(ORLANDO, FL) – The Central Florida Political Leadership Institute (PLI) today announced 23 business and community leaders have been accepted to the innovative, groundbreaking initiative. PLI is designed to strengthen and equip the region’s future leaders with public policy and political campaign training prior to their decision to run for local, state or national office.
Applicants from the seven-county Central Florida region, which include Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia, were vetted by a selection committee consisting of members of the BusinesForce Board of Directors. The Committee reviewed the strength of applications, conducted personal interviews where appropriate or necessary and selected the 23 participants, ensuring representation from a wide range of business, civic and community organizations across the region.
The following have been accepted into the PLI program. Brevard County: Jim Dubea, Jane Carey Gleason, and Andrew Pickett. Lake County: Thomas Talmage. Orange County: Gregory Jackson, Gregory Moore, Alan Morrison, John Pare, Julio Rocha, Shannon Rogner, Daniel Stephens, Sherrick Wassel, and Virginia Whittington. Osceola County: Kristen Arrington and Nadya Vila. Polk County: Linda Ivell. Seminole County: Robert Anderson, Yeoshua Bendayan, Katrina Powell, Megan Sladek, Jonathan Sturgill, and Colin Myers. Volusia County: Michael Liguori.
The 2012 Central Florida Political Leadership Institute was developed by BusinessForce, the “political action arm” of the Central Florida Partnership. There is no charge to participate in the program due to the continued support of PLI sponsors, including American Resort Development Association (ARDA), AT&T, Central Florida Partnership, Clear Channel Outdoor, Publix Super Markets, Inc., Rollins College Crummer Graduate School of Business, SeaWorld Adventure Parks, and Universal Orlando Resort.
Currently in its fifth year of implementation, the Institute has graduated 11 leaders who have run for, and won, elected office. Speakers leading the two and a half day program include prominent bipartisan state and national experts discussing a broad range of topics – government, media, campaigning, fundraising, ethics and key public policy issues. Participants will also attend three Mentoring Workshops throughout the year to further assist in their education and decision making process to run for public office in the coming years.
The 2012 Institute session will be held Thursday, May 17 through Saturday, May 19, 2012 on the campus of the Roy E. Crummer Graduate School of Business at Rollins College in Winter Park.
For additional information, please contact Mike Ketchum, President of BusinessForce at 407.835.2464 or via email at mike.ketchum@orlando.org, or Christina Johnson, Director of the Central Florida Political Leadership Institute at 850.391.5040 or via email at Christina@on3pr.com.
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About The Central Florida Political Leadership Institute (PLI)
PLI is a non-partisan initiative of BusinessForce, the political action arm of the Central Florida Partnership that equips and trains emerging public leaders in the Central Florida Region who have an interest in supporting the business community in the political process and who may one day choose to run for elected public office. PLI is not a training program for campaign workers, consultants and volunteers. To learn more details about the 2012 Central Florida Political Leadership Institute, go to the PLI link at www.orlando.org/pli.
About BusinessForce
BusinessForce is Florida’s largest regional political action committee. It operates in total compliance with all election laws and is governed by the Board of Directors composed of recognized regional business and community leaders. It represents tens of thousands of employees who are interested in promoting a pro-business environment and, on a non-partisan basis, supporting candidates and elected officials in our state and region who endorse the free enterprise system and sound, responsible business practices in government. For additional information, contact President Mike Ketchum at 407.835.2464 or via email at mike.ketchum@orlando.org.