AIF CEO Barney Bishop resigns

TALLAHASSEE — Barney Bishop, president and CEO of Associated Industries of Florida (AIF), will step down from his positions at the end of 2011, a release from the organization says.

AIF is an influential non-profit, pro-business organization that monitors government activity across the state of Florida.

“Once the legislative session ended, I started thinking about what my goals were both at AIF and in my personal life," Bishop explains in a statement issued through AIF. “I realized I had achieved my goals of rebuilding AIF and the organization was in a very good place.”

AIF's statement explains Barney will continue to work with the group as a consultant, according to an agreement that takes effect on Jan. 1, 2012.

Each year, AIF assigns grades to each member of the Florida Legislature based on his or her perceived support of the state's business community. The Business Review last reported on those grades in July 2010 (see “Grade Inflation,” July 2, 2010).