New president named at Northwest Florida State College

The Northwest Florida State College District Board of Trustees selected Okaloosa County commissioner Melvin Ponder to serve as the college’s next president, according to an announcement Tuesday.

Ponder, a former state representative, has no experience in higher education. He was one of four finalists. The board plans to finalize an employment agreement with Ponder for approval at a Nov. 19 board meeting, when his term as commissioner ends.

Ponder previously served as mayor of the city of Destin, as a Destin city councilman and as a Republican member of the Florida House of Representatives. While serving as a state representative, he was vice chair of the higher education appropriations subcommittee and was named Florida College System Council of Presidents Legislator of the Year.

Ponder holds a bachelor’s degree in finance from Florida State University. He currently serves as the association executive for the Emerald Coast Association of Realtors and founder and president of Business Empowered, a ministry to help business leaders “advance the Kingdom of God in their workplace and community through Godly principles.”

Florida governor Ron DeSantis also appointed Ponder to the CareerSource Florida Board of Directors, a state workforce policy and investment board, in 2022 and reappointed him in 2023.

Lori Kelley, chair of the District Board of Trustees at Northwest Florida State, said in the announcement that Ponder “brings deep experience and passion for our community to this critical role.”

“I am confident in his ability to lead our college into the next stage of its growth,” Kelley said.