Gov. DeSantis appoints 5, reappoints 4 to Jackson County Hospital District

Four members of the Jackson County Hospital District’s board of trustees will hold onto their seats through 2027 alongside five new members.

Gov. Ron DeSantis announced the appointments and reappointments to the nine-member panel, which oversees more than $110 million in assets at Jackson Hospital in Marianna.

The Governor is solely responsible for making the appointments, per a 2003 state law.

The four returning members include:

— Chair Keith Williams, an insurance agent and the owner of Keith Williams State Farm Agency. Williams is President-elect of the Chipola Civic Club and a former President of the Marianna Kiwanis Club and Treasurer of the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce. He holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Florida (UF).

— Vice Chair Chuck Hudson, a regional market executive for First Commerce Bank and member of the Chipola Civic Club and Chipola Appreciation Hub. He holds a master’s degree from Louisiana State University.

— Secretary/Treasurer John Milton, a real estate associate and former President of the Mariana Rotary Club, Chair of the Jackson County Chamber and Treasurer of the Presbyterian Church of Marianna. He holds a bachelor’s degree from UF.

— At large member Sarah Clemmons, President of Chipola College. She holds a doctorate from Florida State University (FSU) and is a board member of CareerSource Chipola, Florida’s Great Northwest and the Chipola College Foundation.

The five new members — who replace members Joe Gay, Mike Nuccio, Ron Deuell and Sareta Wright — include:

— Wilane Daniels, a county administrator for the Jackson County Commission, where she previously worked as community development director. Daniels, who this year received an “Excellence in Leadership” award from the Jackson County Chamber, holds a master’s degree in professional counseling from Liberty University.

— Allen Harkins, who owns and operates hotels in the area, hotel-development company ADH Development and Food & Fun Inc., which the Governor’s Office misspelled as “Food N Fun Inc.” in a news release. He is the former President and a current member of the Marianna Rotary Club and holds a bachelor’s degree in public administration from FSU.

— LaVon Pettis, the lead pastor for Evangel Church, Vice Chair of the North Florida Inland Recovery Group and member of the Chipola Civic Club. He holds a doctorate in ministry from Summit Bible College.

— Robert Reiff, a real estate appraiser for Brown-Reiff Associates and past President of the Jackson County Chamber. He holds a bachelor’s degree in finance and real estate from FSU.

— Joseph Sherrel, a physician at Pediatric Associates. He earned his doctor of medicine from UF and previously served on the Jackson County Hospital Corporation.

None of the newly appointed or reappointed members donated to DeSantis’ 2022 re-election or presidential campaigns, according to state and federal campaign finance records.