Governor DeSantis Appoints 1, Reappoints 3 to Florida Building Commission

Governor. Ron DeSantis added one new member and reappointed three others within the Florida Building Commissionan agency responsible for interpreting, maintaining, and developing the state building code.

The new member is John GarraPresident of Davie Head Office Square architecture one.

Staying on the panel for another four years is the architect Jim Battsformer state representative. Don Brown and impact a door and window businessman Rodney Hershberger.

Garra, a Sunrise resident, also serves as vice president of the Building Owners and Managers Association and is a member of the Accessibility Teachers Association.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in architecture from the University of Cincinnati.

A search of Florida Division of Elections and Federal Election Commission (FEC) records revealed no political donations from him.

Brown, of DeFuniak Springs, is a consultant for the First National Insurance Agency. He served as a Republican in the House for four consecutive terms until 2008. Before that, he served as a Walton County Commissioner, Republican State Committeeman and Chairman of the Walton County Republican Executive Committee.

Brown holds a bachelor’s degree in industrial technology from the University of West Florida and today serves on the advisory board of the Florida Hurricane Catastrophe Fund.

He was first appointed to the Building Commission in 2013 by then-Gov. Rick Scott.

Division of Elections records show he has made several state-level campaign donations to Republican candidates over the past 15 years, none for more than $500 and none to DeSantis. He also donated $500 to the former state representative. Bev Kilmer’s campaign for Congress in 2003 and the same amount to the American representative. Daniel Webster in 2012.

Batts, a Jacksonville Beach resident also first appointed to the Commission in 2013 by Scott, is the founder and owner of The Batts Companya swimming pool and renovation company.

He is a member of Florida Swimming Pool Association and previously served as chairman of the St. Johns County Contractor Review Board.

Building Commission records show Batts did not need to be reappointed until November 5, 2027.

Hershberger, a Sarasota resident, is president of PGT Innovationsan impact and door company he co-founded in 1987. He is the past president and current member of the Argus Foundation of Sarasota and the Gulf Coast Community Foundation.

In 2013, the American Architectural Manufacturers Association awarded it its Outstanding Member Award.

Hershberger has made three state-level political donations since 2017 to fellow Sarasota Republicans. Two had to declare the Rep. James Buchanan totaling $350. The third and most recent cost $250 and was given to the state senator. Joe Grutersformer chairman of the Republican Party of Florida who earlier this year was in the race for chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Commission recordings Brown’s term expired in November 2019 and Hershberger’s term ended in July 2023.

Two other members of the Building Commission, architects Jeffrey Gross, Brad Schifferalso have expired terms.

The Florida Building Commission 19 members are all appointed by the governor and subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Members do not receive any direct compensation but are entitled to reimbursement of per diems and travel expenses.

The panel must include a licensed architect; a licensed structural engineer; an air conditioning contractor; an electrical contractor; a certified general contractor or construction contractor; a plumbing contractor; a roofing or sheet metal contractor; a residential contractor; a member of an organization for disabled people; a member of the prefabricated building industry; a member of the building products manufacturing industry; a member who represents the building owner and management industry; a member of the insurance industry; a swimming pool contractor; a representative of the gas distribution network; three local code enforcement officials; and the Florida Resilience Director or designee.

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