Armando Ramirez Email & Phone Number

Lead representative for the District acting as an advocate for the Sovereign Nations, Seminole Tribe of Florida and the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida, in Everglades’ restoration as well as Federal issues impacting the District. Comprehensive knowledge of local water resources management issues, legislative and executive branches processes, and water resources management related laws, regulations, and procedures. Responsibilities include the coordination and facilitation of Federal congressional visits and tours and congressional legislative strategies and appropriations requirements. I represent the District’s and Tribal governments short and long term strategies on regional water management, flood control, and environmental restoration issues successfully completing assignments independently to achieve a shared stewardship of water resources. Constant interaction and relationship building with Tribal governmental representatives, and serving as the primary District conduit for the transfer of information on restoration, regulatory and operations and maintenance matters as well as Federal related issues. Primary mediator on conflicting demands between the Tribes, Federal government, and the District through consensus building and communication, both written and oral. Duties include the collaboration and coordination with the Governor’s Office, the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and other state agencies on Federal and Tribal issues. Frequent visits to Washington DC to build and enhance relationships with members of Congress and Federal partners in Everglades restoration, water resource management, climate change, and water supply issues, with the goal of ultimately making policy recommendations and developing program goals and objectives for the District. Extensive contract management experience as responsible in charge for the management of all Cultural Resources related contracts (5 major contracts) affecting all projects at the District.

Lead Project Manager for interagency coordination with local, state, federal agencies and project stakeholders for the CERP Lake Okeechobee Watershed (LOW) project, and for the State of Florida Northern Everglades initiative. Leading responsibilities included: • Lead representative for the SFWMD on the CERP LOW Project Development Team • Development of the CERP LOW Project Implementation Report • Development and implementation of the Lake Okeechobee Watershed Construction Project Phase II Technical Plan under the Northern Everglades initiative • Completion of the Fisheating Creek Sub-watershed Feasibility Report under the Northern Everglades initiative • 2011 Lake Okeechobee Protection plan Update –overall coordination • Old Tamiami Trail Flow Enhancements and Modifications –coordination with stakeholders including the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, ENP, USACE, and utility agencies such as FDOT, and FP&L. The project encompasses the removal of a portion of the road, allowing sheetflow into the Everglades National Park from WCA3. • Western Tamiami Trail Phase I – Critical Restoration Project (in anticipation of the Picayune Strand Restoration Project) ~ Management of project from the planning phase through the contracting and procurement processes for construction, project execution phase, and closeout phase. Project completed on time and under budget. • Other responsibilities include participation on Emergency Operations Center damage assessment response coordination team during emergency events Other accomplishments included successful contract negotiations and management of contracts with general engineering and professional services firms for several projects. In addition, I have a solid knowledge and understanding of SFWMD policies and procedures, as well as overall general understanding of business processes across resource areas.

Responsible in charge for the daily performance of the surveying and engineering technical unit. It included providing highly specialize technical support to the department and division, primarily to surveyors, engineers, environmental analyst, and GIS mapping and database management in support of the District’s land acquisition, capital construction, and restoration programs. Duties and responsibilities focused on the production of survey and engineering drawings/maps, and exhibits supporting permit applications utilizing computer aided drafting (AutoCAD) and geographic information systems (ArcInfo, ArcView). Also, it included coordinating, scheduling, delegating and tracking production of drawings, together with assisting in the coordination of their corresponding procurement processes, in order to meet project objectives/requirements within established time frames.

Responsible for the supervision and daily performance of the surveying and engineering technical unit comprised of up to 10 team members, and for providing highly specialized technical support to the department and division, primarily to surveyors, engineers and environmental analyst. Duties and responsibilities focused on the production of boundary and topographic survey drawings, engineering drawings, and exhibits supporting permit applications utilizing computer aided drafting (AutoCad) and geographic information systems (ArcInfo, ArcView). It included coordinating, scheduling, delegating and tracking production drawings, together with assisting in coordination of the projects’ procurement processes, in order to meet objectives/requirements within established time frames.

Duties and responsibilities included the preparation of a variety of maps and drawings including right of way maps, boundary and topographic surveys, sketches and legal descriptions, and governing board exhibits utilizing AutoCad, ArcInfo and ArcView software. Also responsible for the development and implementation of the conversion/integration of parcel data and tax roll data to GIS in support of the land acquisition process/mapping of several projects. Performed and assisted fieldwork in several GPS projects in support of land acquisition.

Master Of Business Administration (Mba), Business Administration: Environmental

Bachelor Of Applied Science (B.A.Sc.), Spatial Analysis And Remote Sensing