Former Jacksonville Mayor John Delaney will take over as chairman of the board of the North Florida Land Trust (NFLT).
Delaney was first elected mayor in 1995 and won a second term in 1999, making him the first Republican elected to that post since Reconstruction.
After leaving office in 2003, he served as president of the University of North Florida (UNF) until 2018. During his tenure as mayor, Delaney helped create Preservation Project Jacksonville which is now the Timucuan Parks Foundation (TPF). Delaney joined the board of TPF last week but the chairmanship of NFLT is a step up as he had previously been on the board.
Now more than 20 years old, NFLT “seeks to protect the natural resources, historic places and working lands (farms and ranches) throughout North Florida” and “has preserved tens of thousands of acres of land through donation or purchase of land as well as conservation easements.”
“John Delaney has been a champion for conservation for many years and we are honored that he will guide us as chair to help us make the very best decisions for our mission and the environment,” said Jim McCarthy, the president of NFLT, on Tuesday. “I look forward to working alongside all of the officers as we continue to focus on preserving environmentally sensitive lands throughout North Florida. I would also like to welcome our newest members who each have tremendous qualities that I am sure will serve us well.”
Besides Delaney, NFLT’s new officers include David Barton as vice chairman, Ryan Switzer as secretary and Patrick Carney as treasurer. All of their terms are for the new year. Lisa Barton, Scott Keith, Connie McDaniel and Ted McGowan are all joining NFLT’s board.
Reach Kevin Derby at kevin.derby@floridadaily.com.
