Editorial: Proctor still wears two heavy hats

Editorial: Proctor still wears two heavy hats



Publication Date: 03/09/08


St. Augustine's Bill Proctor is down to two hats: Chancellor of Flagler College and District 20 state representative.

Proctor's number one hat through May 2 is that of state representative.

His fourth legislative session as the principal state lawmaker from St. Johns County got under way Tuesday.

This session, he also is chairman of the Tourism and Trade Committee of the Florida House of Representatives.

His pick by Speaker Marco Rubio, R-West Miami, is ideal.

He knows the draw that St. Augustine is for visitors seeking heritage tourism. He also knows how valuable historic preservation is after serving as president of Flagler College during the years it restored the college's main building, the former Ponce de Leon Hotel to its 1880s grandeur.

Last fall, his longtime friend T.K. Wetherell, president of Florida State University, tapped him to be the interim athletic director until a new one was named.

Proctor was already a close advisor to Wetherell because he was vice chairman of FSU's athletic committee and chair of its executive committee.

In those roles, he was privy to the scope of an NCAA investigation of a cheating scandal involving student athletes.

Wetherell said he picked Proctor because of his:

* Knowledge of the athletic program.

* "Most impeccable academic credentials."

* Understanding of budgets.

* Loyalty and devotion to FSU, his alma mater.

* Not being interested in the job fulltime.

"You couldn't define that better and not come up with Bill Proctor," Wetherell told The Record in late February.

Proctor's four-month tenure included reviewing coaches contracts, restructuring FSU's athletic academic support program and working on FSU's NCAA report.

Given all that he did, Proctor was no seat warmer as interims often are.

Friday, Proctor finished cleaning out his Noles office. He had already passed that hat on three weeks ago to Randy Spetman, FSU's new athletic director.

Wetherell called Proctor a visionary, an asset when dealing with Florida's future in his legislative role.

"You all in St. Augustine, at Flagler and at FSDB (Florida School for the Deaf and the Blind) are fortunate to have him there (in the Legislature)."

We know that, Mr. President.

We were pleased that you tapped one of our leaders to help FSU athletics over a huge hump.

We say thanks to you, too, Rep. Proctor for what you do everyday for Flagler College, St. Augustine's heritage, St. Johns County's residents and our economic well being. We know that your restructuring of FSU's academic support program has set the standard there for years to come.

We noticed, too, that while you wore that FSU hat, you didn't miss a beat with your other responsibilities.

Again, we ask, do you ever sleep?


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