Port Tampa Bay Welcomes New Chief Of Staff

TAMPA, Fla., Feb. 14, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- Port Tampa Bay welcomes Mark "Clay" Clayton Hollis III, as its new Chief of Staff. Hollis begins his position on February 18, 2019.

Hollis most recently served as the External Affairs Director for former Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam and previously as Senior Legislative Assistant to Florida Congressman Tom Rooney.

"Clay has a sharp understanding of complex issues at both the federal and state level," said Port Tampa Bay President/CEO Paul Anderson. "We welcome his leadership and extensive experience to this important role."

As the Chief of Staff for Port Tampa Bay, Hollis will be responsible for coordinating the operations of the President/CEO's office as well as assisting the Port's Executive Team in the management of public affairs with Hillsborough County, The City of Tampa and the State of Florida. Additionally, he will also serve as a liaison to the Governor and state executive branch. Other responsibilities include preparation of the President/CEO's vision and plans while spearheading initiatives for Port business leaders and stakeholders.

As External Affairs Director for Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam, Hollis represented Commissioner Putnam at industry functions, trade organizations and legislative delegations. Hollis served directly between the Commissioner and various industry groups throughout the state.

Prior to that role, Hollis worked as Senior Legislative Assistant for Florida Congressman Tom Rooney, handling maritime-related issues involving the Army Corp of Engineers and transportation. He also managed member work on the House Appropriations subcommittee on Agriculture, Rural Development and the Food & Drug Administration. Additionally he performed oversight analysis of agency spending for annual budget hearings.

Hollis is a graduate of Southern Methodist University in Dallas, TX.

He replaces Jamal Sowell who was tapped by Governor Ron DeSantis to lead the economic development agency Enterprise Florida.

About Port Tampa Bay
Port Tampa Bay is Florida's largest port, supporting nearly 85,000 jobs and generating over $17 billion in annual economic impact. In addition to being a top 10 U.S. cruise port, the port handles a wide array of bulk, break bulk, containers and roll-on/roll-off cargoes, and is a major shipbuilding and repair center. For more information, visit www.portTB.com.

SOURCE Port Tampa Bay