Ray Palmer is President and CEO of Pensacola Sports. Since joining the organization as Executive Director in 2002, Pensacola Sports has seen unprecedented growth.
Focusing on event management, sports tourism, and community outreach programs. Ray has been instrumental in adding the high school all-star series, firefighter competition, open water swimming, fishing tournaments, collegiate championships including the Sun Belt Conference Basketball and SEC Women’s Soccer Championships to muti-year contracts, annual awards and scholarships banquets and more to the long list of events now hosted and produced by Pensacola Sports.
Ray has long been a servant to the community, having served on too many boards and having volunteered for too many causes to mention them all. Notably, he is a past president and Paul Harris Fellow of Five Flags Rotary, a recipient of the Florida Sports Leadership Award, Ray serves on numerous committees for Visit Pensacola. He is a past board member and Chairman of Sports ETA. He was recently named for the third time on the 2026 Inweekly Power List as being among the 100 most influential people in the Pensacola area.
Ray is a very native Pensacolian with deep roots in the sports and recreation industry. His great uncle was the physical director of the Pensacola YMCA who organized and was the first director of Pensacola’s Parks and Recreation Department.
Ray enjoys spending time with wife of nearly 45 years, Susan, his three sons and their families, especially the now, seven grandchildren. He enjoys boating, golf and tennis.
Not surprisingly, he is passionate about all sport and is a tireless promoter of the Pensacola area to the outside world. Quick to remind us where he is from…”The Western Gate to the Sunshine State” and brag of it being “where thousands live the way millions wish they could”… he has taught us all about his corner of the world.