SPOTLIGHT: 2017

Bill Garrison (2017)

Bachelor’s Degree Business Management

Bill Garrison had a successful career in the real estate development industry until the economic recession forced him to reconsider his career options. Knowing he needed to sustain his marketability during the financial crisis, Bill enrolled at SJR State. He graduated in 2012 with his AA degree and in 2017 with his bachelor’s degree.

A custom home builder with 35 years of experience in construction and real estate development, ranging from hands-on site work to C-suite executive, Bill previously served as the president of the Clay Economic Development Corporation and the CEO of the Northeast Florida Builders Association, the largest builders association in Florida. Bill credits his education at SJR State with helping him become a viable candidate for both of those senior executive positions.

“With my degree, my years of development industry experience, and my years of senior executive experience, I was successful in competing against other national candidates for this position (CEO). The classes at SJR State have been genuinely instrumental in my understanding of management theories and practices. Even after 20 years as a business manager, I learned so much more about business management through the education at SJR State. I was constantly impressed by the quality of instruction, and the commitment of the professors and administrators in making SJR State a first-class education institution.”

In addition to his current custom home builder role with Higginbotham Custom Homes, Bill is also an instructor at AAA Construction School and serves as the planning commissioner for Clay County Planning and Zoning Commission.