The breaking news yesterday was: Sam Mousa, Chief Administrative Officer for the City of Jacksonville is retiring. Sam, a highly qualified professional with deep roots in Jacksonville is being replaced by the only person in Jacksonville that our Mayor believes is qualified to do anything – Brian Hughes.
Brian Hughes is a newbie to Jacksonville and is now entrenched in the inner workings of Jacksonville politics. He was Mayor Curry’s political consultant and shortly after the Mayor’s win, he became his Chief of Staff.
And then – he was handed the role as the interim CEO for the Downtown Investment Authority. All while doing his job as the Mayor’s Chief of Staff. You see that was necessary because there was no one else qualified in Jacksonville to be interim CEO.
Just wondering Mayor Curry: Are there no other qualified candidates in Jacksonville — with roots dug deep in her soil — that could handle the job better than Brian Hughes? Were others considered for the position? Can you see past those who you surround yourself with and possibly give others a chance at this job as well as the Downtown Investment Authority job?
Do I have a beef with Brian Hughes? Not really. I do believe his campaign consulting tactics were brilliant BUT dirty — very dirty — and I have no respect for dirty politics or dirty politicians. He likes to hammer opponents instead of focusing on their candidates’ expertise and vision. But that’s his game and he’s good at it. He’s so good at it he’s now the highest ranking official in the City of Jacksonville other than the Mayor.
We can only hope that Mr. Hughes will do a good job and will not use his political tactics to run an Administrative Office. You see, Mr. Hughes, the city is not a political machine. It’s our city and deserves to be run like a business.
Since Mayor Curry believes you are the best and brightest for the job – you have some big shoes to fill and we wish you well. And we suggest you put your political hat in the closet and get to work as a true city employee serving the people – not the Mayor.
That’s my opinion. What’s yours?
She craved anything leadership related and enjoyed being around the world of entrepreneurial CEOs. She watched as they made decisions; pondered how they would make payroll when cash flow was tight; and appreciated how they created career opportunities for hundreds of thousands of people. Because of her experiences, she has emerged as a key resource for the media and others who want to understand important insights about executives, management teams and board dynamics.
In 2008, Billie became discouraged as she watched some of her clients struggle with the political economic impacts on their businesses. The same CEOs who mortgaged their home and charged up their credit cards to make ends meet to build a business and keep others working, now watched as their government bailed out the big banks who had mismanaged their resources. She cringed as most of her clients laid off employees for the first time and she vowed she would help them… somehow…someway.
That somehow…someway showed up in the Tea Party Movement in America. She formed one of the largest tea party group’s in America (more than 9,000 members strong) and helped bring attention to America’s debt problem, out of control spending, over taxation and regulation strangulation on companies.
With her background in working with leaders and her influence in the political and leadership world, Billie has continued her dream to help CEOs navigate these troubling waters that permeate the world of capitalism in America.
She has been an active participant in the media as a guest on CNN, Fox News, Fox Business, Bott Family Network Radio and co-hosts a political/financial radio show in the Northeast Florida market entitled, Smart Money.
She was the first speaker at the House of Representatives Tea Party Caucus inaugural event and was invited by Heritage Foundation to speak at their prestigious annual Heritage Resource Bank, and on their National Security Panel live broadcasts.
She spoke at the Congressional Republican House Retreat in Pennsylvania in 2012. She was also the co-host and co-producer of the CNN Tea Party Express Debate in the 2012 Presidential Election.
She is a firm believer that America needs more entrepreneurs and more opportunities for people to use their God-given talents and passions to better themselves, their communities and America.
Her favorite quote has become her mission to help CEOs succeed:
“Vision without execution is hallucination.” – Thomas Edison
