Naples exec, civic leader appointed to state public service board

Longtime Collier County financial executive, city council member and civic leader Gary Price — who recently lost a razor-tight election for Naples mayor — has been appointed to the Florida Public Service Commission Nominating Council. 

Florida Senate President Kathleen Passidomo, R-Naples, made the appointment, which is effective immediately, according to a statement. The Florida Public Service Commission Nominating Council is responsible for screening and nominating qualified candidates for appointment by the governor to the Florida Public Service Commission. The Commission oversees and regulates the state’s public utilities, including electric, natural gas, telecommunications, water and wastewater. 

Price’s term on the council will expire Jan. 1, 2028. “I look forward to working with my fellow council members to recommend highly qualified candidates to the Public Service Commission,” Price says in the statement. 

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Price co-founded and is a partner of Fifth Avenue Family Office in Naples, which provides personalized wealth management for high-net-worth entrepreneurial families. The firm specializes in comprehensive family office services, including investment management, estate and legacy planning and tax coordination.

On the public service side, Price was appointed to the city of Naples Planning Advisory Board in 2001. He was appointed to a seat on the Naples City Council in September 2005, then elected to the same office in February 2006, 2010 and a third term in 2018. In January 2013, the Governor and Cabinet of the State of Florida appointed Price to the State Board of Participant Local Government Advisory Council, where he served for four years reviewing Florida’s local government investment pool. Price also chaired the Naples Pension Board for eight years. Most recently, Gov. Ron DeSantis appointed Price to the Florida Achieving a Better Life Experience board of directors, which oversees a program of tax-free savings accounts for individuals with disabilities.

Price also ran for Naples mayor in March. He lost to incumbent Mayor Teresa Heitmann by 22 votes — 3,269 to 3,247, according to the city of Naples website. The election was decided after a recount.  

Outside civic and work, Price has served on charitable boards including The Ronald McDonald House of Southwest Florida and the Boys and Girls Club of Naples, He’s currently on the Lee Healthcare System’s Foundation Board, Finance Committee, and Audit Committee