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Department of Education Announces Appointment of Damien Kelly as Director of Newly Created Office of Safe Schools

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The Commissioner of Education Pam Stewart today announced long-time law enforcement officer Damien Kelly as director of the newly created Office of Safe Schools. Following the tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, Governor Rick Scott signed into law the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School Public Safety Act. One component of the comprehensive law is the creation of the Office of Safe Schools within the Florida Department of Education (FDOE) and the appointment of its director.

On March 23, Governor Rick Scott sent a letter to district superintendents and school board members that set deadlines FDOE and each school district must meet. Governor Scott directed FDOE to hire a director for the newly created Office of Safe Schools by May 1, 2018.

[Read more…] about Department of Education Announces Appointment of Damien Kelly as Director of Newly Created Office of Safe Schools

Appointments by Governor Rick Scott for Tuesday, May 1, 2018

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Gov. Scott Reappoints Two to Cape Canaveral Hospital District

Governor Rick Scott today announced the reappointment of two to the Cape Canaveral Hospital District.

Judith George, 75, of Cocoa Beach, is a retired nurse with Creative Care Center. She is reappointed for a term beginning May 1, 2018, and ending August 19, 2019.

Rusty Fischer, 74, of Cocoa Beach, is the owner of Rusty’s Seafood & Oyster Bar. He is reappointed for a term beginning May 1, 2018, and ending August 19, 2019.

 

Gov. Scott Reappoints Heather Baumwald to Board of Nursing

Governor Rick Scott today announced the reappointment of Heather Baumwald to the Board of Nursing.

Heather Baumwald is reappointed for a term beginning May 1, 2018, and ending October 31, 2019.

This appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

 

Gov. Scott Appoints Walid Sobh to Board of Professional Engineers

Governor Rick Scott today announced the appointment of Walid Sobh to the Board of Professional Engineers.

Walid Sobh, 55, of Orlando, is the president of ECS Florida, LLC. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning May 1, 2018, and ending October 31, 2018.

This appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

 

Gov. Scott Appoints Two to Board of Auctioneers

Governor Rick Scott today announced the reappointment of Don Shearer and the appointment of Matthew Varable to the Board of Auctioneers.

Don Shearer, 71, of Kissimmee, is the owner of Auction Services of Kissimmee. He is reappointed for a term beginning May 1, 2018, and ending October 31, 2021.

Matthew Varable, 40, of Tampa, is the director of labor relations for Chemtrade Logistics Corporation. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning May 1, 2018, and ending October 31, 2021.

These appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.

Gov. Scott Honors more than 100 Veterans with Veterans Service Medal

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Governor Rick Scott today awarded 101 Florida veterans with the Governor’s Veterans Service Medal for their service to the state and nation. Since 2013, Governor Scott has awarded more than 13,000 veterans with the Governor’s Veterans Service Medal.

The following Florida veterans were highlighted during today’s ceremony:

Senior Chief Edwin Soto
Senior Chief Edwin Soto enlisted in the United States Navy in 1981. He served in the United States Navy for nearly 28 years, achieving the rank of Senior Chief Hospital Corpsman. He deployed to Iraq in 2004 and again in 2005 with the Marine Corps in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and previously deployed to Desert Storm, providing medical support to Marines and Sailors. His awards are numerous and include: the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy/Marine Corps Commendation Medal, four Navy/Marine Corps Achievement Medals, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Iraqi Campaign Medal, and nine Sea Service Deployments.

Sergeant Major Pedro Lorenzo Guerad
Sergeant Major Pedro Guerad was born in Cuba in 1954. In 1969, he left Cuba and came to the United States with his immediate family. In 1979, he joined the United States Army as a Combat Medic serving his initial assignment at Fort Riley, Kansas.  Throughout his 32-year career, Sergeant Major Guerad held a variety of positions, including serving in Iraq as the Sergeant Major of the Combat Support Hospital in Mosul. He culminated his career by serving as the Senior Enlisted Advisor for the Director of Medical Logistics, at Fort Sam Houston, Texas. Sergeant Major Guerad received many awards and decorations during his service including the Bronze Star Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Navy Achievement Medal, the U.S. Airborne Paratrooper Badge, the Uruguayan Jump Wings, and the Expert Field Medical Badge.

Gov. Scott: Congress Should Act Against Nicaragua’s Daniel Ortega

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Governor Rick Scott today issued the following statement regarding Nicaragua.

Governor Scott said, “The violence by the government of President Daniel Ortega against his own citizens in Nicaragua cannot be tolerated. The U.S. Department of State did the right thing by removing Americans from the embassy in Managua who were in danger by this corrupt regime that continues to deny its citizens basic human rights. The United States must stand for justice and democracy and we must do our part to help those who are subject to injustice and government corruption.

“In 2016, Florida Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen sponsored, with seven members of the Florida congressional delegation co-sponsoring, the Nicaraguan Investment Conditionality Act, which passed the U.S. House unanimously. This Act seeks to implement economic restrictions on Nicaragua until they stop the unacceptable behavior of the Ortega regime. Similar to how we have put the tyrannical Maduro regime in Venezuela on notice in Florida, we must take a stand against this corrupt regime. I urge Congress to take action to pass this Act and send a clear message that the injustices the Nicaraguan people are enduring will not be tolerated by the United States.”

