Ryan Nicol
Less than four years after being named vice president of State Governmental Affairs for U.S. Sugar, Eric Edwards is taking over as the senior vice president of Public Affairs.
“Each year with U.S. Sugar, Edwards has taken on increasingly greater roles and responsibility, and he has proven to be a strong and effective leader — both within our company and the industry,” said Ken McDuffie, president and CEO. “We are extremely proud that one of Clewiston’s own will continue our long-term efforts to advocate for agriculture and our agricultural communities.”
McDuffie also recently took over his current role after U.S. Sugar CEO Robert H. Buker Jr. announced his retirement. McDuffie and U.S. Sugar announced Edwards’ new role, effective immediately, via a news release on Wednesday.
Edwards will work in Tallahassee and Washington, D.C., leading U.S. Sugar’s lobbying efforts. That’s a significant task for Edwards, as U.S. Sugar is a major player in the political scene both in the state and the nation’s capital.
But Edwards, a Florida State University graduate, is no stranger to the political process. Edwards has worked with U.S. Sugar since 2016, and he came over from his previous role as a legislative assistant to then-Republican state Sen. Don Gaetz after 10 years in the Legislature.
INFLUENCE Magazine recognized Edwards as the “Florida Agriculture Lobbyist of the Year” in 2021.
“Throughout his time at U.S. Sugar, Edwards has taken an active role in further establishing U.S. Sugar’s role in the public affairs arena as an industry leader in agriculture as well as land, water and air stewardship,” the release added. “He serves as an active member of the Florida Agriculture Coalition, Florida Land Council, and is an active member of many other statewide and regional business and agricultural organizations.”
U.S. Sugar’s Board of Directors also recently recognized Edwards “as a senior leader in corporate management and business strategy,” according to the release.
