Brightline Florida
Patrick Goddard, Chief Executive Officer
Patrick Goddard is the Chief Executive Officer of Brightline Florida, the leading provider of eco-friendly intercity passenger rail in the United States, connecting city pairs that are too long to drive, too short to fly. In his role, he oversees the company's multi-billion-dollar intercity passenger rail development and spearheads its hospitality-driven go-to-market strategy, which includes the oversight of more than 1.5 million square feet of transit-oriented development.
Under his leadership, Brightline successfully completed a $2.7 billion expansion project to Orlando, connecting Central and South Florida. This marked the reintroduction of intercity passenger rail in the US after more than a century. During this expansion, Patrick managed the development of Basecamp, a $100 million facility situated on 62 acres of Orlando International Airport property, now the most advanced train maintenance facility in the region.
Patrick's primary focus revolves around building a distinctive brand experience that caters to the lifestyle and leisure of both Floridians and visitors, promoting train travel as a convenient alternative to driving. In 2021, as part of Brightline's relaunch, he oversaw the introduction of Brightline+, an innovative first-last mile service designed to address guests' mobility needs and provide seamless connectivity to top events and destinations throughout the state.
Brightline Florida
Patrick Goddard, President
Patrick Goddard is the President of Brightline, the leading provider of eco-friendly intercity passenger rail in the United States, connecting city pairs that are too far to fly and too close to drive. In his role, he oversees the company's multi-billion-dollar intercity passenger rail development and spearheads its hospitality-driven go-to-market strategy, which includes the oversight of more than 1.5 million square feet of transit-oriented development.
Under his leadership, Brightline successfully completed a $2.7 billion expansion project to Orlando, connecting Central and South Florida. This marked the reintroduction of intercity passenger rail in the US after more than a century. During this expansion, Patrick managed the development of Basecamp, a $100 million facility situated on 62 acres of Orlando International Airport property, now the most advanced train maintenance facility in the region.
Patrick's primary focus revolves around building a distinctive brand experience that caters to the lifestyle and leisure of both Floridians and visitors, promoting train travel as a convenient alternative to driving. In 2021, as part of Brightline's relaunch, he oversaw the introduction of Brightline+, an innovative first-last mile service designed to address guests' mobility needs and provide seamless connectivity to top events and destinations throughout the state.
Patrick Goddard has earned recognition as one of Orlando Magazine's "Orlando 50 Most Powerful People," and he's been named among South Florida Business Journal's "Power Leaders 250" and Florida Trend's "500 Most Influential Leaders." He also holds influential positions in organizations such as the Florida Council of 100 and is a proud graduate of Leadership Florida's Executive Class 11. Patrick actively serves on the boards of the Miami Downtown Development Authority and Orlando Sports Commission, and has previously served on the boards of Camillus House and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance.
Before joining Brightline, Patrick had a background in the hotel industry. He founded and led Trust Hospitality and Ocean Blue Hospitality, both hotel management companies specializing in the luxury and boutique hotel sectors, after gaining over a decade of experience working for Rosewood Hotels, Loews Hotels, and Hilton Hotels. Originally from Ireland, he holds degrees in Business and Hospitality from Trinity College Dublin and Technological University Dublin. Patrick has been a Florida resident for two decades, where he lives with his wife and two sons.
Brightline Florida
Patrick Goddard, President
Patrick Goddard is the President of Brightline, the leading provider of eco-friendly intercity passenger rail in the United States, connecting city pairs that are too far to fly and too close to drive. In his role, he oversees the company's multi-billion-dollar intercity passenger rail development and spearheads its hospitality-driven go-to-market strategy, which includes the oversight of more than 1.5 million square feet of transit-oriented development.
Under his leadership, Brightline successfully completed a $2.7 billion expansion project to Orlando, connecting Central and South Florida. This marked the reintroduction of intercity passenger rail in the US after more than a century. During this expansion, Patrick managed the development of Basecamp, a $100 million facility situated on 62 acres of Orlando International Airport property, now the most advanced train maintenance facility in the region.
Patrick's primary focus revolves around building a distinctive brand experience that caters to the lifestyle and leisure of both Floridians and visitors, promoting train travel as a convenient alternative to driving. In 2021, as part of Brightline's relaunch, he oversaw the introduction of Brightline+, an innovative first-last mile service designed to address guests' mobility needs and provide seamless connectivity to top events and destinations throughout the state.
Patrick Goddard has earned recognition as one of Orlando Magazine's "Orlando 50 Most Powerful People," and he's been named among South Florida Business Journal's "Power Leaders 250" and Florida Trend's "500 Most Influential Leaders." He also holds influential positions in organizations such as the Florida Council of 100 and is a proud graduate of Leadership Florida's Executive Class 11. Patrick actively serves on the boards of the Miami Downtown Development Authority and Orlando Sports Commission, and has previously served on the boards of Camillus House and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance.
Before joining Brightline, Patrick had a background in the hotel industry. He founded and led Trust Hospitality and Ocean Blue Hospitality, both hotel management companies specializing in the luxury and boutique hotel sectors, after gaining over a decade of experience working for Rosewood Hotels, Loews Hotels, and Hilton Hotels. Originally from Ireland, he holds degrees in Business and Hospitality from Trinity College Dublin and Technological University Dublin. Patrick has been a Florida resident for two decades, where he lives with his wife and two sons.
Patrick Goddard has earned recognition as one of Orlando Magazine's "Orlando 50 Most Powerful People," and he's been named among South Florida Business Journal's "Power Leaders 250" and Florida Trend's "500 Most Influential Leaders." He also holds influential positions in organizations such as the Florida Council of 100 and is a proud graduate of Leadership Florida's Executive Class 11. Patrick actively serves on the boards of the Miami Downtown Development Authority and the FIFA World Cup 2026TM Miami Host Committee, and has previously served on the boards of Camillus House and the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance.
Before joining Brightline, Patrick had a background in the hotel industry. He founded and led Trust Hospitality and Ocean Blue Hospitality, both hotel management companies specializing in the luxury and boutique hotel sectors, after gaining over a decade of experience working for Rosewood Hotels, Loews Hotels, and Hilton Hotels. Originally from Ireland, he holds degrees in Business and Hospitality from Trinity College Dublin and Technological University Dublin. Patrick has been a Florida resident for two decades, where he lives with his wife and two sons.