Movers and Shakers: Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Selected to Speak at Argus Foundation

SARASOTA – The Argus Foundation, a nonprofit organization dedicated to joining business leaders from diverse industries and leveraging their talents and experience to benefit the community, has selected Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam Putnam to speak at its 2017 Annual Meeting.

During the event on Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017 from 11:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. at the Sarasota Yacht Club, new 2017 officers will also be installed, including new President Jeff Charlotte, First Vice President Jack Cox and Second Vice President Keith Mercier.

Commissioner Putnam oversees the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and serves as a member of Florida’s Cabinet. During the event, the fifth-generation Floridian will address how far Florida has come in the last few years, his long-term vision for the state and the challenges he would like to tackle, including water, education, infrastructure and others.

”I look forward to joining the Argus Foundation’s annual meeting in January,“ said Commissioner Putnam. ”These business and community leaders of Sarasota clearly care about the future of their community and the long-term prosperity of our state. Working together, we can tackle the challenges that come our way, whether it is ensuring we have an adequate supply of water to meet our future needs or providing the educational and training opportunities our children and young adults need to succeed in this increasingly competitive global economy.“

The Argus Foundation aims to educate and stimulate with informative guest speakers who discuss the important issues impacting the community, state and world.

Tickets are $40 for members and $45 for non-members. They are available for purchase here.

About The Argus Foundation

Established in Sarasota in 1983, The Argus Foundation is a nonprofit organization dedicated to joining business leaders from diverse industries and leveraging their talents and experience to benefit the community. The organization, which seeks to facilitate communications between the public and private sectors, has more than 170 members from 50 different industries. For more information, visit ArgusFoundation.org.

About Commissioner Adam Putnam

Adam Putnam was elected to serve a second term as Florida’s Commissioner of Agriculture on Nov. 4, 2014, and was sworn into office on Jan. 6, 2015. In this capacity, he oversees the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and serves as a member of Florida’s Cabinet. Previously, Commissioner Putnam served five terms as Congressman for Florida’s 12th Congressional District in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was recognized as a leader on a variety of issues, including water, energy and government transparency and efficiency. Commissioner Putnam was acknowledged for his efforts to bring comprehensive restoration to the Everglades, reform food safety laws, modernize programs to ensure Florida agriculture remains a leader throughout the nation, and increase access to fresh fruits and vegetables to counter childhood obesity.

While in Congress, the fifth-generation Floridian was elected by his peers to serve as the Republican Policy Chairman during the 109th Congress and Chairman of the House Republican Conference for the 110th Congress, the highest elected leadership position any Floridian of either party has held in Washington. Commissioner Putnam also served as a member of the House Committees on Government Reform, Agriculture, Rules and Financial Services. Before he was elected to Congress, Commissioner Putnam served in the Florida House of Representatives from 1996 to 2000. He graduated from the University of Florida with a Bachelor of Science in food and resource economics.