State Senator Jay Collins and State Representative Danny Alvarez Join Veterans Florida Board of Directors

The Florida Legislature has appointed veterans State Senator Jay Collins and State Representative Danny Alvarez as ex officio members of the Veterans Florida Board of Directors.

House Bill 1329, signed into law by Gov. Ron DeSantis in June, expands and refines the mission of Veterans Florida as we begin our second decade of serving veterans, separating servicemembers, their spouses and families, and Florida employers.

The new law also created two non-voting positions on the board with one each being appointed by the Florida Senate and Florida House.

“Senator Collins and Representative Alvarez are true champions for veterans, their families and Florida,” said Joe Marino, Executive Director of Veterans Florida. “Senate President Kathleen Passidomo and House Speaker Paul Renner made wise appointments that will benefit our team and our state.”

Senator Collins represents much of Tampa and Hillsborough County and was elected to the Senate in 2022. An Army Special Forces combat veteran, he received the Purple Heart after his leg was amputated due to a battlefield injury. He served as an active duty Green Beret after the amputation.

Representative Alvarez is a Miami native elected in 2022 to represent portions of Hillsborough County. He served in the Florida National Guard while attending the University of Florida. After graduating, he was commissioned as a U.S. Army Infantry Officer and was deployed to South Korea as a line platoon leader.

“These two men embody the concept of public service; sacrificing their time to serve America in the military and Floridians in the Legislature,” said Robert Kirila, chairman of the Veterans Florida Board of Directors. “They will contribute greatly to our mission of ensuring veterans and separating service members begin their civilian careers, or their own businesses, in our great state.”