Renzo Downey
The Senate Ethics and Elections Committee is recommending lawmakers confirm Secretary Todd Inman in his position atop the Department of Management Services.
Gov. Ron DeSantis this summer tapped Inman to replace outgoing Secretary Jonathan Satter, who left the administration in February 2021.
Inman previously served as Secretary Elaine Chao’s chief of staff in President Donald Trump’s U.S. Department of Transportation. There, he worked as the executive manager for the department’s more than 55,000 employees, 20,000 contractors, 1,000 facilities and $89 billion annual budget.
“It instilled in me a great pride that, when my time in D.C. ended, I didn’t want to leave public service,” Inman told senators on Monday.
Before serving under Chao, Inman worked as a consultant, where he was eventually appointed to the U.S. Small Business Administration National Advisory Council. He also co-founded a residential services company in 2003.
Inman earned his bachelor’s degree in journalism and advertising from the University of Mississippi.
DMS is the business arm of Florida’s state government, responsible for managing employees, state property, telecommunications, state contracts and more. The agency has more than 1,000 employees and operates with an $800 million annual budget.
Department officials have presented before lawmakers a dozen times this Session cycle, including on implementing the state’s new contract procurement portal.
“Preparing for these presentations has taught me an incredible amount about the important work these different areas of the department engage in every day,” Inman said. “Often, their work goes unnoticed and I’m proud to work alongside them and highlight the services they provide. The mission of DMS is we serve those who serve Florida.”
With the ethics panel’s vote Monday, Inman’s confirmation next heads to the full Senate.
The panel also voted earlier in the committee to advance nominations for Secretary of Corrections Ricky Dixon, Secretary of Business and Professional Regulation Melanie Griffin, and Secretary of Environmental Protection Shawn Hamilton.
