Dominic M. Calabro

Dominic M. Calabro is President and Chief Executive Officer of Florida TaxWatch, a statewide, non-profit, non-partisan government watchdog and research institute for taxpayers. Florida TaxWatch was founded in 1979 to improve government productivity, taxpayer value, and citizen understanding and encourage responsible participation by Floridians in their state and local governments. This is accomplished through high quality research and civic engagement, which advance productivity and accountability throughout Florida government. This timely research is used to identify how economic, fiscal, taxing, spending, and regulatory decisions affect the economic livelihood and quality of life for all Floridians. To date, approximately 70% of Florida TaxWatch's government cost-saving recommendations have been implemented by each Administration, worth over $6.2 billion or $1,060 in added value for each Florida family.

Calabro also serves as President and Chief Executive Officer of the Prudential Financial - Davis Productivity Awards Foundation, Inc., which recognizes, rewards, and replicates outstanding government productivity and innovative cost-saving achievements throughout Florida government worth over $5.6 billion to date.

Calabro is an "almost native" Floridian, having moved to South Florida from New York at the age of eleven. After attending Catholic school, including four years at Catholic Seminary, he graduated with high honors from Broward Community College, later receiving his Bachelor's degree with highest honors from Florida International University. He also holds a Master's degree from Florida State University and will soon receive a second Master's degree in public finance and budgeting.

Before joining TaxWatch in early 1980, Calabro served as a graduate budget analyst with the Florida Senate Ways and Means Committee (later split into Appropriations and Finance and Taxation).

Under Calabro's leadership, Florida TaxWatch has earned and maintained the respect of the state's most highly regarded and influential leaders, and has earned the credibility and respect of the citizens of Florida as well as the state and national media.

In addition to many business and civic honors, Calabro was named by the national Junior Chamber of Commerce as one of the nation's Ten Outstanding Young Americans in 1994, and in 2006 Calabro was named the "Executive of the Year" by the Florida Society of Association Executives (FSAE), it's highest honor.

Calabro resides in Tallahassee with his wife, Debbie, and four children.

Professional, Civic, and Community Service

• Florida Commission on Government Accountability to the People (GAP), Commissioner, 1995-1999
• GAP Commission Chairman of Government Accountability Committee, 1997-1999
• Florida Education Foundation, Inc., President and CEO and Member of the Board of Directors, 1995-2005, and Board of Directors, 2006-Present, and Treasurer 2007-Present
• Communities in Schools of Florida, Inc., Chairman, 1996-1998, Board of Trustees, 1991-present
• National Taxpayers Conference, Chairman, 1990-1993, Member of the Board of Directors 1986-1998, Member 1986-present
• Enterprise Florida, Inc., Member of the Board of Directors, 2005-present
• Florida Council of 100, Partner-Member of the Big Five Group, 1986-present
• Governmental Research Association, a national society of professional government researchers, member of the Board of Trustees, 1984-1986 & 1993-1997, Member 1984-present
• Leadership Florida Class IV, May 1986-present, Governing Board of Regents, 1991-1993, Candidate Selection Committee, 1987-1990 & 1993-1996
• Leadership Tallahassee Inaugural Charter Class, Board of Governors 2005, Charter Class Member, June 1984-present
• Greater Area Tallahassee Chamber of Commerce, Board of Directors, 1990-1993, Member, 1983-present
• Florida Taxpayers' Bill of Rights Task Force (created by Florida law), Chairman, 1989-1992
• Florida Civil Service Reform Commission (created by Florida law), Commissioner, 1991-1994
• Florida Productivity Advisory Board (created by Florida law), Member, 1991-1994
• Florida State University Graduate School of Social Work, Board of Advisers, 1990-present
• Florida Network of Youth and Family Services, Board of Trustees, 1988-present, Board of Directors, 2007-Present
• Citizens Against Waste, State of Florida Coordinator (for the presidentially-appointed Grace Commission, President's Private Sector Survey on Cost Control), 1986-1994
• Graduate, Institute of Organizational Management, United States Chamber of Commerce and American Society of Association Executives at the University of Delaware, 1985-1990
• American Society of Public Administration, 1984-2004
• American Society of Association Executives, 1985-2004
• Florida Society of Association Executives, Member of the Board of Directors, 1998-2004, Chairman of the Governmental Affairs Committee, 2005, Chairman of the Special Issues Committee, 1997, Member of the FSAE CEO Selection Committee, 2000, Member of the Education Committee and Program Committee, and FSAE Member, 1983-present, Association Executive of the Year, 2006
• Tallahassee Society of Association Executives, President, 1990, Board of Directors, 1986-1991, Member, 1983-present
• Leon County Mental Health Association, President, 1983-1984, Board of Directors, 1981-1987
• United Way of the Big Bend, Board of Directors, 1985-1991, Leadership Contributor, 1990-present
• United Way of Florida, Board of Directors, 1998-2002
• Good Shepherd Catholic Church Building Committee, Chairman, 1991-2000
• Governor's Paperwork Reduction Task Force (Created by Governor's Executive Order), Member,1995-1997
• Kids Count Advisory Board, 1990-present
• Knights of Columbus (Fr. Ronn J. Barton) Council #12146, Founding Member and Charter Trustee, 1996-present
• Southern Scholarship Foundation, Chairman, 2005, Member of the Board of Directors, 1994-Present, Executive Committee Member, 1998-present
• Florida Society of Association Executives, Executive Leader of the Year, 2006, FSAE's Highest Honor
• Florida House (The Only State Embassy in the Nation’s Capital) Board of Directors, 2007 - Present