JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Jacksonville 2020 Host Committee on Thursday announced the 32 people who are leading the efforts to host the Republican National Convention.
President Trump will accept the nomination of the Republican Party for a second term as president in August at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Thousands of visitors are expected to visit Jacksonville from Aug. 24 - 27.
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Party leaders announced last week that they were moving the convention to Jacksonville from Charlotte, N.C., after a dispute with North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper about coronavirus safety precautions. The event is expected to bring tens of thousands of people and an estimated $100 million economic boost to Northeast Florida.
Jacksonville Mayor Lenny Curry and Tallahassee-based lobbyist Brian Ballard will co-chair the Host Committee.
Ballard, the head of Ballard Partners, is a major GOP fundraiser who helped boost Trump into the White House in 2016 and helped elect Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2018. The 32-member host committee will include political and business leaders:
Jacksonville 2020 Host Committee Co-Chairs
Lenny Curry
Jacksonville Mayor
Brian Ballard
President, Ballard Partners
Jacksonville 2020 Host Committee Members
John Rutherford
Member of the United States House of Representatives
Colonel Michael Waltz
Member of the United States House of Representatives
Bill Galvano
President of the Florida Senate
Jose Oliva
Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives
Wilton Simpson
Florida Senate President Designate
Chris Sprowls
Florida House of Representatives Speaker Designate
Rob Bradley
Florida Senate Appropriations Chair
Travis Cummings
Florida House of Representatives Appropriations Chair
Fernando Acosta-Rua
President & Chief Executive Officer of Pet Paradise
Andy Allen
Founder of Corner Lot Properties
Max Alvarez
Founder of Sunshine Gasoline Distributors
John Baker
Chairman and CEO of FRP Holdings, Inc.
Pam Bondi
Former Florida Attorney General and Chair of Ballard Partners Corporate Regulatory Compliance
Ed Burr
President and CEO of GreenPointe Holdings, LLC
Robert Coker
Senior Vice President, Public Affairs, of U.S. Sugar
Michael Corrigan
President and CEO of Visit Jacksonville
J. David & Jodi Coxwell
President of J.B. Coxwell Contracting
Daniel Davis
President and CEO of JAX Chamber
Carol Dover
President and CEO of the Florida Restaurant and Lodging Association
Nat Ford
Chief Executive Officer of the Jacksonville Transportation Authority
Josh Garrison
President of Miranda Contracting
Leon L. Haley Jr., M.D.
Vice President for Health Affairs, University of Florida; Dean, College of Medicine - Jacksonville; CEO, UF Health Jacksonville
Bishop Vaughn McLaughin
Founder and Senior Pastor of the Potter's House International Ministries
Rick Morales
President of Morales Construction Co.
Tom Petway
Jacksonville Business and Civic Leader
Ty Petway
Chief Executive Officer of US Assure
John Rood
Founder of The Vestcor Companies
Kent Stermon
Chief Operating Officer of Total Military Management
Aundra Wallace
President of JAXUSA Partnership
The News Service of Florida contributed to this report.