Above, Dr. Cynthia Johnson (center) with Cassius Butts, former Obama appointee as Regional Director for the U.S. Small Business Administration (left) and Troy Taylor, Chairman & CEO of Coca-Cola Beverages of Florida, at a CEO Roundtable convened by Dr. Johnson in 2019
The competition was fierce, but she prevailed. Pinellas County Administrator Barry Burton announced today to Pinellas County Commissioners that Dr. Cynthia Johnson has been selected as the county’s new Economic Development Director, among more than 50 applicants from across the United States.
The decision makes her the first African American in the Tampa Bay region, and one of a small handful statewide, to serve as head of economic development for a county government.
Interviews happened in mid-August following a nationwide search that began in April when long-time economic development chief Mike Meidel retired after 17 years with Pinellas County.
Dr. Johnson says she is ready for the challenge and honored to be chosen. “County leaders emphasized technical as well as collaborative skills,” said Johnson. “My focus on equity, inclusion and innovative growth strategies became a winning formula for the selection committee.”
She currently serves as Director of the Pinellas County Office of Small Business & Supplier Diversity and was one of six candidates to make the short list, three of them local.
Dozens of well wishers voiced support for her candidacy, including the two largest cities in Pinellas County. St. Petersburg Deputy Mayor Dr. Kanika Tomalin wrote a support letter for Johnson on behalf of the city. Praising Johnson for her record of innovation and collaborative, Tomalin stressed Johnson’s ability to connect with diverse audiences.
“Whether she is presenting to the area’s most elite executives in a Chamber of Commerce Board meeting or explaining to a fledgling entrepreneur how to access and diversify the community’s supply chain, she does so with command, poise, and relatable next-level competence,” wrote Tomalin.
Burton led the selection process, with broad-based input from members of the Pinellas County Economic Development Council, along with County Commissioners and staff.
Dr. Tonjua Williams, President of St. Petersburg College, is one of 50-plus members of the Economic Development Council. She described Johnson as a “strategic problem solver committed to bringing new ideas and new businesses to our area” in her June 8th letter to members of the selection committee.
Johnson is credited as a key player behind the county’s recent surge in procurement from small businesses enterprises (SBEs) under a new program spearheaded by former County Commissioner and current St. Petersburg mayoral candidate Ken Welch.
Upon hearing the news, Welch commented, “Dr. Johnson’s technical expertise, combined with her passion for equitable and inclusive economic development, makes her the right person for the job. She brings an accomplished record of diversity, high performance standards, accountability, and return on investment for taxpayers. This is a great day for our community!”
The new SBE program has multiplied County purchasing from SBEs, including firms owned by women, minorities, and veterans. County procurement from small businesses increased from roughly $230,000 in 2018 to $7.1 million in 2019 (and over $20 million in 2020, as of last October). The program has also tripled the number of minority-owned firms earning County contracts.
Pinellas County Commissioner Rene Flowers issued a statement regarding the decision: “Pinellas County has taken the lead on traversing new boundaries in growing the economy so that all segments of our community prosper. The selection of Dr. Cynthia Johnson as the new Director of the Pinellas County Economic Development department is groundbreaking! Shepherding the county’s SBE program to over $20 million in business, linking small minority and women owned businesses, and leading growth opportunities for Fortune 500 corporations only prove that we are on the right trajectory.”
Johnson will assume her new post this fall, putting her at the helm of a department with 33 staff and an annual budget of $10.5 million.
About Dr. Cynthia Johnson
Dr. Cynthia Johnson is a native of St. Petersburg, Florida, and has worked for Pinellas County government since the year 2000. Most recently, she held the dual role of Director of the Office of Small Business and Supplier Diversity and Director of the Florida Small Business Development Center at Pinellas County. She holds a Doctor of Education Degree in Educational Leadership, with a concentration in Organizational Change and a Master’s Degree in Educational Leadership, both from Nova Southeastern University, along with a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Florida Memorial University, and an Associate of Arts Degree in Human Resources from St. Petersburg College.
In professional and community leadership, Dr. Johnson’s roles include service on the boards of R’Club and Louise Graham Regeneration Center, and as a member of St. Petersburg’s One Community Plan Development Committee and of the Grow Smarter Steering Committee at the St. Petersburg Area Chamber. Past leadership roles include Chair of the Enterprise Florida Urban Working Group, Chair of Small Business Vendor Relations for NFL Super Bowl XLIII, and member of the Moffitt Cancer Center African American Advisory Board, among others. Dr. Johnson is a member of the St. Petersburg Chapter of the Links and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Incorporated.
