Governor-elect Ron DeSantis has picked 40 unpaid advisors to help shape his administration’s appointments and policies when it comes to natural resources, agriculture, and the environment. The group will be chaired by Republican U.S. Rep. Brian Mast from Southeast Florida.
The list includes representatives from the agricultural, development, fertilizer, and utility industries, as well as former legislators and state environmental regulators, including current Department of Environmental Protection Secretary Noah Valenstein, former DEP Secretary Mike Sole ( now a utility executive,) and former Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission head Nick Wiley (now with the hunting group Ducks Unlimited).
It also includes three representatives from environmental groups – The Nature Conservancy, Rails to Trails, and the Everglades Foundation. The Everglades Foundation broke with other environmental groups during the campaign for governor by endorsing DeSantis over Democratic challenger Andrew Gillum. DeSantis has spoken out against price supports for Florida sugar growers.
Here’s the list of members of the advisory group that DeSantis’s transition office sent out:
BOB BAILEY; President of Facilities & Urban Environments Market, CH2M HILL Companies, Ltd.
ERNIE BARNETT; Executive Director, Florida Land Council and Principal, Water and Land Advisors, Inc.
MIKE BEALE; Senior Vice President & Regional Manager of Orlando Operations, Highwoods Properties Inc.
RON BERGERON; Founder & CEO, Bergeron Family of Companies
KEN BRYAN; State Director, Florida Field Office, Rails to Trails Conservancy
TOM CABRERIZO; CEO, CFH Group
BRITTANY PERKINS CASTILLO; CEO, Ashbritt Environmental
TRACY DUDA CHAPMAN; Senior Vice President, Chief Legal and Administrative Officer, General Counsel, A. Duda & Sons
ERNIE COX; President, Family Lands Remembered, LLC and Director, Florida Earth Foundation
The Honorable STEVE CRISAFULLI; Former Speaker, Florida House of Representatives
RON EDWARDS; President & CEO, Evans Properties, Inc.
ERIK EIKENBERG; CEO, Everglades Foundation
ANTHONY FARHAT; President, PGI Homes LLC
ROGER GERMANN; President & CEO, Florida Aquarium
MARYAM GHYABI-WHITE; Vice President of Florida Operations, Alfred Benesch & Co.
MATT GRIFFIN; East Coast Sales & Product Development, United Genetics Seeds Co.
ALEX JOHNS; President, Florida Cattleman’s Association and Natural Resources Director, Seminole Tribe
MATT JORDAN; General Manager, Tampa Bay Water
JOSH KELLAM; Commissioner, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and President of the Florida Division, ESG Enterprises
STEVE KELLY; Manager, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company
MICHAEL KENNEDY; President, Ranger Construction Industries, Inc. and Director, Marine Industries Association of Palm Beach County
CURT KISER; Commissioner, Public Employee Relations Commission
GASTON MARQUEVICH; Founder & CEO, Optimum Agriculture
JOHN MIKLOS; President, Bio-Tech Consulting, Inc.
TEMPERINCE MORGAN; Executive Director, The Nature Conservancy
The Honorable JOE NEGRON; Former President, Florida Senate
DAN O’KEEFE; Partner, Shutts & Bowen, LLP and Board Member, East Central Florida Regional Planning Council
MAURICE PEARSON; Vice President, Senior Scientist, MSE Group
The Honorable JAKE RABURN; Former Representative, Florida House of Representatives
DAN RICHEY; President & CEO, Riverfront Packing Company
BO RIVARD; Commissioner, Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission and Partner, Harrison, Rivard, Duncan & Buzzett
SCOTT SHEPHERD; Vice President & Chief Commercial Officer, Guest Services, Inc.
MICHAEL SOLE; Vice President, Environmental Services, NextEra Energy
JIM SPRATT; Owner, Magnolia Strategies LLC
EILEEN STUART; Shareholder, Hopping Green & Sams
JIM SWANN; Vice Chair, Eckerd Connects
BEN TAUBE; Managing Director, Policy and Legislative Affairs, Ygrene Energy Fund
NOAH VALENSTEIN; Secretary, Florida Department of Environmental Protection
NICK WILEY; Chief Conservation Officer, Ducks Unlimited, Inc
KEITH WOLD; Attorney, Private Investor
(By: Julie Hauserman – December 4, 2018 9:01 am – https://floridaphoenix.com/)
