Over 50 people applied to be on the new GRU Authority board. Here's the full list

There were 51 people who applied for the new governor-appointed Gainesville Regional Utilities Authority board, documents obtained by The Gainesville Sun show.

After months of attempting to secure the applicant list before the appointments were made, The Sun, with the help of legal assistance, obtained 393 pages of applications detailing why each person felt they were best suited for the board.

Among the applicants were several utility experts and former GRU employees, including its former general manager Ed Bielarski, who mentioned his book “The City That Lost Control” in his application, and Thomas Brown, the former GRU chief operating officer. There were other notable names on the list, including local Republican strategist Stafford Jones, former Gainesville commissioners Harvey Budd and Todd Chase, and former Newberry Mayor Bill Conrad. Other applicants included a Winn-Dixie store manager and frequent City Hall critics Nathan Skop, Jim Konish and Anne Orlando.

The records show the governor's office appeared to struggle to make appointments to the authority board, as only 26 known Republicans applied with even fewer having utility experience or knowledge of the industry.

Gov Ron DeSantis had a 60-day window to appoint people after the closing of the nomination period. On Sept. 26, the state announced three of the five appointees with the final two coming afterward and just hours before the board met for the first time. Those two names, Craig Carter and Tara Ezzell, in addition to another, filed applications after the process had closed.

The Sun has also previously reported that most of the appointees are at odds with House Bill 1645's language, as four of the appointees don't live in the city. The board's structure is supposed to match the representation of GRU's customer base, with only one living outside city limits. Since then, Ezzell withdrew from the board, as she wasn't a city resident or a GRU electric customer as required. Another member has also threatened to resign. Ezzell's seat remains vacant.

A pending lawsuit is challenging the appointments and creation of the board.

More: GRU Authority board member resigns after residency requirements questioned

Full applicant list

Craig E. Carter

Party: Republican

Occupation: Former Gainesville commissioner, commercial sales associate

References: James Stanley, Jeremy Scheer, Dean Cheshire

Tara I. Ezzell

Party: Republican

Occupation: MD, dermatologist

References: Susan Crowly, J.K. “Jess” Irby, Sherry Kitchens

Todd N. Chase

Party: Republican

Occupation: Former Gainesville commissioner, real estate managing director

References: Sam Coons, Doug Wilcox, John Fleming

Julie R. Waldman

Party: Republican

Occupation: Deputy center administrator at Agency for Persons with Disabilities

References: Tammy Price, Chuck Clemons, Eric Godet

Jason M. Fischer

Party: Republican

Occupation: Former Florida Representative, Director of innovation at Michael Baker International

References: Ananth Prasad, Ron Howse, Paul Renner

Nathan A. Skop

Party: Republican

Occupation: Assistant state attorney for 18th Judicial Circuit

References: Chuck Clemons, David Kerner, Pedro Allende

James G. Coats IV

Party: Republican

Occupation: CEO Phalanx Defense Systems

References: Craig Carter, Randy Hunziker, Michael Privette

Jason Hurst

Party: Republican

Occupation: Associate Vice President of Colliers International

References: Craig Wilburn, Nicholas Banks, Christian Oldenburg

Christopher E. Lawson

Party: Republican

Occupation: CEO HCA Florida North Florida Hospital

References: Melanie Shore, Eric Godet, Steve Roark

Jo Lee R. Beaty

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Self-employed, B&J Properties II, LLC

References: Ed Braddy, Ken Cornell, Jean Chalmers

Robert J. Karow

Party: Republican

Occupation: Retired

References: Ken Dillon, Gill Autry, Bob Watson

Betty Jo Blades Hickox

Party: Republican

Occupation: CPA at Davis Monk & Company

References: Martha Garcia Baker, Jesse and Pidge Boyles, Jay and Laura Lynch

Fletcher S. Crowe III

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Retired technology consultant

References: Lesley LeBaron, Anita Spring, Rebecca Catallanotto

Paul W. Kremer

Party: Republican

Occupation: Consultant at Milliken Airport Industrial Park

References: Amy Sweeney, Lenny Terry, Jack Ryals

Michael S. Oliver

Party: Republican

Occupation: Vice President at Pro Electric of Gainesville

References: David Browning, Louis Callard, Dean Poole

David C. Hammer

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Principal Consultant at Healthcare Performance Mgt Consultants

References: Harvey Budd, Judy Locascio, Nathan Collier

Phillip W. Pritchett

Party: Not listed

Occupation: Vice President at Pritchett Trucking Inc.

References: Gerald McIntyre, Mike Hall, David Coxwell

Harold L. Monk Jr.

Party: Republican

Occupation: Partner at Car Riggs & Ingram

References: Jody Davis, Ginger Bigbie, Richard Withers

Anne M. Orlando

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Owner of Atlas Screen Printing

References: Ray Washington, Nathan Skop, Brian O’Brien

William ‘Stafford’ Jones

Party: Republican

Occupation: State Committeeman for Alachua County Republican Party, CEO of Electioneering Consulting, Inc. and Data Systems of North Florida, Inc.

