TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – The former director of PortMiami was tapped Thursday to serve as Gov. Rick Scott's top business recruiter.
The Enterprise Florida Board of Directors approved the selection of Bill Johnson, who spent eight years at the helm of PortMiami and is currently director of the Miami-Dade Water and Sewer Department, to replace Florida Secretary of Commerce Gray Swoope.
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Swoope, who is also president and chief executive officer of Enterprise Florida, announced earlier this month he will step down at the end of February.
Johnson, who is scheduled to start work with Enterprise Florida on March 1, must still sign a contract with the state's public-private economic development agency.
But Johnson said he's ready to continue Swoope's business-recruitment efforts.
"You're going see me in the Panhandle. You'll see me in the Keys. You'll see me in Jacksonville," Johnson told the board. "My first trip is over to the port next week in Tampa …. You're going to see me around the state. You'll see me listening."
Scott said in a prepared statement he expects Johnson to help Florida surpass Texas and become the top state for job creation.
"Bill has a clear record of creating opportunities in our state and is laser-focused on our goal to make Florida the global destination for jobs," Scott said.
Alan Becker, a new vice president of Enterprise Florida, described Johnson as Miami-Dade County's specialist in improving troubled departments for nearly 30 years.
"I think Bill, this is the first job you'll ever have where you didn't have to fix something," Becker said after the vote. "Just keep building on what we have here."
Scott, who has made expanding Florida's port system a priority, worked closely with Johnson on funding to deepen PortMiami for larger cargo ships.
"His vision to expand and grow PortMiami will allow Florida to take advantage of increased trade opportunities with global markets and enable our state to grow as the leading hub for trade and logistics," Scott said in the statement.
The state has spent $582 million the past three years on improvements at seaports, with an eye on establishing Florida as a global trade crossroad. An additional $139 million is included in the current budget for more than 20 port projects across the state.
Johnson also has served as chairman of the Florida Ports Council.
"Bill showed his passion for bringing businesses to Florida throughout his tenure with the Florida Ports Council and with PortMiami, and we are eager to see him use that commitment in his role as head of Enterprise Florida," Florida Ports Council President and CEO Doug Wheeler said in a release.
The terms of Johnson's contract were not immediately available.
Swoope, who is paid $275,000 a year, has also received performance bonuses during the past few years, the biggest, $120,000, last year. At the time, Enterprise Florida estimated it had created 36,207 jobs in the previous year and that capital investments had grown.
Swoope was the executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority when recruited to Florida by Scott 2011.