FEDC is pleased to welcome Florida Secretary of Commerce Alex Kelly. Secretary Kelly will provide a high level differentiation of Commerce and its Direct Support Organization, SelectFlorida prior to delving into Florida's economic development toolkit, project pipeline and marketing efforts. We anticipate time for Q&A.
Secretary at Florida Department of Commerce
J. Alex Kelly currently leads FloridaCommerce as Florida’s Secretary of Commerce. Prior to his appointment, Kelly held the Deputy Chief of Staff role in the Governor’s Office since April 2021.
Kelly has an extensive background and expertise in education and economic development having served as the Vice President for the Foundation of Excellence in Education and the Chief of Staff to then-Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran in 2019.
In total, Kelly held roles in the Florida House of Representatives on the three occasions and in the Florida Senate, including Staff Director for the Redistricting Committee in the Florida House of Representatives and Chief Analyst for the House’s Select Policy Council on Strategic & Economic Planning. He served as the Chief of Staff for the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, and Legislative Affairs Director at the Florida Department of Corrections and the Florida Department of Elder Affairs.
Kelly earned both a bachelor’s degree in political science from York University of Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in political science from the University of Florida.
