MANNY DIAZ JR.

PRESIDENT, UNIVERSITY OF WEST FLORIDA, PENSACOLA

UWF serves as an economic engine for Northwest Florida, boosting visibility through programs such as cybersecurity and its newly established civil engineering program. With enrollment topping 15,000 students, it employs 3,000 people and has a $1.4-billion annual economic impact on the region. It also garners national recognition for military-affiliated support. The university's seventh president, Diaz assumed the permanent leadership role in February following a term as interim president. An ally of Gov. Ron DeSantis, he's a lifelong educator, a former Florida education commissioner and a former state representative and state senator. At UWF, he succeeded longtime president Martha Saunders, who stepped down last year.

EDUCATION: St. Thomas University (BA), Nova Southeastern University (MA)

NOTABLE TREND: Artificial intelligence is a notable trend, as it is in many industries right now. Earlier this year, UWF expanded its nationally recognized Center for Cybersecurity to incorporate AI. By formally integrating AI with cybersecurity, UWF is addressing urgent workforce and security challenges that arise as digital systems become increasingly intelligent.

IN MY DOWNTIME: Something that may surprise people is how much I enjoy the outdoors. I've always been a sports fan and college athlete — especially baseball — and I enjoy catching games whenever I can. I also spend time camping, fishing, hunting and outdoor time with my family.

PERSONAL RESET
“In baseball terms, forget about the last at-bat and focus on the day in front of you.”