Commerce Chief Kelly Named Pensacola State College President

September 22, 2026

Pensacola State College has named. Alex Kelly, Secretary of the Florida Department of Commerce, as the school’s next president.

The Pensacola State College District Board of Trustees voted unanimously on Monday to appoint Kelly, the only finalist.

“Alex understands, as well as anyone in Florida, how education and economic opportunity are connected,” said District Board of Trustees Chair Zack Smith. “Throughout this process, we have seen a leader who listens, understands what employers and communities need and recognizes the extraordinary role Pensacola State plays in creating opportunity for our students and our region. The Board is confident he is the right person to lead PSC into its next chapter.”

Kelly will replace Edward Meadows, who has been president of PSC since 2008. This spring, Meadows announced he would retire at the end of 2026.

DeSantis appointed Kelly as secretary in 2023, after the state folded and rebranded the Department of Economic Opportunity as the Department of Commerce.

For the previous two years, Kelly worked in DeSantis’ office as his deputy chief of staff. Before that, he was chief of staff at the Florida Department of Education to then-Education Commissioner Richard Corcoran.

PSC’s presidential search included 109 applicants from across the country, according to the school. The search committee then selected nine candidates for interviews and four candidates for in-person interviews in Pensacola.

Kelly will visit campus in late September for meetings and forums with students, faculty, staff and community members.

“I am honored by the Board’s confidence and grateful for the warm welcome I have received from the Pensacola State community,” Kelly said. “I have spent my career working to connect people with opportunity, and few institutions do that more directly than colleges like Pensacola State. Our students will be the workforce, entrepreneurs and leaders who shape Northwest Florida’s future. I look forward to working alongside our faculty, staff, employers and community partners to create even more opportunities for them to succeed.”

Kelly joins a number of DeSantis administration members who have taken prominent educational leadership roles the past couple of years.

Most recently this summer, former Education Commissioner Anastasios Kamoutsas was selected the next president of Polk State College.

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Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under FRONT TOP 

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