TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – On Monday, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis announced his appointment of five members to the new Central Florida Tourism Oversight District — formerly the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
State lawmakers passed a bill earlier this month that renamed the Reedy Creek district after state officials sought to take authority away from the Walt Disney Company, which previously owned and operated the district.
The newly dubbed Central Florida Tourism Oversight District features a governing body with members appointed by DeSantis and confirmed by the state Senate.
Since then, the following five members have been appointed to the board, according to a release on Monday by DeSantis’ press office.
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Martin Garcia
Garcia has previously served as a partner in two law firms, as well as owned and operated his own private equity investment firm while serving on the board of a NASDAQ and three New York Stock Exchange companies, the release says.
DeSantis announced during a news conference on Monday that Garcia would be appointed as the chairman of the board.
Bridget Ziegler
According to the press office, Ziegler has served on the Sarasota School Board and acted as the director of school board programs at The Leadership Institute, a grassroots nonprofit that focuses on teaching conservatives how to succeed in politics, government and media. Also a cofounder of Moms for Liberty.
Ziegler has had more than a decade of experience in commercial insurance, working with two of the largest global risk and insurance brokerage firms, the release shows.
Brian Aungst, Jr.
Aungst has been an attorney and shareholder that the Macfarlane Ferguson & McMullen law firm alliance, the release states.
Press office officials said that Aungst has also previously served as the chairman of the Pinellas County Commission Redistricting Committee, and he has a growing land-use law practice that has gotten approval for hotels, condominiums, affordable housing developments and the redevelopment of the Clearwater Marine Aquarium.
Michael Sasso
Sasso has acted as the managing partner of Sasso & Sasso law firm in Winter Park, which focuses on election law and business litigation, press office officials announced.
In addition, Sasso was appointed to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Nominating Commission and soon after elected as the commission’s chair. He now serves on the Sixth District Court of Appeal Judicial Nominating Commission, the Public Employees Relations Commission and as a trustee of Valencia State College, officials revealed.
Ron Peri
Peri is the chairman and CEO of The Gathering USA, an outreach Christian ministry that offers men tools for worship and faith-based guidance.
According to state officials, Peri was also the founder, chairman and CEO of Radixx International, Inc., an airline software company. Prior to that, he served as the vice president and chief technology officer of AirTran Airways, officials said.
While the appointments were announced on Monday, the selected members are still subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate before they can enter into office.
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