New Enterprise Florida chief good for short term

TALLAHASSEE -- One of Gov. Rick Scott’s top legal advisers received the final nod on Monday to lead Enterprise Florida, despite having little experience in the economic development field.

But local economic development leaders believe Pete Antonacci is a good short-term fit for Enterprise Florida as the agency learns how to move forward after a tough legislative session. This year, lawmakers handed the agency a $7.5 million budget cut and eliminated funding for corporate incentives used to sweeten business relocation and expansion deals.

Now, Enterprise Florida must learn how to utilize an $85 million infrastructure and job training incentive fund designed to help multiple businesses. And for that task, Antonacci will do fine, said Tracy Whirls, executive director of the Glades County Economic Development Council.

“He’s certainly suited to lead the agency when that’s the only incentive we have,” Whirls said. “And coming from the South Florida Water Management District, he’ll be suited to job growth that we’ll see in that area.”

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Antonacci's term as president of Enterprise Florida may be governed by the final 18 months of Scott’s second and final term in office. That also made him a good pick, Whirls said. 

"For the short term, he knows how to keep the agency going," she said. 

FloridaWest Economic Development Alliance Chief Executive Officer Scott Luth said Antonacci will help lead Enterprise Florida over the next year, but the next governor will pick someone to make the state a contender again.

“I think he’s a good pick for someone who understands the House and the Senate and the legislative process,” Luth said. “But for the long-term, I don’t think the state is in a position to be a contender in any big deals, at least not now.”

Antonacci will begin his role as president and CEO of Enterprise Florida on Aug. 2 after just less than two years as executive director of the South Florida Water Management District. His annual salary will be $165,000, the same amount as his current job.

Antonacci received unanimous approval from the Enterprise Florida Board of Directors during a brief Monday teleconference. The final board approval came after approval from the agency’s executive committee last week.

Scott said Antonacci’s track record of building relationships will help him excel.

“Whatever Pete gets involved in, he builds relationships and gets jobs done,” Scott said during the Monday meeting.

Responsibilities for the district include management of water from Lake Okeechobee. A big issue lawmakers agreed to during this year’s legislative session was a plan to create a 78-billion gallon reservoir that will help digest floodwaters and halt discharges into the Caloosahatchee and St. Lucie rivers.

Whirls said the reservoir project and other South Florida Water Management District plans will generate jobs. And those positions could be supported by the new $85 million incentive fund.

“There’s a commitment to make sure those jobs stay for people in the Everglades,” Whirls said. “That’s a project, in the short run, where he would do well.”

Whirls added the core mission of Enterprise Florida is to diversify the state’s economy beyond its reliance on tourism, construction and agriculture. Antonacci has yet to prove himself as someone who can bring new industry to the state.

“A lot of people lose sight of what economic development really is,” Whirls said. “It’s not just bringing in jobs – it’s about different types of industry so we don’t rely on the three we already have.”