Maultsby leaving Sarasota County Government job to become chief operating officer of Sarasota County School District

He has been director of the Office of Business and Economic Development

(Editor’s note: This article was updated on the afternoon of July 9 to include new information about when Jeff Maultsby is scheduled to begin working with the school district.)

Jeff Maultsby. Photo courtesy Sarasota County Schools

Jeff Maultsby, who has been director of business and economic development for Sarasota County, has been named the chief operating officer (COO) and assistant superintendent of the Sarasota County School District, pending School Board approval.

Maultsby would succeed Scott Lempe, who had been with the district since 2003.

Lempe’s last official day with the district was June 28, Tracey Beeker, the district’s director of communications and community relations, wrote The Sarasota News Leader in a July 3 email.

Lempe had told the News Leader earlier this year that he planned to retire in June, so he could spend more time with his children and grandchildren.

In his position with Sarasota County Government, Maultsby has been the primary liaison, contract manager and administrative agent with the Economic Development Corp. of Sarasota County, Visit Sarasota County, the Arts and Cultural Alliance of Sarasota County, and the Sarasota County Fair Association, a school district news release noted.

He was especially visible over the past couple of years as county staff negotiated with the Atlanta Braves after the team expressed interest in relocating its Spring Training operations to the West Villages outside North Port. The Braves plan to play their final game of the 2019 Spring Training season in the stadium complex underway in the West Villages.

Maultsby “brings a wealth of administrative experience and community leadership to the school district, where he will oversee school-based operations, human resources, communications, public safety and long-range planning teams,” the school district release noted.

“Jeff Maultsby has many strengths and the one that really stands out for me is his connection to the Sarasota County community,” said Superintendent Todd Bowden in the release. “Jeff has a proven track record of cultivating government and business relationships, and I am excited for him to assume the role of COO and lead our school district during this period of growth and excellence.”

“This is a loss for Sarasota County Government, but a huge gain for the school district,” County Administrator Jonathan Lewis said in a statement released to News Leader on July 2. “[Maultsby’s] contributions to our organization, and to the community he serves, have been proved invaluable throughout the years,” Lewis added in the statement. “We’re sad to see Jeff go, but we’re excited for him as he embarks on the next chapter of his career. We wish him the best of luck and look forward to collaborating with Jeff in his new role.”

“I am excited for the opportunity to continue the operational and organizational excellence of the Sarasota County School District,” said Maultsby in the school district release. “The variety of job functions that I will manage is a huge attraction both personally and professionally. After 10 years with the Sarasota County Government, I believe this is the right job at the right time for me, especially given the emphasis on planning and school safety. The fact that I will be a part of the team to educate and inspire students in the county is a huge benefit, and I look forward to supporting the Superintendent, School Board, staff and students in this capacity,” he added in the district release.

Superintendent Todd Bowden. Photo courtesy of the Sarasota County Schools

Among the key areas of responsibility for Maultsby will be facilities, construction, Food and Nutrition Services, transportation, public safety, human resources, communications and community relations and long-range planning, the school district release explains.

Maultsby’s first day with the county was Feb. 19, 2008, county Media Relations Specialist Drew Winchester wrote in a July 2 email, responding to a News Leader question. Maultsby’s current salary is $110,676, Winchester added.

Beeker of the school district wrote the News Leader that the annual salary range for an assistant superintendent is $174,000 to $177,000.

She told the News Leader in a July 9 email that Maultsby is set to begin working with the district on July 23, with the School Board scheduled to confirm his appointment on July 17.

During the June 19 County Commission budget workshop, Lewis explained that the Office of Business and Economic Development “is moving into a government relations function and will be consolidated out of being a separate, standalone department.”

It will become part of the Office of the County Administrator upon the start of the 2019 fiscal year, which is Oct. 1, Lewis noted. He felt the move was important, he continued, because “those folks doing economic development, particularly on the business relations side,” would have his office to “serve as that direct conduit” to assist residents and business owners trying to accomplish projects who are having difficulty understanding department procedures. “Where appropriate,” Lewis said, staff could “move [a project] along,” if such help was needed.

An extensive resume

A rendering shows one perspective on the new Atlanta Braves Stadium in the West Villages. Image courtesy the Atlanta Braves

Before joining Sarasota County Government, the news release notes, Maultsby was the director of the Field Operations division with the Cincinnati Reds. In that capacity he was responsible for marketing, sales and business development for the Class A Affiliate Florida State League Sarasota Reds, Extended Spring Training, and the Gulf Coast and Florida Instructional leagues, the release pointed out. “Under his leadership, the organization realized a 500% increase in sales from 2003 to 2007,” the release noted.

“He also worked for other notable baseball organizations, including the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers,” the release continued.

Earlier, he served as a field office coordinator and senior life/health underwriter for the State Farm Insurance Co., the release said.

Maultsby is an active member of the Sarasota community, the release pointed out. He serves as a board member with numerous organizations, including the Lakewood Ranch Business Alliance, the Community Rowing Foundation and the Dattoli Cancer Foundation.

He earned an MBA from the University of South Florida Sarasota-Manatee and a bachelor’s degree in business and sports management from Florida Southern College, the release said. A Florida native, Maultsby resides in Lakewood Ranch.