Talmadge G. Jerry Rice Tuesday was unanimously elected by his peers to serve as Governing Board chair of the Southwest Florida Water Management District.
Other Board officers selected include Judith C. Judy Whitehead, vice chair; Jennifer E. Closshey, treasurer; and C.A. “Neil” Combee, Jr., secretary.
Chair Jerry Rice
Rice of Dade City was appointed to the Governing Board in March 2003. He was elected the Boards Treasurer in May 2004. Rice is also chair of the District’s Withlacoochee River Basin Board. His term expires March 1, 2007.
Rice is a native Floridian. He holds a Bachelor of Science with a major in Citrus Production and a Master of Science with a major in Agricultural Economics from the University of Florida in Gainesville.
Before beginning his real estate business, Rice was president and chief operating officer of Lykes Pasco, Inc., and subsequently vice president of government and industry relations for Lykes Bros., Inc. He retired from that position in 1998.
Rice was appointed to the Florida Citrus Commission in 1984 and served until 1995. He was appointed by three different Governors Daniel “Bob” Graham, Robert Martinez and Lawton Chiles. The Commission is the governing board
of the Florida Department of Citrus.
Rice is currently a member of the Greater Lake County Association of Realtors and Sumter County Chamber of Commerce. He has been past president of the Florida Citrus Processors Association, past president of the National Juice Products Association, former board member of the Gulf Citrus
Growers Association, and former member of the Agricultural Technical Advisory Committee of the U. S. Department of Agriculture Foreign Agricultural Service.
Vice Chair Judy Whitehead
Whitehead of Brooksville was appointed to the Governing Board in March 2003. She was elected the Boards Secretary in May 2004. She is also chair of the District’s Coastal Rivers Basin Board. Her term expires March 1, 2007.
Whitehead attended the Business University of Tampa from 1962 to 1963. She is a state certified real estate appraiser in the state of Florida.
Whitehead is a native Floridian and has spent most of her life along the coast in west-central Florida. Prior to real estate appraising, she sold real estate for eight years. Her family is originally from Citrus County.
Treasurer Jennifer Closshey
Closshey of Plant City was appointed to the Governing Board in April 2005. She is also chair of the District’s Alafia River Basin Board. Her term expires March 1, 2009.
Closshey has been a Florida resident since 1956. She received Bachelor of Arts degrees in both Marketing and Business Administration from the University of South Florida. She is a licensed Florida Real Estate Broker.
Closshey is president, CEO, and owner of Ideas & Innovations, Inc., a strategic business consulting firm.
Secretary Neil Combee
Combee of Lakeland was appointed to the Governing Board in April 2005. He is also co-chair of the District’s Peace River Basin Board. His term expires March 1, 2009.
A Polk County native, he graduated from Lakeland High School, and attended Polk Community College and Florida State University. He has a Florida Real Estate license.
Combee continues to work on his familys farm and ranch and is a realtor for Century Companies of Lakeland.