The Florida Council of 100’s Spring General Meeting marked George LeMieux’s first as Chair. LeMieux, along with Foundation Chair Eric Silagy, Vice Chair Rodney Barreto, and Treasurer Ignacio Felix, was announced at the start of the year as part of the new slate of officers, who together with newly selected board members will help drive the Council’s strategic focus areas over the next two years.

More than 150 member CEOs from across the state participated in the biannual meeting, held in Orlando, that came on the heels of U.S. News & World Report’s Best States ranking that showed Florida rising three spots to No. 6 overall and earning the top spot for economic growth and higher education.

“Florida continues to strengthen its reputation as a great place to start a business, raise a family, and enjoy a vacation, but there is still more to do. We must focus on our resiliency, affordability, and our overall competitiveness. The private sector has a meaningful role to play in aiding state leaders in these areas,” said LeMieux.  

Since its Fall General Membership Conference in November, FC100 has continued to make meaningful progress, including announcing a new partnership to establish Florida as the premier entry point and hub for global technology, capital and entrepreneurship, expressing support for the relocation of NASA Headquarters to Florida, and highlighting the importance of hurricane recovery for people’s daily lives as well as the state’s economy.

During the latest conference, topics included the state’s economic growth opportunities, the 2025 Florida Legislative Session, improving Florida’s resilience, combating rising insurance costs, artificial intelligence, and the geopolitical environment, including China and tariffs. Additionally, the FC100 Foundation was featured for its increasing role to support research and strategic outreach to help amplify the Council’s efforts to grow Florida’s economy, strengthen its workforce, and improve quality of life across the state.

“We are focused on advancing private-sector-led initiatives that reflect our ability to act early, execute decisively and scale what works,” said FC100 President & CEO Michael Simas.