Business Journal: Key Players
Freeport and DeFuniak Springs are poised for growth and economic prosperity, but this effort has not happened by chance. Several local leaders and developers are paving the way, as well as preparing for possible challenges:{mosimage}
Scott Brannon
Brannon is a former member of the Freeport City Council, now serving as chairman of the Walton County Commission. The Florida State University graduate was elected to the commission in 2004 and has been appointed to the Okaloosa-Walton Transportation Planning Organization and the Tourist Development Council Board of Directors. He is a partner in his family’s real estate and construction company and is a Realtor with Naylor Realty of DeFuniak Springs.
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Latilda Henninger
Henninger manages growth and development as the city planner of Freeport. She took the job in 2005 after eight years as the Walton County planning director. She also previously served an assistant planner in Jackson County. Henninger is a native of Northwest Florida and graduated from Chipola Junior College and Florida State University.
She now is working to ensure that growth in Freeport does not change the city’s historic character, while allowing for rapid expansion over the next 10 years.
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Dawn Moliterno
Moliterno joined the Walton County Chamber of Commerce as president and CEO in October 2005. She has more than 20 years of experience in leading organizations through competitive challenges, organizational change, strategic planning and marketing, and she is a frequent speaker at American Chamber of Commerce Executives events. Moliterno graduated from Scottsdale University and is certified in leadership development.
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Jay Odom
Odom owns Crystal Beach Development, the Destin-based parent company of nearly a dozen real estate and construction-related businesses in Northwest Florida. He currently is developing the 3,000-acre Hammock Bay community in Freeport. Odom was born in Nagoya, Japan, and moved to Florida with his family soon after. He attended Okaloosa-Walton Community College before earning a bachelor’s degree in ocean engineering from Florida Atlantic University.
Greg Scoville
Scoville took over as the city planner for DeFuniak Springs in early 2006 after working in the planning departments of Walton County and the city of Oldsmar in Pinellas County. His priority for the near future will be guiding the expansion of DeFuniak Springs’ gas, water and sewer infrastructure to keep up with planned developments south of Interstate 10.
