UF Names Director For Government Relations

December 1, 2000

GAINESVILLE, Fla. — The University of Florida today announced the appointment of Marion Hoffmann as director for government relations. Hoffmann will be responsible for leading and coordinating the efforts of the university’s lobbying team and will report directly to President Charles Young and Provost David Colburn.

“At this time in UF’s history, it is important that we maintain a strong lobbying presence that represents the best interests of our entire university community,” Colburn said. “Marion Hoffmann brings a combination of personal skills and experiences from both the private and public sectors that we believe will be invaluable in representing the university’s goals.”

Hoffmann comes to UF from Miami-based Burger King Corp., where she was director of government and community relations. She led the corporation’s lobbying team and served as a liaison for the company with various trade associations. Hoffmann also managed Burger King’s charitable contributions. She joined the company in June 1995 as manager of government and community relations.

Before that, Hoffmann served for four years as the executive director of Cities in Schools of Miami, Inc., a nonprofit dropout-prevention program supported by the public and private sectors. Additionally, she worked as a cabinet aide to state Treasurer and Insurance Commissioner Tom Gallagher; she also worked for the House Minority Office of the Florida House of Representatives and as director of governmental affairs for the Florida Cable Television Association.

Hoffmann has been nominated for the United Way of Miami-Dade County’s Dorothy Shula Award for Volunteerism and the PricewaterhouseCoopers Up and Comers Award. She also is a graduate of the 1998 class of Leadership Florida and currently serves as chairwoman of that group’s gubernatorial appointments committee.

Hoffmann holds a bachelor’s degree in economics and English from the University of Texas in Austin. She currently lives in Tallahassee with her husband and young son.

She will succeed Milt Morris, who will retire in 2001 after 26 years with UF.