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Jan. 20, 2010
David Byron, APR, CPRC
Community Services Director

County manager appoints new Airport/ Economic Resources Department director, other leadership positions; County Council to confirm staff Jan. 21 

Frederick (Rick) Karl Jr., one of county government’s senior attorneys, has been tapped by Volusia County Manager Jim Dinneen to head a reorganized department that will oversee operations at Daytona Beach International Airport, the county’s economic development efforts and coastal management.

Karl is among several leadership positions within Volusia County Government that are up for confirmation by the Volusia County Council at its regular meeting Jan. 21 in DeLand.

Karl, an assistant attorney for Volusia County with 28 years of experience in law and business practice, has been chosen by Dinneen as the new director of a reorganized department that includes three divisions - the airport, economic development and coastal. Phil Ehlinger, who has been serving as interim economic development director, will continue in that role as the director of the Economic Development Division. Joe Nolin remains as director of the Coastal Division.

The airport director’s job will become vacant when Dennis McGee retires later this year after more than 31 years with the county airport. McGee will work with Karl to ensure a smooth transition in airport operations.

Other director appointments up for confirmation Jan. 21 are:

• Dona DeMarsh, interim director of the Community Assistance Division, to be named director of the same division. DeMarsh has worked for Volusia County Government since 1991 when she began as an intern in the County Manager’s Office. Other county positions DeMarsh has held include government relations manager, operations manager for the Department of Community Services and acting assistant director of the Ocean Center.
   
• Ehlinger, interim director of Economic Development, to be named director of the same division. Ehlinger has been with the county’s Economic Development Department since October 2002 when he was hired as a special project coordinator/business specialist. Prior to being named interim director in mid-2009, he was a business manager in the division.
   
• Jeaniene Jennings, acting director of the Purchasing and Contracts Division, to be named director of the same division. Jennings joined Volusia County Government in November 2002 as a purchasing agent and was promoted to purchasing manager before being named acting director in late 2009.

“I’m pleased with how our county manager continues to use our existing human resources to fill many of the county’s essential functions, drawing upon their collective experiences in other positions within business and the county,” said Volusia County Chair Frank Bruno. “Of course, these moves also save on the county’s bottom line - decisions that are imperative in our challenging budget situation. Jim has used these opportunities to groom dedicated employees for leadership positions and strongly believes in the value of promoting from within.”

Karl joined the county’s legal department under County Attorney Dan Eckert in November 2004. Prior to joining Volusia County, Karl was an attorney/mediator for Karl Mediation Services Inc. in Tampa (2001-2004) and was vice president and general counsel for a publicly traded NASDAQ company in the same city (1998-2000).

“Rick’s business background and law expertise will benefit greatly the day-to-day operation and strategic long-term planning initiatives in economic development and at our airport,” said Dinneen. “We are pleased we will have the opportunity to use this knowledge in this new capacity.”

Karl received his Juris Doctorate from the University of Florida and is a member of the Volusia County Bar Association.

He is a fifth-generation Daytona Beach native who learned to fly at Daytona Beach International Airport and earned his commercial pilot license in Daytona Beach in 1973. In his position as assistant county attorney, Karl has worked closely with Daytona Beach International Airport, the county’s Coastal Division, Economic Development and the Ocean Center.

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