Nikki Austin-Shipp named president and CEO of Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council
The Florida State Minority Supplier Development Council has appointed Nikki Austin-Shipp as its next president and chief executive officer, effective Nov. 1, 2025. She succeeds longtime President and CEO Beatrice Louissaint, who led the Council for more than 25 years and will remain in an advisory role through the end of the year.
Austin-Shipp is a veteran executive with more than two decades of experience in economic development, corporate governance, government relations and community transformation. Most recently, she served in the Public Affairs Division within the Office of the City Manager for the city of Fort Lauderdale, where she led initiatives to expand economic opportunity, including small-business development, entrepreneurship support and partnerships between government and the private sector.
She has also served Fort Lauderdale as a member of the Economic Development Advisory Board and Invest Fort Lauderdale. This year, Austin-Shipp was selected to join a cohort of 48 senior economic-development professionals nationwide in the Advanced Economic Development Leadership program, which brings together university faculty and business leaders to address contemporary economic and community-development challenges.
Her career spans federal and local government and the private and nonprofit sectors, including posts as district manager for Taco Bell Corp., CEO of the South Florida Institute on Aging and community relations director for a member of the U.S. Congress. Throughout her tenure, she has secured and administered millions of dollars in grants, led teams of up to 1,000 employees and helped influence or participate in more than $46 million in Florida redevelopment projects and initiatives.
“I am honored to lead FSMSDC into its next chapter of innovation and impact,” Austin-Shipp said in a statement. “I look forward to collaborating with our corporate partners, minority and small businesses, and community stakeholders to drive inclusive growth, expand opportunities and strengthen Florida’s business ecosystem.”
Austin-Shipp was selected by the FSMSDC board of directors following an executive search conducted by Charity Search Group.
“Nikki brings the vision, experience and energy that FSMSDC needs for the future,” Board Chair Desiree Hanson said. “Her commitment to economic empowerment and her deep understanding of government and business will advance our mission of Doing Well While Doing Good®.”
