TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed some of Florida’s most powerful political leaders and business executives to a committee that will map out the state’s reopening from the coronavirus shutdown.
On Monday, the governor announced the executive committee members, and on Tuesday he announced the members of the Re-Open Task Force Industry Working Group on Tourism, Construction, Real Estate, Recreation, Retail and Transportation.
Recommended Videos
The selections include legislative leaders, county mayors and executives from such companies as Disney, Universal, Florida Power & Light and Publix.
The state's Democrats criticized the choices, saying the committee only included DeSantis loyalists.
The committee will meet daily by phone until Friday, when DeSantis hopes it will be able to make a report. The state has had more than 27,000 confirmed coronavirus infections with at least 823 deaths. About 3,800 people are currently hospitalized.
Below is a list of the Re-Open Florida Task Force Industry Working Group committee’s members:
- Dana Young, President & CEO, VISIT FLORIDA
- Secretary Halsey Beshears, Secretary, Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation
- Secretary Kevin Thibault, Secretary, Florida Department of Transportation
- Mayor Lenny Curry, Mayor, Jacksonville
- Mayor David Kerner, Mayor, Palm Beach County
- Sheldon Suga, Chairman, Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
- Blake Casper, CEO, Caspers Company
- Amy Schwartz, Owner, Bella Bella Restaurant
- Collier Merrill, President, Merrill Land Company
- Philip Goldfarb, President & COO, Fontainebleau Miami Beach
- John Tolbert, President & Managing Director, Boca Resort and Club
- Jose Cil, CEO, Restaurant Brands International
- Josh D’Amaro, President, Walt Disney World Resort
- John Sprouls, CEO, Universal Orlando Resort, Executive Vice President, Universal Parks & Resorts
- Tim Petrillo, Co-Founder & CEO, The Restaurant People
- Dev Motwani, President & CEO, Merrimac Ventures
- Chad Harrod, CEO, Harrod Properties, Inc.
- Walter Carpenter, Chairman, NFIB Florida Leadership Council
- Len Brown, Executive Vice President & Chief Legal Officer, PGA Tour, Inc
- Gary Lester, Vice President, The Villages for Community Relations
- Glen Gilzean, President & CEO, Central Florida Urban League
- Max Alvarez, President, Sunshine Gasoline Distributors, Inc.
- Tom Crowley, CEO, Crowley Maritime Corporation
- Joe Lopano, CEO, Tampa International Airport
- Ted Christie III, President & CEO, Spirit Airlines
- Rick Sasso, President & CEO, MSC Cruises
- Maury Gallagher Jr., Chairman & CEO, Allegiant Air
- AJ de Moya, Vice President & General Manager, The de Moya Group, Inc.
- Paul Anderson, CEO, Port Tampa Bay
- Ken Stiles, CEO, Stiles Corporation
- Bob Flowers, President, C.W. Roberts Contracting, Inc.
- Rob Kornahrens, President & CEO, Advanced Roofing and Green Technlogies
- Monesia Brown, Director of Public Affairs and Government Relations, Walmart
- Cody Kahn, Owner, Holiday Inn Resort
- Matthew Caldwell, President & CEO, Florida Panthers Hockey Club
Below is a list of members of the Re-Open Florida Task Force Executive Committee:
- Lieutenant Governor Jeanette Nuñez, Lieutenant Governor of Florida
- Jimmy Patronis, Florida Chief Financial Officer
- Ashley Moody, Florida Attorney General
- President Bill Galvano, President, Florida Senate
- Speaker Jose Oliva, Speaker, Florida House of Representatives
- Senator Wilton Simpson, President-Designate, Florida Senate
- Representative Chris Sprowls, Speaker-Designate, Florida House of Representatives
- Commissioner Richard Corcoran, Commissioner of Education
- Jamal Sowell, President & CEO, Enterprise Florida, Inc.
- Mayor Carlos Gimenez, Mayor, Miami-Dade County
- Mayor Dale Holness, Mayor, Broward County
- Mayor David Kerner, Mayor, Palm Beach County
- John Couris, President & CEO, Tampa General Hospital
- Josh D’Amaro, President, Walt Disney World Resort
- Todd Jones, CEO, Publix Super Markets
- Syd Kitson, Chairman, Board of Governors for the State University System
- Paul Reilly, Chairman & CEO, Raymond James Financial
- Alex Sanchez, President & CEO, Florida Bankers Association
- Eric Silagy, President & CEO, Florida Power & Light Company
- John Sprouls, CEO, Universal Orlando Resort, Executive Vice President, Universal Parks & Resorts
- Patrick Sunderlin, Vice President, Global Supply Chain, Lockheed Martin Corporation
- Joe York, President, AT&T Florida and Caribbean