GRAY SWOOPE
PRESIDENT & CEO, VISIONFIRST ADVISORS, TALLAHASSEE
Swoope started VisionFirst in 2015 with an office in Tallahassee and later that year in Orlando. The firm now has seven employees and works with Florida communities in their economic development endeavors. Swoope was Florida’s Secretary of Commerce and president and CEO of Enterprise Florida from 2011-15. Before that, Swoope served as executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority.
| EDUCATION | Mississippi State University (BS, MBA) |
| SOMETHING SURPRISING | I am a rollercoaster junkie! |
| FLORIDA ISSUE | Financial risk of state’s economy from continuing to be too dependent on a few industry sectors |
| RESOLUTION KEPT | Discovered the personal goals of my late business partner, who died unexpectedly in January, on her desk. I stole one of hers and have kept it since. “I will be thankful every day of my life.” |