Gov. Scott: Florida Businesses Created More Than One and a Half Million Jobs Since December 2010

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Governor Rick Scott today announced that Florida businesses have created more than 1.5 million jobs since December 2010, including 12,500 private-sector jobs in March and more than 167,000 in the past year. Governor Scott made the announcement at VOXX International in Orlando, which moved its state-of-the-art manufacturing facility to Orlando in 2015.

Governor Scott said, “When I took office, I made it my number one mission to make Florida the best place in the world for job creation. I’m proud to announce today that Florida has achieved another incredible milestone – 1.5 million private-sector jobs have been created since December 2010. This incredible turnaround should serve as a blueprint for the rest of the country. If you cut taxes, eliminate burdensome regulation and invest in the priorities that matter most to families, like education, job creators respond by growing and creating jobs. Congratulations to every business who has chosen Florida as the best place to create jobs.”

Florida’s annual job growth rate of 2.3 percent continues to exceed the nation’s rate of 1.8 percent. Florida’s annual job growth rate has outpaced the nation for 71 of the past 72 months. The only month in which Florida did not exceed the nation was a result of Hurricane Irma.

As of March, Florida’s unemployment rate remains low at 3.9 percent, a drop of 6.9 percentage points since December 2010; this drop is faster than the national decline of 5.2 percentage points. In the past year, 132,000 people entered Florida’s labor force, a growth of 1.3 percent, which is greater than the national labor force growth rate of 1.0 percent.

Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “Since December 2010, businesses have created more than 1.5 million jobs for Floridians and their families. This tremendous growth demonstrates Florida businesses’ confidence in our economy and our talented workforce.”

Other positive economic indicators include:

  • Private-sector industries gaining the most jobs over-the-year were:
    • Professional and business services with 38,100 new jobs;
    • Leisure and hospitality with 32,300 new jobs;
    • Construction with 31,600 new jobs;
    • Education and health services with 21,200 new jobs; and
    • Financial activities with 15,600 new jobs.
  • Florida job postings showed 255,327 openings in March 2018.

To view the March 2018 employment data, click here.

Gov. Rick Scott Statement on Shooting of Gilchrist County Deputy Sheriffs

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Governor Rick Scott made the following statement this evening regarding this afternoon’s shooting in Gilchrist County that resulted in the loss of two Gilchrist County Deputy Sheriffs.

Governor Rick Scott said, “My wife, Ann, and I are heartbroken by the loss of two law enforcement officers in Trenton. I have spoken with the Gilchrist County Sheriff’s Office and committed all available state resources they may need. I have also been briefed by FDLE Commissioner Rick Swearingen who has officers on the scene. It is true evil for anyone to hurt a law enforcement officer, and in Florida, we have zero tolerance for violence, especially against the police. Tonight, I ask every Floridian to honor these law enforcement officers, their brothers and sisters in uniform and their families. May God bless those who work to keep our communities safe.”

Gov. Scott: Low Tax Opportunity Zones in every county will keep Florida’s booming economy growing

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Governor Rick Scott today announced his recommendation to designate 427 communities across every Florida county as Low Tax Opportunity Zones. Low Tax Opportunity Zones, as established in the federal Tax Cut and Jobs Act of 2017, encourage long-term investment and job creation in targeted communities by reducing taxes for many job creators. Low Tax Opportunity Zones enhance local communities’ ability to attract businesses, developers and financial institutions to invest in targeted areas by allowing investors to defer capital gains taxes through investments in federally established Opportunity Funds.

Governor Scott said, “Today, I am proud to put forth my recommendations for 427 communities across every county in Florida to be designated as Low Tax Opportunity Zones. These Zones will make a real and lasting difference in some of our highest-need areas by helping to bring new capital investment and more jobs to every county across the state. They will also bring additional investment to rural communities and urban areas, ensuring that every Floridian has the chance to live the American Dream in the Sunshine State.

“In the four years before I took office, Florida lost more than 800,000 jobs, taxes increased by more than $2 billion, debt was skyrocketing and the economy was in ruins. When I became Governor, I promised the families of our state that I would spend every day fighting to grow Florida’s economy, and over the past seven years, we have seen firsthand the huge success that comes with creating an environment where business can grow and create opportunities. Today, thanks to our hard work to cut taxes and reduce burdensome regulations, Florida businesses have created nearly 1.5 million private-sector jobs and unemployment has dropped in every Florida county – but our work isn’t over. Florida must continue to maximize every opportunity to keep growing our booming economy and ensure every family can succeed in our state.”

Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity, said, “The new Opportunity Zone program will bring the chance for growth home to hundreds of communities from the Panhandle to the Keys. This program will help capitalize on economic development that is already underway and provide a new tool in the toolbox for communities that are looking to grow their economy.”

