The state’s leading economic development and job creation group, Enterprise Florida, appears poised to lose its interim CEO and president in the midst of a national search for a full-time chief executive.
Marc Adler, who has served as acting secretary of commerce and acting president and CEO of Enterprise Florida since last December, is currently negotiating to become the top executive at the Florida Development Finance Corporation (FDFC), which issues bonds to help the state boost economic development.
The FDFC board authorized the organization to negotiate a contract with Adler on Thursday, and Enterprise Florida confirmed that it will set a departure date for Adler once negotiations with FDFC are complete.
Adler has been at the helm of Enterprise Florida since Jamal Sowell stepped down as president and CEO in October to prepare for specialized training with the U.S. Navy Reserve. His appointment as interim CEO was initially scheduled to last just 90 days while the public-private organization conducted a national search for a full-time chief executive.
At the time, Adler said he viewed the appointment as more than a “caretaker” role and pledged to press forward rather than “pause” the organization while the search for a permanent leader took place.
The organization hasn’t announced any progress with their executive search, but that doesn’t mean the board hasn’t identified a potential replacement. Often, high level executive searches are carried out in secret in order to attract more qualified applicants without jeopardizing the existing relationships with an applicant’s current employer.
The Enterprise Florida board of directors is scheduled to meet again next week.
“Six months later, Enterprise Florida is poised to lose interim CEO Marc Adler, who is in negotiations with the Florida Development Finance Corporation to become its cheif executive.”
Oh, dear. The Capitolist needs more editors. “cheif???”