Alex Sink

Florida CFO (Since 2006); Florida gubernatorial candidate (D)

(Alex Sink for Governor)

Why She Matters

After a 26-year career in the private sector, Sink decided to enter the public sector, winning the position of Florida's chief financial officer in 2006.

In 2010, she threw her hat in the ring to become Florida's governor, a seat being vacated by Gov. Charlie Crist (I), billing herself as a can-do businesswoman who would fix Florida's struggling economy while rooting out corruption and streamlining bureaucracy for businesses and citizens.

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Background

At a Glance

Career History: President, Bank of America, Florida operations
Birthday: June 5, 1948
Hometown: Mt. Airy, North Carolina
Alma Mater: Wake Forest University, B.A. (mathematics)
Spouse: Bill McBride

Religion: Presbyterian
Office: P.O. Box 75590 Tampa, Fla. 33675
Email
Web site

Path to Power

Sink worked her way up in the private sector to become president of Florida's largest bank. After a successful 26-year career in business, Sink ran for chief financial officer in 2006, never having sought elected office before. In fact, the first time she ran for office, mail came addressed as "Mr. Sink" and she distributed gold shoe-shaped lapel pins to try and get the women's vote.

As the state's elected CFO, Sink oversees approximately 2,000 employees and an annual budget of $200 million in the state Department of Financial Services.

The Issues

In her bid to assume control of one of the most populous and politically-important states in the country, Sink - like other 2010 candidates, and her GOP foe, health-care executive Rick Scott - is emphasizing her work in the private sector. She says she is not a "career politician." In 2010, it's a somewhat unusual approach for a Democrat.

"With a business executive behind the Governor's desk, Florida will have a no-nonsense, visionary leader who understands how to work with Florida's small businesses, entrepreneurs, and working families to create jobs and build a stronger foundation for the 21st century," says her campaign.

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"Alex Sink's Business Plan for Florida is based on the fundamentals of economic success and accountability that she learned as a business and civic leader."

Such business-oriented steps include creating a "Florida Performance Score Card" that would, among other things, measure how Florida compares to national benchmarks or standards.

Jobs and The Economy

In order to boost the economy in the short-term, Sink would "stabilize and expand small businesses;" "incentivize Employers to Keep Jobs Here and Start Expanding Again;" and "Spur Economic Sectors That Create Jobs Quickly."

In the long-term, Sink wants to provide a" stronger emphasis on R&D and commercialization of new products;" "boost partnerships between our university faculty and private industry;" and be a governor and "economic ambassador."

Government Reform

Sink is also campaigning on a platform of slashing government spending and streamlining bureaucracy, for both citizens and businesses.

She wants to: simplify "bureaucratic regulations and consolidating similar services;" create a nonpartisan government accountability office; "routinely" assess "the return on investment taxpayers are getting in state government and ensuring that Florida gets our fair share of federal dollars."

Education

A self-professed former PTA mom and former math teacher, Sink says it's unacceptable that Florida's high-school graduation rates fall below the national average.

As governor, she believes in: "fully investing in our schools from pre-K to the university level; " teaching to the "individual" instead of "teaching to the test;" any discussion of education reform should include merit pay for teachers and include talk about charter schools.

Ethics

As governor, Sink is pledging to fight corruption and increase ethics standards.

She wants to ban gifts from lobbyists to state agency employees, require greater disclosure for state contractors, increase the powers of the state ethics commission and increase penalties for infractions.

She wants full disclosure of state party credit-card spending, ban no-bid contracts to campaign consultants and staff and expand the whistleblower act to cover leaks to the media.

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