Ex-Lawmaker Adam Hasner Among Finalists for FAU Post

TALLAHASSEE — Former House Majority Leader Adam Hasner is one of three finalists to become president of Florida Atlantic University after five other ex-lawmakers have been appointed to top state higher-education posts in recent years.

An FAU search committee picked Hasner and two longtime academics as finalists following a bumpy process that started after former President John Kelly announced his resignation in 2022. Stacy Volnick, who had been the university’s chief operating officer and vice president for administrative affairs, has served as interim president.

Former House Majority Leader Adam Hasner

Along with Hasner, the other finalists are Michael Hartline, dean of the College of Business at Florida State University, and John Volin, executive vice president for academic affairs and provost at the University of Maine, according to information posted Sunday on the FAU website.

The candidates are expected to take part in campus forums before interviewing with the FAU Board of Trustees. The Boca Raton-based university is looking to schedule the forums during the first week of February.

Hasner, a Palm Beach County Republican, served in the state House from 2002 to 2010, including as majority leader from 2007 to 2010. He is a lawyer and has served as executive vice president of public policy at The GEO Group, a private prison company, since 2016, according to biographical information posted on the FAU website. His previous jobs included chief marketing and communications officer at People’s Trust Insurance.

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In the biographical information he submitted, Hasner cited ties to FAU, including helping establish the university’s College of Medicine and sponsoring a bill to authorize a doctor of medicine degree program.

If selected, Hasner would follow four other ex-lawmakers who have become college and university presidents in recent years. The highest-profile selection was the 2023 appointment of former House Speaker Richard Corcoran as president of New College of Florida, which is part of the university system.

Last year, former Rep. Mel Ponder, R-Destin, was chosen to become president of Northwest Florida State College, and former Rep. Tommy Gregory, R-Lakewood Ranch, became president of State College of Florida, Manatee-Sarasota. In 2023, former Rep. Fred Hawkins, R-St. Cloud, became president of South Florida State College.

In addition, state university system Chancellor Ray Rodrigues was selected for that job in 2022 after serving in the Senate and the House.

The selection of the three FAU finalists came after a long process. In 2023, the school named three finalists, including Hartline, for the presidency. But Rodrigues directed that the process be put on hold because he alleged aspects of the search violated state law.

The university system’s Board of Governors in December 2023 ordered that FAU restart the search.

Meanwhile, Broward College has named two finalists for its presidency, including Torey Alston, a former chief of staff at the Florida Department of Transportation who also was appointed by Gov. Ron DeSantis in 2021 to the Broward County Commission and in 2022 to the Broward County School Board, according to the Broward College website.

The other finalist is Jose Liontop, an executive partner at Salt Creek Capital, an investment firm.


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