Government Watchdog Honors CFO Jeff Atwater With TaxWatch Co-Founder Phil Lewis Award

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -

In 1977, incoming Senate President Phil Lewis approached Mark Hollis, then Vice Chair of Publix Super Markets, Inc., about the need for a line of communication between the business community and the Legislature. From there, the idea for a government watchdog was born, and Florida TaxWatch (then known as the Citizens Council for Budget Research) was created two years later. Senate President Phil Lewis was not only a founder of Florida TaxWatch but a legislative leader dedicated to making the sunshine state a force to be reckoned with.

Another accomplished statewide leader, CFO Jeff Atwater, was honored on Thursday, April 19th with the Phil Lewis Award. Atwater has been a long-time supporter of Florida TaxWatch, and has shown an immense amount of dedication to improving taxpayer value, government accountability, and citizen understanding while serving the state of Florida as a legislative member and as Chief Financial Officer.

"CFO Jeff Atwater's dedication and stewardship to this great state deserves to be recognized,” said Florida TaxWatch President and CEO Dominic M. Calabro. “It's only fitting that he be awarded the first-ever TaxWatch Co-Founder Phil Lewis Award for his exceptional service to the state of Florida"

CFO Jeff Atwater received this honor at the Florida TaxWatch Principal Leadership Awards during the 2018 TaxWatch Spring Meeting in Orlando, FL. Statewide leaders, Florida TaxWatch supporters, and nine award-winning principals joined Florida TaxWatch in thanking Atwater for his service.