Adjunct Faculty
Department of Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management
Email Now
M.S. Krannert Graduate School of Management at Purdue University, Krannert Scholar honors
B.S. University of Central Florida, Magna Cum Laude
Joe Norsworthy is a former executive at Walt Disney Parks & Resorts. In his last role at Disney, Joe was Vice President of Strategy and Planning, and his work included developing and enhancing strategy for destinations in Florida, California, and Asia. Prior to leading this strategy group, Joe held executive positions in finance, destination marketing, brand management, pricing, and travel operations/reservations. Joe was also a founding executive of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts Online (WDPRO), a new team he and another executive proposed that integrated all Internet strategy, development, and operations across the entire parks division.
After leaving Disney, Joe became a real estate entrepreneur, originally focusing on new developments in southeast Florida. Once other real estate investors became aware of his background, Joe became an independent strategy consultant, helping both developers and landowners in the Caribbean, the USA, and Mexico formulate realistic development strategies for their properties. Eventually, his consulting engagements expanded beyond real estate; Joe led business strategy overhauls for a professional sports franchise, a troubled U.S. destination resort, and a hotel-focused REIT.
Joe began his hospitality career in his hometown of Lakeland, Florida as a 15-year-old busser at an upscale, independent seafood restaurant. He began working in the Resorts Division at Walt Disney World when Epcot was under construction, and he has been connected to the hospitality and tourism industry ever since. Prior to enrolling in his MBA program, Joe held numerous supervisory and middle management positions at Disney World in recreation, F&B, front office, and custodial operations, and he was frequently the night duty manager at the Grand Floridian Resort in the months just after its grand opening.
Joe began his undergraduate studies at the University of Florida, where he performed as a trombonist with the top UF Jazz Band under Professor Gary Langford. Joe’s wife, Alice, is a UF alum and past chair of the Eric Friedheim Tourism Institute Advisory Board. Their daughter, Jackie, is currently a UF student and member of the university lacrosse team. Joe and his family live in Orlando, where they are helping grow the game of girls' lacrosse in central Florida via Sol Blazers Lacrosse, a charity Joe founded in 2019 that provides free instruction to beginners in grades K-8.
COURSES
- LEI 6931 Strategic Hospitality Business Management