Ryan Nicol
Gov. Ron DeSantis has reappointed Joel Schleicher to the Southwest Florida Water Management District (SWFWMD) Board just weeks after Schleicher was elected as secretary of the group’s Governing Board.
The appointment requires confirmation from the Florida Senate.
Schleicher was first appointed to the SWFWMD by Gov. Rick Scott in 2017 for a two-year term. His newest term will run for four years.
Schleicher hails from Sarasota and represents Charlotte and Sarasota counties. He is an entrepreneur and operator of technology companies. Schleicher currently serves as the executive chairman of Focal Point Data Risk, an IT risk management consulting firm he founded in 2013.
Originally from Minnesota, Schleicher earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting from the University of Minnesota’s Carlson School of Management.
The SWFWMD Governing Board sets the area’s water policy, with the goals of preventing floods and ensuring residents are properly supplied with water. Schleicher was chosen as the board’s secretary in late June.
After DeSantis was elected as the state’s next Governor back in November, Schleicher served as a member of the Advisory Committee on the Economy as part of the DeSantis transition. Former Speaker Will Weatherford led that committee.
Schleicher is also a member of Business Executives for National Security. He has served boards for The Argus Foundation, The Van Wezel Foundation and other organizations.
