Staff Reports
Cynthia Hefren is coming home: She will be VISIT FLORIDA‘s next chief financial officer, President & CEO Ken Lawson announced Wednesday.
Hefren most recently was Assistant State Audit Supervisor for the North Carolina Office of the State Auditor.
But she’s a Florida state government veteran, previously serving as:
— Director of Auditing for the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation.
— Executive Director of the Florida State Boxing Commission.
— Operations & Management Consultant Manager for the Florida Department of Children & Families, and
— Professional Accountant Specialist for the Florida Department of Corrections.
She starts her new job next Monday.
Hefren, a Certified Internal Auditor and Certified Information Systems Auditor, “has more than 25 years of experience in managing and leading audits to improve performance of government operations coupled with executive management experience in providing cost-effective oversight,” a press release said.
“As we work to increase transparency and accountability at VISIT FLORIDA, I am proud to appoint Cynthia as our new CFO,” Lawson said in a statement.
House Speaker Richard Corcoran targeted the state’s tourism marketing arm for stricter oversight after it refused to reveal a secret deal with Miami rap superstar Pitbull to promote Florida tourism, later revealed to be worth up to $1 million. The ensuing controversy cost former agency CEO Will Seccombe his job.
“While working with Cynthia at the Florida Department of Business & Professional Regulation, I saw first-hand her ability to effectively use taxpayer dollars,” Lawson said. “Cynthia’s decades of experience will help our organization remain competitive and continue to attract more visitors to Florida.”
