Mike Hightower hired to be government liason at Holland and Knight

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Mike Hightower

John Burr

Editor-in-Chief- Jacksonville Business Journal

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Holland and Knight, a national law firm with extensive business connections across Florida, has hired Mike Hightower to be a senior policy advisor on its Florida Government Advocacy Team.

Hightower, 69, left Florida Blue earlier this year where he served as the insurance company's vice-president of governmental and legislative relations. His resignation as chairman of the JEA Board of Directors was announced earlier Friday.

"Mike is a longtime friend with a considerable amount of industry knowledge and professional working relationships in both Florida and Washington, D.C.," said Bob Martinez in a news release. Martinez is a co-chair of Holland and Knight's Florida Government Advocacy Team and a former Governor of Florida.

"He will be an excellent asset to Holland and Knight going into the next legislative session and beyond," Martinez said. Hightower will work out of the firm's Jacksonville office.

Hightower has a long record of political involvement and fundraising in Florida, and has held key finance positions in more than 580 successful state, local, and federal political campaigns since 1972, the release stated. He worked for Florida Blue for 34 years.