Former AIF CEO opens business

TALLAHASSEE -- Barney Bishop, the long-time CEO of Associated Industries of Florida set to resign at the end of this year, will create a new government consultancy called Barney Bishop Consulting LLC after leaving AIF.

Bishop has led AIF, one of Florida's most prominent business lobbying groups, since 2005. In August, he announced that he would step down at the end of the year.

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

One of Bishop's first clients at his new firm is sure to be AIF itself; at the time of his resignation, Barney said he would continue to work with the group as a consultant, according to an agreement that takes effect on Jan. 1.

Los Angeles-based Korn/Ferry International has been searching for a candidate to replace Bishop since October.