Governor Ron DeSantis has announced new appointments to the Florida Building Commission. John Garra has been appointed, while James "Jim" Batts, Donald Brown, and Rodney Hershberger have been reappointed.
John Garra, from Sunrise, is the President and Architect of Square One Architecture. He holds a position as Vice Chairman of the Building Owners and Managers Association and is part of the Accessibility Professors Association. His academic background includes a bachelor's degree in architecture from the University of Cincinnati.
James "Jim" Batts resides in Jacksonville Beach and is the Founder and Owner of The Batts Company. He participates actively in his community as a member of the Florida Swimming Pool Association and formerly chaired the St. Johns County Contractors Review Board. Batts studied at Florida State College at Jacksonville.
Donald Brown, based in DeFuniak Springs, works as a Consultant for First National Insurance Agency. His previous roles include serving as a Florida State Representative and Walton County Commissioner. Presently, he is on the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund Advisory Council. Brown graduated with a bachelor's degree in industrial technology from the University of West Florida.
Rodney Hershberger hails from Sarasota and serves as Chairman of PGT Innovations. His involvement extends to being a former Chair and current member of both the Argus Foundation of Sarasota and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation. In 2013, he was honored with an Outstanding Member Award by the American Architectural Manufacturers Association.
These appointments are pending confirmation by the Florida Senate.