Sarasota, FL - Republican Presidential candidate Rick Santorum has announced his campaign's state leadership team, which will be chaired by Jesse Biter and directed by Michael Phillips.

Rick Santorum said: "I am thrilled to announce this great team of Floridians who have joined the fight for conservatism and a restoration of our founding principles. Through Jesse and Michael's leadership, I have no doubt that this talent team will successfully get our hopeful and positive message of a better America out to all Floridians. I look forward to working with them as we build the operation for our team to win the Florida Primary."

Florida Rick Santorum for President Chairman:

Jesse Biter will serves as Florida Chairman of the Rick Santorum for President campaign. Biter is the President/CEO of Biter Enterprises, LLC., a Florida-based management firm. From his Sarasota office, Biter oversees diverse assets in Information Technology, Real Estate, Marketing, and Transportation. The centerpiece of Biter's organization is Dealers United. Before starting Dealers United, he founded HomeNet Automotive and grew the company from zero employees and one dealer to over 135 employees and more than 18,000 dealers, before selling the company to AutoTrader in 2010. Jesse has been actively involved in Florida Republican politics and has assisted in the campaigns of Mike Huckabee for President, U.S. Congressman Vern Buchanan, Florida Governor Rick Scott. Jesse, his wife Katie and his two daughters reside in Sarasota Florida.

 

Statewide Leadership Team:

Michael Phillips will serve as the Florida State Director of the Rick Santorum for President campaign. Mr. Phillips is a marketing and creative concepts consultant who resides in West Palm Beach. He is a lifetime Conservative who worked as a grassroots organizer with Buchanan for President, Bush-Cheney and created and organized the Cain National Call Team and also was Chief of Staff for the Florida 4 Cain campaign. Michael resides in West Palm Beach, Florida.

Becky Reichenberg will serve as the Florida Deputy Director of the Rick Santorum for President campaign. Becky is the St. Johns County Republican Committeewoman, current president of the St. Johns Federated Republican Women Club and the past president of the NW St Johns GOP Club. Becky resides in Jacksonville, Florida.

Craig R. Bachler will serve as the Florida Director for Grassroots and Field Operations for the Rick Santorum for President campaign. Bachler is President/CEO of A&J Travel Solutions, Inc, a privately held transportation equity company. His political accomplishments include grassroots efforts in Florida for Rick Scott, Pat Buchanan's bids for President as well as several state and local races. Craig is married to Karen, his wife of 20 years and they reside in Manatee County, Florida with their two children, Jefferson and Aundrea.

Ken Johnson will serve as the State at Large Manager for the Rick Santorum for President campaign. Ken is an active member of the Hillsborough County Republican Executive Committee, and a recent delegate to the Republican Party of Florida's Presidency 5 Straw Poll in Orlando. Ken is a veteran of several State and Local Republican campaigns, including Governor Rick Scott's win in 2010.

Stacy Feiler will serve as the Tea Party / 912 Outreach Leader for the Rick Santorum for President campaign.   Stacey is a long standing member of the Hillsborough Republican Executive Committee, many local Republican Clubs such as the Hispanic, Fishhawk, Brandon, College, Southshore and Young Republicans, and a member of the Federated Republican Women's Organization working tirelessly on local and State Political Campaigns. Stacy is active in the James Madison Institute, Freedom Works, The Heritage Foundation, American Solutions, American Majority, Tea Party & 912 Projects and Smart Girl Politics. Feiler recently Chaired the NoTaxForTracks.com PAC in Tampa (which successfully defeated local and high speed rail in FL). Stacy is an extremely active Leader and Grassroots Organizerin the State of Florida both in small focused Tea Party groups and the FL Alliance.

Regional Campaign Team:

Northwest-Panhandle Region: Chip Collette

Chip Collette is a long-time member of the Leon County Republican Executive Committee, where he has served in leadership positions. He has been active in local and state elections, as well as in national elections - serving as an election lawyer for President Bush in Northern Florida. He again assisted as an elections lawyer for the McCain 2008 campaign.

Southeast Florida Region: Starla Brown

Starla Brown will direct Southeast Florida for the Rick Santorum for President campaign. Brown is a member of the Palm Beach County REC, Secretary of the Federated Grassroots Republican Club, Member of the Palm Beach County Tea Party, volunteer for Allen West for Congress and Faith Based Coalition 2010, Regional Coordinator for Colonel Mike McCalister for US Senate, Member of the Republican Club of the Northern Palm Beaches, Palms West Republican Club and the Republican Club of Central Palm Beach County. Brown is also an Associate member of The Contemporary Federated Republican Women's Club of Boca Raton and the Citizens for National Security.

Central Florida Region: Tom Garcia

Tom Garcia is a U.S. Naval Academy graduate and retired Navy Top Gun Fighter Pilot who made a strong run in Congressional District 24, and has a very strong network in the East Orlando and Space Coast areas. Tom is an International Airline Captain and also the host of The American Hour Radio Show.

Southwest Florida Region: Jamie Cain   

Jamie Cain is the Co-Founder SWFL912, Co-Founder/ former Board of Directors of Canton, Ohio's 1st Crisis Pregnancy Center, and The Gabriel Institute in Canton, OH. Cain is a member of the Naples Tea Party, Concerned Women for America. Additionally, she is involved with Right to Life, NE Ohio Roundtable and Come Alive Village.

West Florida Region: James Ferguson

James Ferguson has actively worked on county and state level campaigns during the past decade and is currently serving a multi-year term on the local school board Oversight Committee where has been active with the annual school district budgeting.  A lifelong conservative Republican, he is a single-parent raising his two children in Manatee County.

Northeast Florida Region: Rick Hartley

Rick Hartley has earned a reputation for his principled, straight-talking leadership of conservative volunteers throughout northeast Florida.   Thirty-four years ago, Rick began his political career building signs in a garage for Congressman Ander Crenshaw's first Florida House race.  Each election cycle since Rick has worked for conservative candidates.  Between campaigns he has been dedicated to growing the Republican Party.   He is active in his church and a retired Navy Master Chief and former Scout Master.  Rick is a manager with one of Florida's leading printers, Hartley Press, Inc.

Tampa Bay, Florida Region: Frank Shearrow

Frank Shearrow served two tours overseas in the Air force in Operations Iraqi Freedom/Enduring Freedom, rising to the rank of Technical Sergeant. He taught AP Government and Politics, History and Law for four years at Wiregrass Ranch High School. Previously, he worked in the Bush, and Cain campaigns, as well as local party races. Currently he serves as the Secretary of the Hillsborough County Hispanic Club, member of the Alafia Republican Club (formerly Fishhawk Republican Club) and the Hillsborough County Republican Executive Committee. 

Treasure Coast Florida Region: Rev. Bryan Longworth

Bryan Longworth is a well-known Conservative Republican who decisively won an upset victory for a RPOF State Committee seat in the 2008 primary.  An ordained minister and pro-life leader, Bryan was instrumental mobilizing the values voters for Congressman Tom Rooney's 2008 primary victory; and for the Florida Marriage Amendment as a supporting effort for the Republican general election effort. In 2010, Bryan mobilized values and Florida Tax Day Tea Party voters in support of Governor Rick Scott in the primary and general elections; and recently won a 4 year battle to end funding of Planned Parenthood by the St Lucie Children's Services Council.  Most recently, Bryan marshaled support for Herman Cain's decisive straw poll victory at Presidency 5 in Orlando.