April 10, 2009

Dear Friends,

I am pleased to introduce Mr. Scott Ross to you as our new Deputy Secretary of Business Regulation. He joins the Department of Business and Professional Regulation team and will oversee the divisions of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco, Hotels & Restaurants, Pari-Mutuel Wagering and Florida Condominiums, Timeshares and Mobile Homes. Deputy Secretary Ross will be a great asset to the team.

Deputy Secretary Ross has served as the State Executive Director of the Republican Jewish Coalition, an organization of more than 6,000 members where he was responsible for the day-to-day affairs of the organization. He also served as the Director of Government Relations for the Venetian/Las Vegas Sands Corporation in Las Vegas. He was responsible for working with the government agencies for licensing, expansion and regulatory issues. In that position, Deputy Secretary Ross was instrumental in the licensing of a $3.8 billion resort in Singapore.

Prior to his employment with The Venetian/Las Vegas Sands Corp, he worked as the Executive Director of the Florida Student Association where he successfully lobbied for several critical issues and had the opportunity to testify before the U.S. House of representatives Education and Workforce Subcommittee on 21st Century Competitiveness on two separate occasions.

Deputy Secretary Ross holds a Juris Doctorate Degree from Nova Southeastern University Law School and bachelor's degree from Florida State University, where he has also worked as an adjunct professor.

Deputy Secretary Ross will bring a unique set of skills and knowledge that will fit well with our agency priorities and blend seamlessly with the highly skilled directors who work in our business divisions.

Please take the time to watch the video featuring Deputy Secretary Scott Ross.

I’ll be celebrating Good Friday and Easter Sunday with my family, and for those of you who are doing the same, I wish you a wonderful holiday. For those of you who are celebrating Passover, I hope you are enjoying the time with your friends and families.

Sincerely,

Charles W. Drago
Secretary

Department of Business and
Professional Regulation
1940 North Monroe Street
Tallahassee, Florida 32399
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