Paul Myers, administrator of the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County, is taking his talents to Tallahassee.
Myers began his temporary position as interim deputy secretary for statewide services at the Florida Department of Health on Oct. 1.
The UF alumnus started working for the Alachua County department after graduation. An advertisement in The Gainesville Sun prompted him to apply for a position as an environmental health inspector.
On a Friday the 13th in May 1988, he got the job. He hasn’t left since.
“It’s fascinating to me that 26 years have gone by,” Myers said. “If you had told me when I was hired that I would have been here 26 years later, I would have looked at you and probably smiled.”
Myers has taken many posts since 1988, working as an environmental supervisor, environmental health and epidemiology director, assistant administrator and overall administrator — the position he has held since 2012.
Myers will split his time between Gainesville and Tallahassee until Dec. 31, when a permanent deputy secretary or another interim deputy secretary will be hired.
He welcomes the new challenge of overseeing all 67 counties in Florida, he said.
Myers will also be responsible for overseeing the Division of Public Health Statistics and Performance Management. He takes over for C. Meade Grigg, who is retiring.
“In life, if you ever stop growing, I really believe you start to die,” Myers said. “This was an opportunity to grow and to learn and to contribute, and that appealed to me.”
Tom Belcuore, former administrator of the Florida Department of Health in Alachua County from 1984 to 2008, said he knew Myers would go far in the department from the moment he met him.
“We were very lucky that he decided to come to Alachua County Health Department when he did,” Belcoure said. “He certainly made my life a lot easier.”
Belcoure praised Myers’ ability to work with others and his competitive drive to take on projects and perform at his best — qualities he said will suit Myers well in his new position.
When his term ends, Myers said he has no intention of applying for the permanent position.
“I have no ambition to leave Alachua County,” he said.
[A version of this story ran on page 4 on 10/13/2014]
