Fight for jobs

The business of industry recruitment isn't for the faint of heart.

That's partially why Lee County turned to retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. John Patrick Boland to lead its economic development office. Boland has been named director of the county's industry recruitment efforts effective Jan. 11. He replaces Glen Salyer, who was acting director while Lee County searched for a candidate.

Boland has an impressive resume, not the least of which are his two combat tours as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Before he retired last year from the Marine Corps Reserve, Boland taught economic development at the Marine Corps Command and Staff College.

Boland has academic credentials, too. He has a law degree from the University of Dayton, an M.B.A. from Rutgers University and he attended Harvard Business School's Executive Education Program.

Boland also has a strong background in corporate leadership. He most recently served as vice president of strategy and business development for Hertz's equipment rental division.

Boland moved to Southwest Florida last year as part of the Hertz corporate relocation from New Jersey. From 2010 to 2014, Boland worked for Idex Corp. as vice president and general manager of Asia Pacific in Shanghai.