Lesa Kennedy

Lesa France Kennedy, (born Lesa Dawn France on May 24, 1961) is the president of International Speedway Corporation and a member of the board of directors of NASCAR.

Kennedy joined ISC in 1983 and was named to the board of directors one year later. She served as ISC's secretary from 1987-96 and as its treasurer from 1989-96. From that point until April 2003, Kennedy was the company's executive vice president. She was then appointed president of ISC after Bill France stepped down.

Kennedy's husband, Dr. Bruce Kennedy, was killed in a plane that crashed into two homes in Sanford, Florida on July 10, 2007. [http://sports.yahoo.com/nascar/news?slug=ap-smallplanecrash&prov=ap&type=lgns] Five people were killed, including two small children.

Kennedy received a B.A. in Economics and a B.A. in Psychology from Duke University in 1983. In 2005, Street & Smith's SportsBusiness Journal named her "The Most Influential Woman in Sports Business." [http://www.truckseries.com/cgi-script/NCTS/articles/000017/001717.htm]

Other honors include:
* "Most Influential Woman in Business" by Volusia Flagler Business Report;
* "One of the 10 Secret People Who Will Change The World" by AutoWeek magazine;
* One of the "25 Most Influential People in NASCAR" by the Charlotte Observer - 2001 through 2006.
* Lesa France Kennedy is a registered DEMOCRAT in the state of Florida. [Source: FVRS/Florida Voter Registration System]

ee also

*France family