FLORIDA CHIEF JUSTICE For the first time since the Civil War, the sitting chief justice of the Florida Supreme Court has been chosen to serve a second consecutive term. Justice Jorge Labarga is also the first Hispanic person to serve in the judicial system head position. Labarga, a native of Pahokee, served as an Assistant Public Defender until 1996, when then-Governor Lawton Chiles appointed him to the 15th Circuit Court in Palm Beach County. He was appointed to the Florida Supreme Court in January 2009 by then-Governor Charlie Crist.
DEPARTMENT OF REVENUE Marshall Stranburg will be leaving his position as executive director of the DOR. He will be moving to Washington, D.C. as deputy executive director of the Multistate Tax Commission. No replacement has been named.
SENATE REGULATED INDUSTRIES COMMITTEE Diana Caldwell is the new staff director, replacing Booter Imhof who retired after 40 years of service in state government.
CANAVERAL PORT AUTHORITY John Murray is the new CEO as of January 8th. Murray was the president and CEO of Hapag-Lloyd USA LLC.
JUDICIAL NOMINATING COMMISSIONS Governor Scott announced 43 appointments on January 25th. A full list may be found here
The following Department heads have been confirmed:
Jon Steverson, Department of Environmental Protection
Jim Boxold, Department of Transportation
Jason Allison, Agency for State Technology
Ken Lawson, Department of Business and Professional Regulation
Sam Verghese, Department of Elder Affairs
Chad Poppel, Department of Management Services
Ken Detzner, Department of State
Liz Dudek, Agency for Health Care Administration
Julie Jones, Department of Corrections
Theresa “Cissy” Proctor, Department of Economic Affairs