Gov. DeSantis names 4 to Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority, including 2 new faces

Gov. Ron DeSantis has reappointed two individuals to the Tampa-Hillsborough Expressway Authority (THEA) and appointed two new members to the board. 

Returning for another term are Vincent Cassidy, the current THEA Board Chair, and Bennett Barrow, the current Vice Chair. Newly appointed to THEA are Lakshmikanth “LK” Nandam and Cody Powell.

Cassidy is the President of Majesty Title Services, a division of LandCastly Title Group, which is a title insurance and settlement agency working with real estate professionals, builders and mortgage lenders across Florida. 

Cassidy started the firm in 2006 before selling it in 2018. Before that, he spent 25 years with JPMorgan Chase & Co. in several leadership positions. He rose to Executive in Charge of its Client Access business before leaving the company. In that role, he provided technology solutions to the firm’s global clients for their treasury management needs. 

Cassidy also serves on the Tampa CEO Council, the Tampa Economic Club and the Tampa Yacht and Country Club. Cassidy is an alumnus of Impact Tampa Bay and Founding Fellow of the Vortex Institute. 

Cassidy is a past board member of the Florida Land Title Association, the Tampa Metropolitan YMCA and the Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce. He was a founding board member of GulfShore Bank, which sold to Seacoast Bank in 2017. 

Cassidy earned his undergraduate degree in economics from the State University of New York at Stony Brook and graduated from the Virginia Graduate School of Retail Banking. 

Barrow is the CEO of RareGuru, an organization that connects those suffering from rare disorders and their families to information and support. Barrow founded the organization along with his family after his wife and daughter were diagnosed in 2019 with Hypophosphatasia, a rare genetic metabolic bone disorder. 

He also serves as the President of Barrow Asset Management, a registered investment advisor in Tampa. 

Barrow also serves as the Vice Chairman of the St. Joseph’s Hospital Foundation and previously served as the Chairman of the Berkeley Preparatory School Board of Trustees Finance Committee. He earned his bachelor’s degree in Spanish and economics from the University of the South.

Nandam is a Senior Vice President and Florida State and Local Market Sector Leader at GFT, an infrastructure planning firm. He previously served as a District Secretary and the Director of Transportation Operations for the Florida Department of Transportation. 

Past civic service included membership in the Sarasota/Manatee Metropolitan Planning Organization.

Nandam also previously served as traffic operations engineer for the city of Boca Raton, senior traffic engineer at AECOM’s URS Corporation, and traffic engineer for Keith & Schnars.

Powell is the owner and broker of Powell Realty and a current member of the Suncoast Tampa Realtors. He was previously appointed to the Hillsborough County Planning Commission. 

Powell ran unsuccessfully for Hillsborough County Commission in District 4 in 2024, losing in the GOP Primary to incumbent Christine Miller. 

He serves as a local Guardian Ad Litem and with the Protect Our Children Project, which opposes transgender curricula and books. He also serves with I Matter Too, which provides Christian-based education for neglected or abused children. 

Powell earned his bachelor’s degree in business from the University of North Florida.

All appointments are subject to confirmation by the Senate.

Post Views: 0