PORT ST. JOE — Preble-Rish Consulting Engineers welcomed a new leader Monday, who brings both public and private-sector experience to the company.
Cliff Wilson, who most recently served as interim secretary of the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FDEP), took the reins from former president Ralph Rish, who will stay on with the company as board chairman.
Wilson worked as a project manager for Preble-Rish between 2005 and 2011, before becoming an FDEP administrator. Between 2011 and 2014, Wilson also held positions as assistant director for the Northwest Region, assistant deputy secretary for land and recreation, and deputy secretary of regulatory programs for the department.
Rish described Wilson as a stand-out employee during his time at the Preble-Rish.
“One thing we asked when he left is to give us the first shot when he decided to get out of public service,” said Rish, adding that Wilson kept his promise after he resigned from FDEP. “He asked me what position I thought he fit into at Preble-Rish and I said mine.”
Founded in 1991, Preble-Rish now has 14 offices in Florida and Alabama, and one in Haiti, where the firm is completing a series of stormwater projects. The company has about 105 employees.
Rish said he sees great things for the company under Wilson’s leadership.
“He’s great at business administration, business management, business development,” he said. “I just think he’ll do great things for our company and take it to levels we haven’t seen yet.”
With both public- and private-sector engineering experience, Wilson said hopes to help bridge the gap between the two.
“Having an opportunity to be on both sides has really helped me understand and have great visibility of the big picture,” he said. “That has been the biggest gain from my perspective, understanding the challenges ... and bridging the gap.”
Wilson, a Panama City resident, said he admires Preble-Rish’s investment in the region.
“One of the things that always attracted me to this firm was why they do the business they do,” Wilson said. “We have such an investment in our local communities as an engineering firm. We’ve always had the interest of our clients and our stakeholders as the top priority.”