What Goes Around, Comes Around

Shortly after their election in 1990, Florida Governor Lawton Chiles and Lieutenant Governor Buddy Mackay asked me to join their administration to help them with the renewal of a number of the controversial contracts coming up for renewal in the Florida Lottery.  I had never played the lottery, nor did I vote for it, but I was experienced at negotiating large and complicated contracts.  Upon arriving at the Lottery, I watched the Chiles campaign worker and new Secretary Marcia Mann dismantle a very impressive management team assembled by former Secretary Rebecca Paul, including a bright marketing manager, Cynthia Bowling.  I felt many, if not most of the terminations were a mistake, and told Mann that, but she proceeded to substitute friends of hers that had worked in the Chiles campaign for these experienced professionals–some of which were Democrats.  Fast forward to today…Governor Rick Scott announces a new Secretary at the Florida Lottery…former lottery marketing manager, Cynthia Bowling O’Connell.  What goes around, comes around…and, an excellent  selection.