References: Chuck Clemons, Emery Gainey, Robert Woody

Barry M. Jacobson

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Former chair of city of Gainesville Utility Advisory Board

References: Tony Cunningham, Kevin Endres, Jeff Montgomery

Jeffrey M. Lundeen

Party: Republican

Occupation: Renovation consultant

References: Erbie A. Garrett, Kenneth H. McArn, Emery Swearingen

Jason C. Fults 

Party: Democrat

Occupation: E-learning support specialist at University of Florida IT

References: Wendell Porter, Marianne Schmink, James Ingle

Harvey M. Budd

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Former Gainesville commissioner

References: Todd Chase, Craig Carter, Michael Curry

Mark Helms

Party: NPA

References: Curtis Reynolds, Mark Kaplin, David Brandon

William E. Wheeler Jr.

Party: Republican

Occupation: GRU shift supervisor

References: Ted Yoho, Al Hammond, Tom Rafter

Bradley R. Scott 

Party: Republican

Occupation: Owner of Environmental Permitting Services LLC.

References: Robbery Worley, James, Wilson, Robert Ellis

Thomas R. Brown

Party: NPA

Occupation: Former GRU chief operating officer

References: None listed

Donald L. Rockwood

Party: Republican

Occupation: President of Florida FGT LLC.

References: Wayne Smith, Martin Ellis, Eric Hoyer

Robert L. Baird Jr.

Party: Republican

Occupation: Director facility operations at UF Health Shands Hospital

References: Rick Staab, Brad Pollitt, Chuck Heidt

Edward J. Bielarski Jr.

Party: NPA

Occupation: Former GRU general manager

References: Todd Chase, David Denslow, Richard Sadove

Anthony C. Johnson

Party: NPA

Occupation: Owner of Information Technology Industry

References: Jo Beaty, Johns Jones, Steve Malco

William H. Conrad

Party: Not listed

Occupation: Former Newberry mayor

References: Mike New, Homer C. Willamson, Bill Belote

Joseph W. North

Party: Republican

Occupation: Former GRU maintenance manager for Kelly Plant.

References: Caleb Hanssen, Craig Ridaught, Robert Ayres

Brett C. Tambling

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Owner of Business Technology Consultant

References: David Bryant, Carrie Cellon, Mark van Soestbergen

Neal C. Gallagher

Party: Not listed

Occupation: Former dean of UCF’s College of Engineering and Computer Science

References: Edward Delp, Hoard Siegel, Louis Scharf

Daniel S. Richman

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Web developer

References: Sean Walsh, Katie Heysel, Weldon Albright

Jeffrey D. Render

Party: Republican

Occupation: Surgeon at Florida Department of Corrections

References: Robert Roundtree, Bertram Hughes, David Shapiro

William T. Anderson

Party: NPA

Occupation: Retired, telecommunications research with Bell Labs

References: David Patterson, Kathy Benton, Charles Courtney

John E. Paul

Party: Not listed

Occupation: Former Florida Power and Light telecommunications manager

References: Richard Walje, Jack Woodall, John Devault

Kinnon Thomas

Party: Not listed

Occupation: President of Thomas Sound Group

References: Mark Sexton, Eric Godet, Stafford Jones

James J. Konish

Party: NPA

Occupation: Real Estate owner

References: Keith Perry, Chuck Clemons, Robert Rush

Raymond J. McKnight

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Former store manager of Winn-Dixie

References: Selwyn Crawford, Gregory Brock, Darrell Johnson,

Fay T. McKnight

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Owner of McKnight Insurance Agency

References: Jean Kiner, C. Ann Scott, Judith Lightsey

Gwendolyn W. Stone

Party: Democrat

Occupation: Retired

References: Jeff Dreisin, Patti Travis, David Ford

Daniel B. Neal

Party: Not listed

Occupation: Project manager at city of Gainesville

References: Janel Hastings, Monica Deel, Deborah Bowie

Bryan C. Engebretsen

Party: Republican

Occupation: IT engineer at ADT Security

References: Victor Harris, Jonathan Pritt, Jared Tanner

William R. Bethea

Party: Not listed

Occupation: Mechanical engineer/manager at Akea Design Inc.

References: Robert Mames, Christopher Patrick, Timothy Murray

Michael W. Turner

Party: Republican

Occupation: CPA/self-employed

References: Robert Franks, Anthony Allo, Sean McCarty

Douglas C. Beck

Party: Republican

Occupation: Retired GRU utility safety and training officer

References: Mike Preston, Jacob Faul

This article originally appeared on The Gainesville Sun: See all 51 applicants to the new GRU Authority board