Florida Officials Select Meeks as Citizens Property Insurance’s Inspector General

Florida Gov. Rick Scott and members of the Florida Cabinet announced Bruce Meeks has been selected to fill the newly created post of inspector general for Citizens Property Insurance Corp., the state’s largest insurance company and a taxpayer-backed entity.

The inspector general position for Citizens Property Insurance was created as part of Florida’s legislation SB 1770, which aims to reform and slow the growth of the state-backed insurer.

After signing of SB 1770 into law last May, Gov. Scott tasked Florida’s Chief Inspector General Melinda Miguel with conducting a nationwide search for Citizens’ inspector general. Gov. Scott’s office Tuesday described the inspector general position as “a stewardship role” that is a key part of the legislation that reforms Citizens.

On behalf of the governor and members of the financial services commission, the nationwide search for Citizens’ inspector general was coordinated by a selection committee consisting of the governor’s chief inspector general, the inspector general from the state’s Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater’s office and the inspector general from the Office of Insurance Regulation.

Meeks has been serving as a partner at the Tallahassee, Fla.-based law firm of Robert and Meeks. He was previously the inspector general for the State Board of Administration from 2002-2010. Meeks also served in the Florida attorney general’s office as the deputy executive attorney general from 1998-2002, and as personnel director for the office of attorney general from 1995-1998.

“We’ve worked hard to make Citizens more accountable to Florida families and we expect Bruce to increase accountability and responsibility at Citizens Property Insurance,” Gov. Scott said.

“I would like to thank Melinda Miguel and everyone involved in identifying candidates for this position who would best serve the taxpayers of Florida,” Gov. Scott said.

Chief Financial Officer Atwater said Meeks’ appointment is a great step towards ensuring that the management and employees of Citizens are held to the highest ethical standards and operate in full transparency. “I am confident he will be a catalyst for greater accountability, integrity and efficiency,” Atwater said.

“Any time we increase transparency and oversight capabilities at Citizens, we improve the public confidence and everybody benefits,” said Chris Gardner, chairman of Citizens Board of Governors. “I look forward to working with Mr. Meeks and know I speak for the board by wishing him good luck in his new endeavors. He has our full support,” he said.

Topics Florida Property