Florida Ports Council President John R. LaCapra Announces Retirement

TALLAHASSEE, FL (October 30, 2009) - John R. LaCapra, Florida's leading seaport advocate for 36 years, announced his plan to retire as president of the Florida Ports Council on December 31, 2009. He has accepted a professorship at a college in North Carolina teaching business law and international commerce.

Since 1972, following his role as Florida's Director of Economic Development, LaCapra has devoted his energies to representing Florida's seaports and maritime industry. As president of the Florida Ports Council, he has managed and facilitated seaport and maritime issues at the state, national, and international levels.

With his vision of Florida's unique potential in global commerce, LaCapra was instrumental in creating the innovative Florida Seaport Transportation and Economic Development (FSTED) Program, a partnership between the state and its 14 public seaports to help fund the seaport infrastructure needed to fulfill that potential.  Under LaCapra's guidance, state funds, matched by the seaports, provided more than $1.2 billion to invest in the berths, terminals, equipment, roads, and rail needed for Florida to compete in the international trade and cruise sectors.  Those investments have created more than 550,000 jobs, and generate an annual economic impact of $66 billion and $1.7 billion in local and state tax revenues.

"Florida's seaports bring positive benefits to every region of the state," LaCapra said, "building on their geographic, demographic, and cultural attributes to further statewide economic development.  Florida has come a long way in recent years, and looking to the future, has an opportunity and challenge to derive even greater benefits from its seaports with strong leadership and strategic financial investments."

The Florida Ports Council serves Florida's deepwater seaports on public policy and maritime issues.  Its governing board comprises the directors of the seaports and is chaired this year by Canaveral Port Authority's CEO, J. Stanley "Stan" Payne.

"Florida's economy is built on the $83 billion in international trade moving through the state's seaports as well as its dominant role in the cruise industry," Payne said.  "John's extraordinary leadership has been the foundation of our success in these economic sectors."

The Florida Ports Council's executive vice president, Nancy Leikauf, will assume interim leadership responsibilities for the organization.   A nationwide search will lead to the selection of a new president by June 1, 2010.

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