Award recipient as the outstanding JA area among all major markets in America. Scott received the Frances Hesselbein “How To Be” award from JA Worldwide in 2003.

Prior to his JA career, Scott served as an officer in the United States Army and served his country in Da Nang, Vietnam, in 1969. Immediately upon his discharge from military service, he accepted a position as an operations manger for Lee Way Motor Freight in Chicago, IL (1970-72).

Mr. Riddile has been active in his community as a member of the Orlando Rotary Club, Orlando Regional Chamber of Commerce and Sales Marketing Executives. Currently he serves as Chairman of the JA Pioneers, a national organization of retired JA professionals. He has a BA degree in Psychology from the University of Wisconsin and did postgraduate work at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. He lives in Lake County, FL, and is married and has two children and a granddaughter.