The evaluation process included statistical analysis of poverty rates, population, unemployment rates and other economic indicators, along with assessing recommendations from more than 1,200 requests. These specific requests came from municipal and county governments, regional planning councils, nonprofits, developers, investors and more.

The U.S. Department of the Treasury has 30 days to certify each state’s recommendations. After the Zones are approved, the federal government will begin the rulemaking process to designate how Opportunity Funds are created and how businesses, developers and financial institutions can invest in qualified Zones.

The full list of census tracts nominated as Opportunity Zones can be found HERE. Governor Scott’s letter to U.S. Treasury requesting the designated zones can be found HERE. An FAQ on the Opportunity Zone program can be found HERE.

Gov. Scott: Agreement with Seminole Tribe ensures continued investments for Florida families

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Governor Rick Scott today announced that an agreement has been reached between the State of Florida and the Seminole Tribe which extends the Tribe’s current commitment to make revenue sharing payments to the state through May 2019. Under the current compact between the Seminole Tribe and the State of Florida, the Tribe pays more than $300 million per year into the state’s General Revenue fund. This agreement does not make any changes to state gaming law or expand current gaming operations in Florida in any way.

Governor Scott said, “Today, I am proud to announce that the State of Florida has reached an agreement with the Seminole Tribe which ensures the Tribe’s current commitment remains intact. Since I took office, the Seminole Compact has generated more than $1.75 billion which has helped our state make historic investments in things like Florida’s education and environment. With today’s agreement, revenue sharing payments from the Tribe will carry on as the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation (DBPR) continues its work of aggressively following and enforcing Florida’s strict gaming laws and rules.”

Seminole Tribe of Florida Chairman Marcellus Osceola Jr. said, “The Tribe is committed to its long term compact with the State of Florida and intends to continue making revenue sharing payments as spelled out in the agreement. The gaming compact, which runs through the year 2030, is good for the people of Florida and good for the members of the Seminole Tribe. The Tribe is investing more than $2.4 billion to expand its Seminole Hard Rock Casinos in Tampa and Hollywood and is hiring thousands of Floridians to fill jobs in construction and as permanent team members.”

To see a copy of the agreement, click HERE.

Gov. Scott: Greenway Health Expands Tampa Headquarters Adding More than 100 Jobs

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Governor Rick Scott announced today that health information technology and services provider Greenway Health is expanding its headquarters in Tampa. The company will add another 104 new high-wage jobs to its Westshore district location and invest $1.8 million in the project. New positions to be hired through December 2018 include software development and training, legal, cybersecurity and marketing roles that will pay an average annual wage of more than $57,000.

Governor Scott said, “Florida’s economy is booming. Since 2011, nearly 1.5 million private-sector jobs have been created in our state, and more and more companies are choosing to grow in Florida. Today’s announcement means more than 100 families will have the opportunity to get a good job and live in the Tampa Bay area. We will not stop working until Florida is the number one destination to live and work.”

Scott Zimmerman, CEO of Greenway Health said, “By providing physicians and their staffs with technology that more effectively operates as an extension of their work and amplifies intelligence at the point of care, we can support them for greater patient impact and also bring more joy back into their work. We feel fortunate to be able to advance that mission and help transform practices for the future by growing our Tampa headquarters and attracting top talent in the Tampa Bay area.”

Mayor Bob Buckhorn, City of Tampa said, “Tampa is gaining greater national recognition for its excellent supply of information technology industry talent each year, and Greenway Health’s decision to expand here is yet another vote of confidence in this city’s workforce. We look forward to supporting Greenway Health as it plants deeper roots in Tampa.”

Sandy Murman, chair of the Hillsborough County Board of County Commissioners said, “Companies like Greenway Health continue to invest in Hillsborough County because this community offers the business climate, talent, and quality of life that their business needs to thrive. We deeply appreciate their investment here and the jobs they are creating for local families.”

Alan F. List, MD, chairman of the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation and president and CEO of Moffitt Cancer Center said, “We are proud of Greenway Health’s success in Tampa and Hillsborough County. We competed hard against Georgia to win this expansion for our community, and are excited to assist Greenway Health as they build an even greater future for their company here.”

Cissy Proctor, Executive Director of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity said, “Greenway Health LLC’s expansion is another sign that employers are benefiting from Florida’s pro-business policies and finding the talent they need to succeed. Each of these new jobs represent an opportunity for a family in the Tampa area to live the American dream.”

The Greenway Health expansion project was made possible through strong partnerships between Enterprise Florida, the Tampa Hillsborough Economic Development Corporation, Hillsborough County, the City of Tampa and the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity.

Greenway Health LLC is a privately owned vendor of health information technology that provides integrated electronic health records and practice management solutions, and tools such as revenue cycle management solutions that help improve care coordination, profitability, and efficiency for ambulatory healthcare practices across the nation. The company’s history reaches back to 1978.

Interested candidates are encouraged to visit greenwayhealth.com/careers for more information about available positions.

Florida is an information technology industry powerhouse and home to more than 27,000 technology companies. More than 237,000 residents work in the state’s technology industry, and Florida’s universities are among the nation’s top producers of STEM graduates.