MELISSA SEIXAS

PRESIDENT, DUKE ENERGY FLORIDA, ST. PETERSBURG

Duke Energy Florida serves 2 million retail customers and powers the lives of more than 4 million people in 35 counties. It has about 3,700 employees. Seixas has nearly 40 years of service and has been the president of the company since 2021.

EDUCATION: Eckerd College (BA), University of South Florida (MA)

IF I WERE GOVERNOR: I would continue the focus on storm preparation and response. We learn from every storm and work to improve our response and power restoration.

READING/LISTENING: I recently finished You Don’t Belong Here, by Elizabeth Becker, about female journalists during the Vietnam Conflict, and I love the BBC’s History’s Secret Heroes.

MENTOR: People like Dr. Tonjua Williams at St. Petersburg College, Dr. Peter Betzer, Mayor Ken Welch, Dr. Helen Levine and countless others in the St. Pete community. We grew up together and continue to work together decades later.

INSPIRING FLORIDIAN: Several years ago, my husband Greg was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. He was given a 5% chance of surviving. Greg fought through a lengthy medical journey. The doctor had to remove several of his organs in order to save his life. Despite the odds he was given, he survived. He has continued to share his inspirational story with patients at Moffitt Cancer Center.

MOTIVATIONAL MANTRA: The best way to be promoted is being the absolute best at the current job you’re already in.