Scott swoops up Swoope

Gray Swoope, Mississippi's economic development chief, accepted Gov. Rick Scott's offer to become Florida's new president of Enterprise Florida.

The public-private partnership serves as the state's business recruitment arm.

Swoope, a 25-year veteran in economic development, served under Gov. Haley Barbour as executive director of the Mississippi Development Authority. In seven years, Swoope cut the agency's overall budget by 26% and its workforce by 15% while increasing services.

“Bringing new energy and expertise to Florida's economic development activities is an ideal task for which Gray Swooope is well suited,” Scott said in a press release. “I am excited to have him leading the job creation and economic development mission in Florida.”

Swoope is credited with enticing Toyota, PACCAR, GE Aviation, SeverStahl and Automated Data Processing to build facilities in the state.

Previously, Swoope presided over an economic development agency in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from Mississippi State University.

Swoope replaces John Adams, whom Scott fired last month as part of the governor's strategy to focus on job creation and consolidating various state economic development agencies in the governor's office.