Panel Presentation - Innovative Facility Designs for the Community

Summary:

Join our stellar panel as we present innovative facility designs for the community.

PANELISTS:

Shane Fernandez
President & Chairman
USA BMX

Shane Fernandez was born in Hollywood, California as a first-generation US Citizen to a Danish mother and Filipino/Spanish father. Shane has lived in both Scandinavia and Asia, and it was during his time immersed in the cultures and built environments of Denmark and Hong Kong which ultimately led to his inspiration towards improving a region’s sense of place through urban design, architecture, engineering, art, and cycling.

As the leader of the American Bicycle Association (ABA) in multiple capacities, Shane represents the largest cycling organization in the US and Canada. USA BMX has over 70,000 members with combined racing, freestyle and E-bike events at more than 320 sanctioned BMX facilities. As the largest Action Sports Event promoter globally, the organization empowers communities by generating quality-of-life activation and economic development through events, sports-tourism, and large scale Architectural & Parks Master Planning design initiatives. Additionally, the USA BMX Foundation has reached over 250,000 elementary students and underserved communities with STE(A)M and RISE (Resiliency, Inclusion, Social-Awareness and Education) programing nation-wide.

PROFESSIONAL HIGHLIGHTS
. Award winning multi-billion-dollar international portfolio in Urban Design, Architecture, Engineering
and Construction projects in various sectors: sports, city planning, parks, healthcare, energy, retail,
industrial/manufacturing, corporate, educational, non-profit, spiritual, wellness, performing arts,
residential, museums, and public art.

. Founder/Founding Member of two nationally acclaimed non-profit organizations

. Named Minority Business Champion for the states of Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Arkansas
and Louisiana by the White House and US Business Council

. Significant fundraising leadership- over $40 Million in non-profit, business & political arenas

. Treasurer and Committee Chair of the second largest community foundation in the
United States- The Tulsa Community Foundation with $4.2 billion in assets

. Extensive servant leadership experience in numerous political, non-profit and chamber organizations

. Vast expertise and national speaker in change management, succession planning and crisis
management

. Broad knowledge in leading large-scale marketing, branding and place-making initiatives

. Entrepreneur- founder of two small businesses active for 20 years

. Volunteers in multiple capacities with numerous initiatives empowering at-risk youth



Julio Badin
Executive Director
GGP Parks, LLC. 

In his role, Badin oversees Gathering Place, Guthrie Green and LowDown Jazz Club and provides strategic leadership to further advance the mission of unifying community through a vibrant and inclusive space.

Prior to joining the GGP Parks team, Badin was the Senior Vice President of Customer Experience at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport where he focused on examining systems to reinforce a customer-centric culture and aligning operating realities of service within the airport’s five terminals.  

Badin previously served The Walt Disney Company, where he was responsible for multiple lines of business at Disneyland Park.  For more than 18 years, he led different management teams, representing attractions, retail and food and beverage. Badin’s experience also includes transportation, parking and guest relations, with a strong background in brand standards and customer experience oversight. 

Badin holds a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Kalamazoo College, a master’s degree in Health Services Administration from The University of Michigan – Ann Arbor and an Executive Master of Business Administration from Chapman University. 



Jeff Edwards, CPRP
Executive Director & CEO 
River Parks Authority

Jeff Edwards is a Certified Park and Recreation Professional with 22 years of experience in building community through parks, facilities, and programs; attracting people to impact their lives.  He currently serves as the Executive Director & CEO of the River Parks Authority, after 18 years of service to the City of Sand Springs Parks and Recreation Department.  Jeff started his career in Recreation Services at the University of Oklahoma, where he graduated in 2003 with a Bachelor of Arts in Broadcasting and Electronic Media.  

Jeff was hired in 2022 as the River Parks Authority Executive Director and CEO, only the third Director appointed in the 50-year history of the organization.  His focus is to develop and improve the network of trails from Tulsa, west into Sand Springs and south into Jenks, along both banks of the Arkansas River.  Continued regional expansion of outdoor infrastructure supporting the preservation of natural resources and implementation of recreational features continues to be River Parks core mission. Over the last 3 years, River Parks has successfully transformed Turkey Mountain into an outdoor oasis where the hiking and mountain biking community comes together to enjoy the newly built 50-miles of soft surface trails, all while installing Turkey Mountain into the Old Growth Forest network, ensuring the forested tree canopy will remain for generations to come.  With this additional trail implementation, River Parks now manages nearly 80 miles of trails along the Arkansas River connecting 3 communities.



Andy Scurto
Owner
Tulsa Oilers 

Andy Scurto founded ISCS in 1994 which quickly became the industry’s leading insurance-tech platform. ISCS was acquired by its largest competitor - Guidewire in 2017. Andy has more than 30 years’ experience in IT and development, which includes 26 years working specifically with insurance industry systems. He received his B.S. in computer engineering from San Jose State University. Andy’s passion for hockey began with his daughter who played youth hockey for the San Jose Jr. Sharks and was captain of her team playing for Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania. Being involved with youth sports gave Andy the opportunity to grow his love for sports and being around and involved with sports. This passion drove Andy to want to purchase teams and build a hockey town in a location not traditionally known for hockey which turned out to be Tulsa, OK. It is in Tulsa that Andy has purchased and grown the ECHL team – The Tulsa Oilers and added and Indoor Football team also called the Tulsa Oilers. He continues to build hockey with the purchase of the only ice center in town and with the construction of the new WeStreet Ice Center – the largest ice and entertainment facility in the state. Andy is a serial entrepreneur and loves to build, grow and create.