North Florida Land Trust has announced that Jim McCarthy will be stepping down as its president after eight years of service.
“Finishing law school this year caused me to look at things a bit differently,” McCarthy said. “While it was directly applicable to my role at the land trust, this is the time for me to step away and take on some different challenges.”
McCarthy’s last day will be Aug. 31, but he will continue to consult for North Florida Land Trust for an additional six months after that date.
“I have had the chance to build and work with two incredible teams: one pre-pandemic and one post,” he said. “We have accomplished much and there is much more to be done. It has truly been the highlight of my career.”
Since joining the land trust in 2014, McCarthy has grown the organization from 2.5 employees to 14 and boosted its operating budget from $233,000 to $2.5 million in 2022. In addition, during that time, the land trust has secured $46,442,131 in federal, state, foundation and individual funding to protect property through conservation. Each year, the organization has increased its net worth, growing from $8.8 million in 2014 to $17.9 million through 2021.
“We are very grateful to Jim for his leadership,” said North Florida Land Trust Board Chair John Delaney. “Our growth can be directly attributed to his relationships with key decision and policy makers. He has been the face of NFLT for the past eight years. We look forward to continuing to work with him through the transition and wish him all the best in his next venture.”
