Talk about a banner 10 days.
Last weekend, Mike Hightower’s cherished 21-month-old granddaughter, Gracie, said “grandpa” — or something close to it — two times.
On Wednesday, he and his wife, Sue, celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary at a quiet dinner at a restaurant near their new house.
And earlier that day, he was offered the job as chief public affairs officer at JEA, a place he spent nearly 16 years on the board.
It is an intriguing opportunity for the 70-year-old Hightower, who’s already had what he describes as “the most extraordinary career.”
Hightower built his reputation and influence during 34 years of lobbying for Florida Blue and decades of raising millions of dollars and shaping candidates for the Republican party.
He failed at retirement from Florida Blue after just four months, joining Holland & Knight as a senior policy adviser in December.
Recently, he was approached by a couple of people about the JEA job being vacated by Bud Para, who retired in June.
Hightower talked to Paul McElroy, the utility’s CEO, who explained the process of the utility’s national search.
Because Hightower heard about the job early, he had about a month to consider whether to apply. Leaving Holland & Knight, where he was enjoying being a non-lawyer in a lawyer’s world, was difficult to consider.
The firm had been supportive from the start, making Hightower feel like a long-time member of the team. As gracious, understanding and encouraging as they were when he joined the firm, he said they were even more so when he told them about JEA.
His wife gave him simple advice: Just make sure you’re happy.
Hightower applied nine minutes before the deadline.
The process was extensive, including an interview scheduled for two hours that ended up being almost four hours and a corporate industrial psychology test that took the better part of a day.
Hightower described the latter as a “humbling experience” that he likened to a combination of taking the college entrance exam and his first week at Air Force basic training.
He left there thinking he hadn’t done well on the test.
McElroy’s call Wednesday proved otherwise and brought Hightower back to JEA at a time when the utility faces a series of challenges.
Hightower said those challenges include renegotiating the utility’s contract with the city about JEA’s annual contribution, which is slated to be $114 million in fiscal 2015-16.
He said the utility also will have to address new federal regulations limiting carbon pollution from the nation’s power plants.
The news release said Hightower will work with a 65-member staff, that handles local, state and federal legislative and regulatory policy issues. His salary is $199,000.
“Mike brings a unique and relevant skill set of knowledge and experience as well as a passion for JEA’s mission and vision,” McElroy said in a news release.
Hightower said the reputation and expertise of the public affairs team is “nothing less than outstanding on multiple levels.”
He leaves Holland & Knight on Sept. 18 and starts at JEA on Sept. 21.
It’s only a short weekend to rest up for his new venture, but plenty of time to turn him “into a bucket of mush” when Gracie says grandpa — or something close to it.
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