The appointment to the nine-member board announced Friday, August 16, is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Orlando, Fla. – John Davis, executive vice president of the Orlando Regional Chamber (the Chamber), has been appointed by Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to the Valencia College District Board of Trustees. The appointment to Valencia’s nine-member board, announced Friday, August 16 and subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate, further aligns the Chamber’s leadership with its new business model of offering programming focused on talent development and innovation and benefits Valencia by growing its regional perspective and insight into the needs of local businesses.
“Mr. Davis will be a thoughtful and contributing member of the Valencia Board of Trustees,” said Dr. Sandy Shugart, president of Valencia College. “His experience as a senior business leader, in economic development, and in public policy all bring new strengths to the Board.”
Valencia College has been a driving force in Orlando’s talent ecosystem for more than 50 years, supporting the regional workforce with knowledge and accelerated skills training to transform Central Florida into an engine of economic opportunity for its residents. As one of the 28 community colleges in Florida, Valencia is guided by an appointed Board of Trustees composed of civic-minded citizens who contribute their time and talent to ensure the college remains responsive to the educational needs of its local community and the talent needs of the regional economy.
“As the Chamber continues to grow its focuses on the region’s talent ecosystem, I am beyond thankful and humbled by the opportunity to support Valencia, an institution committed to providing access to quality and affordable education for all,” Davis said. “The Chamber’s support of Orlando’s booming talent ecosystem is laser-focused on empowering businesses with knowledge and resources that assist with the development, retention and elevation of their workforce while sharing innovative best practices to help our members stay ahead of trends and prepare for the future of work.”
As a core component of the Orlando Economic Partnership, the Chamber is in alignment with the Partnership’s three-year mission to advance broad-based prosperity™ by delivering high-value, robust and future-focused programming, opportunities and resources designed to accelerate growth.
“Today, the Chamber leverages the collective leadership of the larger business community to strengthen, support and advocate for businesses of all sizes and lifecycles throughout the Orlando region,” said Partnership President and CEO Tim Giuliani.
“With John Davis at the helm, the Chamber has transitioned to programing that is reflective of regional trends and in support of a regional vision for economic and community development that strengthens Orlando’s economy.”
Partnership President and CEO Tim Giuliani
Prior to his work with the Chamber, Davis served as president of the African American Chamber of Commerce of Central Florida where he significantly expanded the Chamber’s membership by focusing on collaboration, and training and development of business professionals. In his past roles, Davis has served as the External Affairs Director for Florida’s Department of Children and Families, the Deputy Executive Director of Operations within the Republican Party of Florida, and the President of JFD Consulting Group, a political consulting agency he founded and led.
For more information on the Orlando Regional Chamber, its membership and programs and events, please contact membership advisors Joe Horan at joe.horan@orlando.org or Trey Dyer at trey.dyer@orlando.org
