Media Contact:
Elizabeth Ray
FRLA Press Secretary
850.224.2250 x255
ERay@FRLA.org
Tallahassee, Fla. – Florida Governor Rick Scott announced Tuesday six appointments to the Gulf Consortium, which included members of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association. The Gulf Consortium, formed to meet requirements of the RESTORE Act, is charged with developing a State Expenditure Plan for economic and environmental recovery of the Gulf coast in Florida following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in 2010.
“The Deepwater Horizon oil spill devastated our tourism and hospitality industry in 2010, not only in Northwest Florida, but the entire state,” said Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association President/CEO Carol Dover. “Many of our members are still working to recover from huge economic losses, not to mention the yet to be determined environmental impact in the Gulf. We thank Governor Scott for his thoughtful appointments which represent Florida’s industry leaders directly impacted by one of the worst environmental disasters in the country.”
The gubernatorial appointments to the Gulf Consortium include:
· Pam Anderson, 64, of Panama City Beach, is the operations manager of Capt. Anderson’s Marina. She fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning February 25, 2014, and ending at the pleasure of the Governor.
· Peter Bos, 67, of Destin, is the president and chief executive officer of Legendary LLC. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning February 25, 2014, and ending at the pleasure of the Governor.
· Lino Maldonado, 41, of Niceville, is the vice president of Wyndham Vacation Rentals North America. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning February 25, 2014, and ending at the pleasure of the Governor.
· Collier Merrill, 53, of Pensacola, is the president and co-owner of the Merrill Land Company. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning February 25, 2014, and ending at the pleasure of the Governor.
· Mike Sole, 49, of Tallahassee, is the vice president of state governmental affairs for Florida Power and Light. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning February 25, 2014, and ending at the pleasure of the Governor.
· Neal Wade, 67, of Panama City, is the executive director of the Bay Economic Development Alliance. He fills a vacant seat and is appointed for a term beginning February 25, 2014, and ending at the pleasure of the Governor.
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About The Gulf Consortium
Florida Governor Rick Scott signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Gulf Consortium to create a process to develop Florida’s State Expenditure Plan for RESTORE funding. The agreement lays the groundwork for the Gulf Consortium to work with Governor Scott to ensure that funding sources related to the Resources and Ecosystems Sustainability, Tourist Opportunities, and Revived Economies of the Gulf Coast States Act of 2012 (RESTORE Act) are maximized when developing a long term restoration plan for Florida. Key provisions of the Agreement established a streamlined process for review, certification by the Governor, and ultimate submission of projects and programs included in the State Expenditure Plan to the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council.
The RESTORE Act, which was passed by Congress on June 29, 2012, creates the Gulf Coast Ecosystem Restoration Council, and establishes various funding categories. The RESTORE Act will be funded by Clean Water Act civil and administrative penalties paid by responsible parties from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. The Council is comprised of the five Gulf State Governors and six federal agencies. In Florida the 23 Gulf Coast Counties (Gulf Consortium) are tasked with creating the State Expenditure Plan, which can include both economic and environmental restoration projects. For additional information, please go tohttp://www.flgov.com/governor-scott-signs-agreement-with-the-gulf-consortium-to-implement-restore-funding-2/
About the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
FRLA’s mission is to ‘Protect, Educate and Promote’ Florida’s hospitality industry – which represents a $71.8 billion industry, 23% of Florida’s economy, $4.3 billion in sales tax revenue, and over one million employees, making it Florida’s largest employer. It is Florida’s premier non-profit, hospitality industry trade association. FRLA safeguards the needs of the hospitality industry, improves the business climate, promotes the highest levels of quality and safety for our patrons, provides legislative advocacy, and eases navigation of government regulation. The Association represents and serves more than 10,000 independent and household name members, suppliers, and theme parks. For more information, go to www.FRLA.org.