Jane MusgravePalm Beach County Commission plans to make a decision Tuesday; here’s a look at the four finalists.
It is judgment week for four Palm Beach County government leaders who hope to be tapped to oversee the county’s $9 billion-a-year budget, 7,100 workers and plethora of critical services and programs.
After spending most of the day Monday interviewing the four applicants and listening to them field questions from the public at an evening forum at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, commissioners plan to decide Tuesday on who will replace longtime Administrator Verdenia Baker.
After critics claimed some commissioners tried to tailor qualifications so Clerk and Comptroller Joe Abruzzo would get the powerful post, commissioners backpedaled slightly. But the longtime Democratic politician still appears to be the front-runner for a job that pays as much as $479,000 annually.
Members of the public will have a chance to pose questions to the candidates at a public forum from 5:30 to 7:30 pm Monday at the convention center. Commissioners plan to question them publicly starting at 9:30 am Tuesday in commission chambers.
Here’s a primer on the candidates and their qualifications:
Joe Abruzzo
Position: County clerk and comptroller.
Personal: Born in Brooksville, the 44-year-old Democrat lives in Boynton Beach.
Education: Bachelor’s degree in international communication, Lynn University, 2003; studying online for a master’s degree in legal studies from Pepperdine University Caruso School of Law.
Professional: Was a port security specialist for the U.S. Coast Guard Reserve from 2005 to 2013. Served in the Florida House from 2008 to 2012 and again from 2016 to 2018. In between, served four years in the state Senate. Worked in government relations for two law firms. Through Abruzzo Issues Management he has an equity interest in Renew Smiles, a national chain of dental implant and denture centers.
Quote: “I understand that Palm Beach County is not just growing, it is transforming. Our next chapter will be defined by how we manage complexity, leverage technology and plan for long-term resilience.”
Patrick Rutter
Position: Deputy county administrator.
Personal: A West Palm Beach native, the 57-year-old registered Republican lives in Jupiter.
Education: Bachelor of arts, Florida Atlantic University, 1990; master’s degree in urban and regional planning, University of Florida, 1994.
Professional: Began career in 1994 as a Pembroke Pines planner and in 1997 became Weston’s first development services director. He returned to Palm Beach County in 2003 and rose from deputy planning director, to director of planning, zoning and building and then to county administration. After serving five years as an assistant county administrator, in 2023 he was named deputy county administrator, Baker’s second in command.
Quote: “For the past 1.5 years, I have assumed the responsibilities of administrator in her absence. This experience, be it in emergency declarations or in handling day-to-day operations, is part of what has prepared me for this position. I am fully prepared to hit the ground running on Day 1.”
Isami Ayala-Collazo
Position: Assistant county administrator.
Personal: Born in Puerto Rico, the 46-year-old lives in suburban Lake Worth and is registered to vote with no party affiliation.
Education: Bachelor’s of science in chemical engineering in 2001 and law degree in 2006 from the University of Puerto Rico. Studied for a doctorate in environmental sciences. Holds doctorate in public administration from the University of Baltimore, 2023.
Professional: After eight years as infrastructure manager in a city of 180,000 people in Puerto Rico, worked in Montgomery County, Maryland, as chief of facilities management and then deputy director of its department of general services. In 2019, she became deputy director of facilities for Palm Beach County and later was promoted to director. In 2023, she became an assistant county administrator.
Quote: “I am a professional chemical engineer, an attorney and a doctor of public administration; a combination that is inherently rare and which equips me with the formal training required to assess complex problems from multiple perspectives.”
Keith Clinkscales
Position: Director of strategic planning and performance management for Palm Beach County.
Personal: Having moved to South Florida in 2004, the 63-year-old lives in suburban Lake Worth and is a registered Democrat.
Education: Bachelor’s of science in electrical engineering from Boston University, 1984; executive master’s in business from the online Quantic School of Business & Technology, 2018; doctorate in strategic leadership from Concordia College and University, which is not accredited by recognized authorities and offers degrees for life experience, 2023.
Professional: After holding various positions — consultant, senior warehouse manager and production manager — he began work as a dispatcher for PalmTran in 2015 and became the bus system’s first performance manager. In 2018, he moved into his current post where he “plays a pivotal role in shaping and advancing countywide initiatives.”
Quote: “ My leadership philosophy is grounded in the belief that ‘culture eats strategy for breakfast’ — that meaningful, lasting change is only possible when strategic vision is aligned with deep cultural engagement. … Palm Beach County is ready for bold, transformative leadership.”
