by Karen Brune Mathis
Managing Editor
Retired JEA Chief Public Affairs Officer Teala Milton Johnson arrived at the San Jose Country Club Friday night thinking she was attending an event that would include State Sen. John Thrasher.
Instead, she was surprised by about 60 people celebrating her retirement at the end of January, marking what some said was her third try at it.
After several speakers said retirement was just the next step for the veteran lobbyist, Johnson said she didn’t know what would happen, but “I’ve enjoyed sleeping in every day.”
Speakers included former boss Delores Kesler, former lobbying partner Marsha Cantrell, JEA successor Bud Para, longtime friend Martha Barrett and Blue Cross and Blue Shield lobbyist Mike Hightower.
“I consider this a next step,” said Kesler, founder of AccuStaff, which grew into MPS Group and is now owned by Adecco Group.
Johnson said she, Hightower and Barrett composed “The Three Musketeers.”
Cantrell recalled working with Johnson years ago in the state capital, lobbying the Legislature.
“We lobbied in Tallahassee for the business community. We represented, of all things, the bastion of male dominance, the banking industry,” said Cantrell.
With the majority of lobbyists male, Cantrell said she and Johnson didn’t flinch. “We decided whatever they did, we could do better.”
“We worked as a team in Tallahassee,” said Johnson. “I would do three cartwheels and the splits and she would go in and explain the bill.”
Johnson said she was chief lobbyist in Tallahassee for Citigroup and Cantrell was chief lobbyist for Bank of America. “It was a heady time,” said Johnson.
Para, who was director of legislative affairs with Johnson for nine years, said Friday that JEA had just finished two days of business strategy sessions.
“(Vice President) Mike Brost looked at my shoes and said, ‘your shoes aren’t nearly as interesting as Teala’s,’” said Para, adding that he owns just two pairs while Johnson wears that many before lunch.
Para recalled that Johnson recruited him to the post. “She reached to me, an engineer, and said, ‘I’m going to put you in politics.’”
Johnson began her career with JEA in September 2001 as vice president of regulatory and legislative services. Before that, she served as vice president of the state government relations division of Citigroup Inc. in Jacksonville and was responsible for state government relations issues for 10 southeastern states.
Johnson has also served as vice president of law and government affairs of AT&T Universal Card Services in Jacksonville; vice president of corporate development of AccuStaff Inc. in Jacksonville; and senior vice president of public affairs of Florida National Banks of Florida. She chaired the Jacksonville Port Authority in the late 1990s as well.
Johnson’s new husband, Ted, arranged the surprise with the help of JEA Government Relations Coordinator Renee Barlow. Teala and Ted Johnson’s family also attended. Johnson’s former husband, Charlie Milton, died in 2005 after a long illness.
She recalled the moment she got to know Johnson at a Rotary Club Meeting. “I sat next to Ted and I knew right then I was going to marry this man,” she said.
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