Florida TaxWatch has appointed Chris Hart IV, formerly president & CEO of Enterprise Florida, Inc. and as Florida’s secretary of commerce, as its executive vice president.
“We are thrilled to welcome Chris as part of the Florida TaxWatch family as a key part of our research team," Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said in his written announcement.
"He will be at the center of efforts to ensure that the nonpartisan, nonprofit taxpayer research institute builds upon its successes while increasing the organization’s resources, capabilities, brand awareness and strategic importance as the most timely, relevant, comprehensive and utilized taxpayer research institute throughout the state of Florida. His hire will establish solid footing on the three-legged stool of leadership at Florida TaxWatch,” Calabro said.
Hart said he's ready and eager to go to work.
“I’m extremely excited to be part of an organization of the caliber and prestige of Florida TaxWatch," he said. "It is an excellent opportunity for me and I look forward to working with Dominic, Robert Weissert, the organization’s outstanding volunteer leadership and the strong team here as we work together to strengthen our abilities to provide Florida’s taxpayers and policymakers with top-notch, independent research that makes the Sunshine State the best place to live, work and play.”
Hart has also led CareerSource Florida, Inc., the nonprofit, public-private organization charged with policy-setting and oversight of Florida’s workforce development system. While there, Chris led efforts to ensure the state has the talent needed to strengthen the global competitiveness of Florida businesses while also assisting Floridians with enhancing their skills to enter, remain and advance in the workforce and become economically self-sufficient.
While serving as president & CEO for CareerSource Florida, Hart was tapped to serve concurrently as the interim director of the Governor’s Office of Tourism, Trade and Economic Development under the administrations of both Gov. Rick Scott and Gov. Charlie Crist. He also was appointed by Crist in June 2010 to chair the Governor’s Gulf Oil Spill Economic Recovery Task Force. The task force was responsible for coordinating state efforts in response to the Deepwater Horizon spill to assist affected businesses and industries, monitor BP’s efforts in providing financial relief to those affected and coordinate processes and efforts to gather economic loss data and industry economic indicators.
In addition to his other roles, Chris was senior vice president of external affairs and investor relations for Enterprise Florida, served in the Florida House of Representatives for two terms and co-founded a small business.
He is currently the co-founder of The Hare & The Hart, LLC, serves on multiple boards and is the senior warden at St. Peter’s Anglican Church. He earned his master of business administration from the University of South Florida and a bachelor of science degree from Florida State University where he majored in political science.
He and his wife, Amy, reside in Tallahassee and have two grown children.
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