Builder elected civil rights chair

NAPLES — The agency responsible for enforcing Florida's civil rights laws has elected Mario Valle as its chairman.

Valle is a relationship manager at PBS Contractors in Naples. Former Gov. Jeb Bush appointed Valle to the commission in 2002 and Govs. Charlie Crist and Rick Scott reappointed him in subsequent years, making him one of the longest-serving appointees in the commission's 43 years.

The Florida Legislature created the Florida Commission on Human Relations in 1969 to enforce the Florida Civil Rights Act and address discrimination issues through education. The commission has investigated and closed more than 74,000 cases and has negotiated close to $13 million in settlement amounts for more than 1,500 people through its mediation services.

A native of Bolivia, Valle has lived in Naples since 1996. He serves on numerous nonprofit boards, including the Community Foundation of Collier County, Grace Place and the Naples Area Board of Realtors.