Appointment special to Hightower

News

by Mike Sharkey

Staff Writer

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida executive Mike Hightower has been appointed to his share of boards and commissions on both the local and state level over the years. He’s served as the chair of the local Republican Party, and he is the current president of Florida House in Washington, D.C. and is on a first-name basis with plenty of major GOP members across the state and in the nation’s capital.

The fact he’s been appointed to another major board is no surprise. But, this one’s from the biggest GOP member in the country — President Bush — and the appointment is especially personal.

“I have been appointed to the Board of Visitors of the United States Naval Academy, which is the equivalent of the board if trustees at the University of Florida or Florida State,” said Hightower from the airport Sunday shortly before a flight to Washington, D.C. “It’s an extraordinary honor on a couple of levels.”

Hightower said the appointment is a tremendous reflection of the White House’s impression of Jacksonville and the city’s importance to the Navy.

“Outside of San Diego, we may be the biggest naval community in the country,” he said. “We have more retired admirals and Annapolis graduates than maybe anywhere on the Eats Coast.

“On a personal level, my father and his three brothers were all in the Navy.”

According to Hightower, his father was stationed in Pearl Harbor aboard the USS Rawling as a 19-year-old gunners mate when the Japanese attacked Dec. 7, 1941.

“He was taking a shower and he was the only one that came out,” said Hightower. “He was not my father at the time, but I vividly remember that story as a kid.”

The possibility of the appointment surfaced several months ago when Hightower was in Washington and went on a tour of the Navy Memorial. He believes no president has supported the U.S. military as a whole to the extent Bush has and said the appointment hasn’t yet sunk in. Though that may come next week when Hightower gets a tour of the Naval Academy before leaving for China for two weeks on the final leg of the Jacksonville Regional Chamber of Commerce’s leadership trip.

“For him (Bush) to ask me to sit on that board, it’s just extraordinary. I am very humbled by it,” said Hightower, whose three-year term expires Dec. 30, 2010. “It’s a unique thing and something I will take very seriously. It’s important, so I better do it right.

“Only six civilians are appointed by the president. The rest (of the appointees) are members of the Senate or the House (of Representatives).”

Hightower has a dinner at the academy scheduled for Sunday followed by a Monday tour. After a late night flight to Jacksonville, he leaves Tuesday for China.

While the appointment is certainly serious, others see it a little lighter and have already inquired about possible perks. Hightower said his son, Parker, has already asked about tickets to the annual Army-Navy game.

Who else was appointed?

According to the Navy, the mission of the United States Naval Academy Board of Visitors is: “To inquire into the state of morale and discipline, curriculum, instruction, physical equipment, fiscal affairs, academic methods and other matters relating to the Naval Academy, and, within 60 days of its annual meeting, to submit its findings and recommendations to the President of the United States.”

In addition to Mike Hightower and one open seat, the following were appointed to the Navy’s Board of Visitors:

By the president

• Craig Duchossis (chair) — CEO, Duchossis Industries Inc.

• Mark Treanor — vice president, general counsel and secretary of Wachovia Corp.

• Nancy Johnson — senior public policy advisor, Baker, Donelson, Bearman, Caldwell & Berkowitz, PC

• Rick Michaels — chairman and CEO of communications, Equity Associates

• Anthony Principi — senior vice president for government relations, Pfizer Inc.

By the vice president

• Sen. Barbara Mikulski of Maryland

• Sen. Thad Cochran of Mississippi

• Sen. Ben Cardin of Maryland

Designees of the chairmen, Senate/House armed services committees