Haley Barbour on New Enterprise Florida Chief: 'Florida's Gain is Our Loss'

Gray Swoope, who headed up the Mississippi Development Agency under Gov. Haley Barbour, was named on Monday to head Enterprise Florida.

Enterprise Florida is a public-private partnership between the state government and business and looks to promote economic development across the Sunshine State.

Barbour, whose name has been mentioned as a possible candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, offered strong words of praise for Swoope.

"Gray Swoope has done a tremendous job for Mississippi over the last seven years, first as deputy, then as director of the Mississippi Development Authority, said Barbour on Monday. Not only is he a professional, but also he leaves behind a very professional organization. He and the Mississippi Development Authority have led the way in creating thousands of high-paying jobs, and our citizens will benefit from his effort for decades to come.

"Gray will now be the head of economic development for a state eight times the size of Mississippi, and he deserves that opportunity, added Barbour. Florida's gain is our loss."

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