Governor Ron DeSantis has appointed former Boeing senior manager Robert Marinan and reappointed Gordon Fornell and James Wood to the Mid-Bay Bridge Authority, a state-established independent district that manages bridge operations and toll collection.
The Mid-Bay Bridge Authority, created in 1986, is responsible for planning, constructing, operating, and maintaining the bridge across Choctawhatchee Bay. The authority works in partnership with the Florida Department of Transportation through a lease-purchase agreement, with the department handling operations and maintenance funded by toll revenues.
- The appointments bring together three retired military officers to serve on the authority’s five-member voting board.
Marinan, of Destin, served as a Lieutenant Colonel in the U.S. Air Force before working as a senior manager at Boeing. He currently serves on the Defense Support Initiative, where he previously served as chair, and is a member of the Niceville-Valparaiso Chamber of Commerce.
Fornell, from Niceville, retired from the U.S. Air Force as a Lieutenant General. He serves on the Defense Support Initiative and participates in both the Okaloosa County and Niceville Military Affairs Committees.
Wood, a Destin resident and former city council member, retired from the U.S. Army as a Lieutenant Colonel. His military service earned him multiple honors, including the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, and Joint Services Achievement Medal.
All three appointees hold advanced degrees, with Marinan and Wood earning master’s degrees in public administration from the University of West Florida and Auburn University, respectively. Fornell completed his master’s degree in public policy and transportation at the University of Pennsylvania.
