Florida 500

Welcome to the 2022 edition of the Florida 500, a special publication that highlights the 500 most influential executives in different economic sectors throughout the state. This immense, year-long research initiative by the editors of Florida Trend has resulted in a personal, engaging look at the state’s most influential business leaders.

See a full list of 2022’s Influentials

See a list of Categories

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The most-asked question about the Florida 500 each year: When’s the deadline for nominations? We’re glad to have nominations at any point, but early in the year is better. We need to have someone under consideration by February for them to have a real chance of making that year’s list. Those who wish to suggest someone should read the publication to get a sense of what we’re looking for.

Our high standards remain the same: We organize our selections using broad economic categories from the U.S. Department of Commerce, with the number of influentials in each sector roughly proportional to a category’s share of the state GDP. Rising to the top job at a big company won’t get you on the list. Longevity matters and visibility doesn’t necessarily mean influence.

We look for individuals who appear to be the kind of people who others in their communities or industry sectors look to for leadership. We don’t include current elected officials in the mix. We don’t include more than three people from any single firm. We don’t look just for statewide figures — Florida, as we note frequently, is a state of regions and communities that differ widely.

We acknowledge that the final picks are necessarily subjective. We do a lot of reading and informal consultation with businesspeople all over the state, but we make the calls. We put people on the list who don’t want to be there, and we leave some off who’d definitely like to be there. Advertising plays no role in our selections.

Making A Difference
Publisher’s Letter

A Sense of Purpose
Editor’s Letter

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The 2022 Florida 500 print edition is now available The editorial staff of Florida Trend recognizes Florida’s most influential business leaders spanning across more than 60 business categories. The editorial selection of the 500 executives was based on extensive contacts in regional business circles, hundreds of interviews and months of research, culminating in a highly selective biographical guide to the people who really run Florida.

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We are currently accepting recommendations for the 2023 Florida 500 issue until March 15.

To share an influential business leader recommendation with the editorial staff of Florida Trend – please complete and submit the information form.

All recommendations will be viewed and considered, but final selection will be made by Florida Trend’s executive editorial team.

The 500 executives are selected based on extensive contacts in regional business circles, multiple interviews, months of research, culminating in a highly selective biographical guide to the people who really run Florida.

Now, in its fifth year, the Florida 500 is the product of year-long research initiative by the editors of Florida Trend resulting in a personal, engaging look at the state’s most influential business leaders across major industries.

Florida Trend’s
Florida 500
490 First Avenue South
St. Petersburg, FL 33701

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