Governor Ron DeSantis has reappointed six current members to the College of Central Florida District Board of Trustees, including military veterans, corporate executives, and a former state representative.

The reappointments, which were issued on May 29, are subject to final confirmation by the Florida Senate. The six returning trustees join Jose Juarez, who was previously appointed to the seven-member board by Gov. DeSantis in August 2025.

The reappointed board members bring a wide range of professional backgrounds to the local institution:

  • Charlie Stone (Chair): The president and owner of Stone Petroleum Products, Inc., Stone is a former member of both the Florida House of Representatives and the Marion County Board of County Commissioners.
  • Joyce Brancato (Vice Chair): An adjunct associate professor with the University of Maryland Global Campus, Brancato previously served as the chief executive officer of Seven Rivers Medical Center.
  • Rusty Branson: The president of SouthState Bank, Branson also sits on the Marion County Hospital District board of directors.
  • Bobby Durrance: A retired administrator and educator for Levy County Public Schools, Durrance is a veteran of the U.S. Marine Corps.
  • Bill Edgar: A self-employed business consultant, Edgar is a veteran of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
  • Fred Roberts Jr.: A partner and attorney for local law firm Klein & Klein, PLLC, Roberts has previously served as a board member for the Marion County Bar Association.

The board will continue to oversee the direction of the college, which serves as the primary higher education hub for Marion, Citrus, and Levy counties.

Founded in 1957 as Central Florida Junior College, the institution originally began instruction in 1958 with just 320 students using temporary facilities at the Marion County Vocational School. Over the decades, the school grew through pivotal changes and expansions that include its 1966 merger with Hampton Junior College and eventual name changes to Central Florida Community College in 1971 and the College of Central Florida in 2010.

Today, CF offers more than 170 academic pathways, spanning certificates, Associate in Arts, Associate in Science, and select bachelor’s degrees aimed at fueling high-skill, high-wage local workforce needs.

The college operates an expansive physical footprint that includes the Ocala Campus, Vintage Farm Campus, Hampton Center, and the Appleton Museum of Art in Marion County, alongside the Citrus Campus in Lecanto and the Levy Campus in Chiefland.

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