FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (July 1, 2026) - The Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance, Broward County’s official public-private partnership for economic development, is proud to announce that Senior Vice President for Business Development David Coddington, will officially begin his term as Chair of the Florida Economic Development Council (FEDC) on July 1, 2026.  

Coddington, who has served as FEDC Chair Elect, succeeds in the outgoing Chair Casey Barnes, regional market and economic development leader for Melbourne, Florida-based architectural and engineering firm BRPH. Barnes will transition into the role of FEDC Foundation Chair. The appointment was first announced in May at the FEDC's annual Ignite Conference in Orlando. 

"Florida's economy is strong, and the FEDC has a critical role to play in ensuring our state remains competitive, connected, and prepared for the future," said Coddington. "Greater Fort Lauderdale has demonstrated what's possible when public and private sectors align around a shared vision of workforce development, job creation, and capital investment. I'm committed to channeling that same energy for every region of Florida,” said Coddington.  

At the Alliance, Coddington leads the team responsible for guiding national and international companies through expansion and relocation decisions in Greater Fort Lauderdale, with particular focus on the aviation and information technology sectors. He is also the founder of South Florida TechGateway, a regional initiative built around the message "Work in the Cloud, Live in the Sun" that promotes the area's technology cluster and supports continued growth of the local tech ecosystem. 

His civic leadership extends well beyond the Alliance. Coddington currently serves on the Broward County Resiliency Steering Committee, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Chamber of Commerce's Council of Economic Advisors, the Nova Southeastern University College of Computing and Engineering Advisory Board, and Broward County Public Schools' STEM + Computer Science Advisory Committee. He previously served on the South Florida Tech Hub Executive Board of Directors, the Leadership Broward Executive Board of Directors, and Leadership Florida's Gold Coast Regional Leadership Committee. 

As FEDC Chair, Coddington will guide implementation of new statewide programming across the organization's three core pillars: Educate, Advocate, and Connect. 

"David Coddington brings a collaborative spirit, strategic vision, and unwavering commitment to advancing economic development across Florida," said Beth Cicchetti, CEcD, Executive Director of the Florida Economic Development Council. "Throughout his career, he has demonstrated an exceptional ability to build partnerships, foster innovation, and create opportunities that strengthen communities. As Board Chair, David will help lead FEDC in advancing our mission to educate, advocate for, and connect Florida's economic development professionals. We congratulate him on this well-deserved leadership role and look forward to working together to strengthen Florida's competitiveness and prosperity for years to come." 

“David is exactly the kind of leader Florida's economic development community needs.” said Greater Fort Lauderdale President and CEO Bob Swindell, who served as FEDC Chair for two consecutive terms from 2014 to 2016. “Having chaired this organization myself, I know firsthand how much the FEDC relies on leaders like David. His record of building regional partnerships, championing innovation, and driving results for Greater Fort Lauderdale makes him exceptionally well-positioned to lead FEDC's mission statewide. We are incredibly proud to see one of our own steps into this role.”