CareerSource Northeast Florida gets new CEO

Cheryl A. Taylor. Image via CareerSource Northeast Florida.

CareerSource Northeast Florida is under new leadership as a veteran operative of the organization takes over the reins.

The CareerSource Northeast Florida Board of Directors approved the selection of Cheryl A. Taylor to serve as CEO. Taylor has taken over the position this Summer from Bruce Ferguson. He retired from the workforce development organization this year after 20 years of service in CareerSource as CEO, and he was with the organization in other capacities for three decades.

Taylor has been with CareerSource Northeast Florida for a decade herself. She was Senior Vice President of Operations. Taylor is also the first African American to hold the top slot of CareerSource Northeast Florida management. She took over the CEO position July 1.

“After an extensive three-month interview and selection process, our search committee headed by board member Elaine Johnson reached a unanimous decision in selecting Cheryl, who clearly stood out in a field of highly qualified and accomplished candidates,” said CareerSource NEFL Board Chair Kevin Doyle.

“With more than 25 years of experience in workforce development, and her success in several leadership positions she’s held with us, Cheryl will ensure CareerSource NEFL continues to set the standard for workforce development agencies in Florida.”

In her duties as senior vice president of operations, Taylor managed more than 120 employees and an $18 million budget in a six-county region for Northeast Florida.

“I’m excited and honored to be selected by the board and look forward to continuing to build upon the great foundation and team Bruce assembled during his role as CEO,” Taylor said.

Beyond her management experience, Taylor worked her way up the ranks within unemployment services for the Florida Department of Labor starting in 1995. She initially was an unemployment customer service representative. Then, in 1997, she transitioned into a program manager at CareerSource Northeast Florida and was promoted to several leadership and managerial positions from there.