Leadership Forged by Service
Fred Cleveland knows what it means to serve. From the deck of a Navy aircraft carrier to corporate boardrooms, he's spent his career building teams, successfully leading complex organizations, and strategically solving tough problems.
Now, he's putting that experience to work for us in New Smyrna Beach.
Military Service
28 years of serving our country
After graduating from Seabreeze High School in Daytona Beach, Fred was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1976. Over 28 years in the Navy, he rose to the rank of Captain, serving in roles that demanded precision, accountability, and strategic vision.
Flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola and assigned to west coast airwing squadrons
Aerospace Engineering Duty Officer with the Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (The Blue Angels), the Navy Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun), and Executive Officer of the Naval Air Depot
Commanding Officer of Fleet Readiness Center Southwest in San Diego, where as CEO he directed all phases of the Navy's largest airframe, engine, and component aviation industrial activity
Private Sector Leadership
From the flight deck to the boardroom
Fred was recruited into executive leadership by American Airlines, beginning a distinguished career in commercial aviation and consulting:
American Airlines
Vice President of Heavy Maintenance and Overhaul
American Eagle
Chief Operating Officer and Senior Vice President of Technical Operations
WestJet Airlines
Chief Operating Officer
PricewaterhouseCoopers
Managing Director of the US Transportation & Logistics practice
In total, Fred has more than 30 years of aviation maintenance, airline operations, and logistics management experience. His consulting work with PriceWaterhouseCoopers reflects something important: Fred was highly sought after by organizations across the industry for his business acumen and leadership expertise, and entrusted for his judgment to help solve their most complex operational challenges.
Education
- • BS in Engineering, United States Naval Academy
- • MBA in Material Logistics, Naval Postgraduate School
- • PhD in Business (Organizational Behavior), Oklahoma State University
Coming Home
Back where it all began
Fred and his wife Amy both grew up in Ormond Beach. In 2015, after successful professional careers that took them across the US and around the globe, they returned to the area to be near family and make New Smyrna Beach their home.
It didn't take long to get involved. Fred joined the board of YMCA Camp Winona, the same camp where he began spending summers in 1966 first as a sponsored camper, then as a counselor, cook, and instructor. The core values he learned early on formed a strong moral foundation, serving Fred throughout his career and personal life. Fred served as Camp Winona Board Chair, honored to give back, 50 years later, to the organization that had given him so much.
Why He Serves
Giving back to the community he loves
Fred sees the mayor's office as his best opportunity to give back to the community he loves. The challenges facing New Smyrna Beach - growth, infrastructure, public safety, preserving our local neighborhood coastal character - demand the kind of strategic, experienced leadership he's provided throughout his career.
His mission: Protect what makes us special. Evolve in a way that balances change with preservation. Unite our community.
When he's not at City Hall, Fred enjoys sunrise runs on the beach and time on the water with Amy: cruising, kayaking, swimming, or pursuing his greatest passion, sailing. He's incredibly proud of his three daughters and five young grandchildren, as well as his extraordinary mother who continues to play an active role in the local community.