Florida TaxWatch Announces 2024 Government Productivity Awards Winners

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. – During a ceremony held in Tallahassee on Tues., Sept. 24, Florida TaxWatch announced the winners of the 2024 Government Productivity Awards, a program designed to inspire, reward, and recognize enterprising state employees whose innovative work has improved state services, boosted productivity, and saved money for Florida taxpayers. Over the past 30 years, more than 16,000 nominations have been submitted, with state employees credited for saving or maximizing nearly $10 billion in state funds. The Government Productivity Awards (GPAs) are made possible through the generosity of Kyra Solutions, Inc., as a presenting sponsor, the partnership of the Florida Council of 100, and the vision of J.E. Davis and A.D. Davis, co-founders of Winn-Dixie Stores Inc., and Florida TaxWatch.

Piyush Patel, CEO, Chairman, and Founder of Kyra Solutions, Inc., and Chair of Florida TaxWatch, said,

"The Government Productivity Awards is a one-of-a-kind program that functions to recognize, reward, and replicate the success of Florida’s most innovative employees. In both my roles at Kyra Solutions – the presenting sponsor – and Florida TaxWatch, I would like to congratulate all the outstanding 2024 award winners and thank them for their dedicated service to the Sunshine State."

Florida Council of 100 President Michael Simas said, “Florida’s business community applauds this year’s Government Productivity Awards nominees and winners, as well as all civil servants who find creative ways to make government more efficient and effective. As the most entrepreneurial state in the nation, Florida is a place where innovation thrives equally in the public and private sectors.”

Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro said, “It is our honor to present the Government Productivity Awards, recognizing and honoring the incredible work, innovative ideas, and clever ingenuity that not only saves taxpayer dollars of our hard-working Floridians, but also supports the notion that many of these inventive solutions come from the public sector serving on the front lines every day. Congratulations to these thought leaders and enthusiastic teams whose accomplishments benefit all Floridians and will influence future government professionals to strive for excellence.”

2024 Government Productivity Award Winners:

• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Agriculture & Aquaculture Producers Natural Disaster Recovery Loan Program
• Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Rural & Family Lands Protection Program Application Modernization
• Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation, Centralized Data & Automation Initiative in the Division of Real Estate
• Florida Division of Emergency Management, Developed the Division of Emergency Management Enterprise System
• Florida Department of Health, Reduced Licensure Approval Times with New Nursing Portal
• Florida Department of Revenue, E-Verify Certification Team
• Florida Department of Transportation, August Redistribution to Capitalize State Infrastructure Bank (SIB)

• Florida Department of Veterans Affairs, Proposed a Weekend Warrior Program
• Florida State University, FSU Sustainable Green Team Established Unique Recycling Programs & A Free Library
• University of Florida, Supporting Students in Distress – Statewide Compliance Training

To learn more about the Government Productivity Awards program, please click here.

About Florida TaxWatch
As an independent, nonpartisan, nonprofit government watchdog and taxpayer research institute for more than forty years and the trusted eyes and ears of Florida taxpayers, Florida TaxWatch works to improve the productivity and accountability of Florida government. Its research recommends productivity enhancements and explains the statewide impact of fiscal and economic policies and practices on taxpayers and businesses. Florida TaxWatch is supported by its membership via voluntary, tax-deductible donations and private grants. Donations provide a solid, lasting foundation that has enabled Florida TaxWatch to bring about a more effective, responsive government that is more accountable to, and productive for, the taxpayers it serves since 1979. For more information, please visit www.floridataxwatch.org.