J. Ben Watkins III

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     Mr. Watkins was appointed by the Governor and confirmed by the Cabinet as Director of the State of Florida Division of Bond Finance in July of 1995 and reappointed by Governor Bush in January, 1999. The Division of Bond Finance is responsible for issuing bonds for the State of Florida and advising on debt management policies for the State. The Division administers bonding programs for the Departments of Education, Transportation, Environmental Protection and Management Services as well as borrowings for the State University System, Florida Turnpike System, Florida Prison Financing Corporation, and the State Comptroller’s consolidated equipment financing program. The Division is also responsible for allocating the private activity bond volume cap, maintaining a local government reporting system for bond issues, calculating federal arbitrage rebate liabilities and developing a system to insure compliance with the SEC’s secondary market continuing disclosure requirements. Mr. Watkins advises on legislative and financial issues involving various new financing programs such as the securitization of the tobacco settlement payments, leveraging the State revolving loan fund for wastewater facilities, financing the underground storage tank clean-up, Hurricane Catastrophe Fund, and privatizing the Special Disabilities Trust Fund.
     Prior to joining the Division, Mr. Watkins practiced law with Asbill & Brennan in Atlanta, Georgia. His practice area was concentrated in public finance and he has extensive experience as bond counsel, bank counsel and underwriter’s counsel on taxable and tax-exempt financings.

EDUCATION:
Mr. Watkins received his undergraduate degree in accounting from Auburn University in 1979 and worked as a Certified Public Accountant with Peat Marwick. He went on to attend the University of Florida’s College of Law in 1984 and has been a member of the State Bar of both Florida and Georgia since 1987.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS:
Former Member of the Municipal Securities Rulemaking Board
National Association of State Treasurers – former member of Executive Board
Muni Council – representing the National Association of State Treasurers since 2002
Government Finance Officers Association – former co-chair of several committees
Florida Government Finance Officers Association
National Association of Bond Lawyers

COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES:
Board Member, Tall Timbers Research and Land Conservancy, Inc.
Governor's Mentoring Program
Treasurer, Friends of Leon County Library
Coach 10-12 year old Girls Volleyball and T-Ball
Florida Forest Stewardship Advisory Committee
Florida Council for Advisors for Research and Extension in Natural Resources
Leon County School District Capital Improvement Review Team (CIRT) - Finance Chair
Leon County School District CIRT Citizen's Oversight Committee - Chair