Happy New Year to all of Florida’s engineering professionals.
As we begin a new year together, I want to first extend my sincere thanks to Denise Ramsey, PE, our immediate past chair, for her outstanding service on the Florida Board of Professional Engineers. Ms. Ramsey worked tirelessly throughout the year to ensure a smooth operation, particularly in light of several important statutory changes affecting the profession. Her leadership, dedication, and steady guidance were invaluable, and I thank her for her commitment to Florida’s engineers.
This past year also brought a significant loss to the Board and the engineering community with the passing of Sam Mousa, PE. Sam exemplified service through his profession and dedicated more than 20 years to the City of Jacksonville in numerous capacities. His work touched many landmark projects, including EverBank Stadium, the Veterans Memorial Arena, the Duval County Courthouse, and numerous Jacksonville parks and public facilities. He capped an exceptional career with his appointment to this Board in 2023. Sam’s professionalism, institutional knowledge, and commitment to public service will be deeply missed.
As for my background, I fill one of two public seats on the Board. I am a practicing attorney with over 18 years of legal experience. During that time, I have spent more than a decade providing legal guidance and representation to Florida’s design professionals. I am honored to have been appointed to the Board in 2022, and I am truly excited to serve as your new Board chair. I look forward to continuing the Board’s work with transparency, collaboration, and a strong respect for the profession we regulate.
Looking ahead to 2026, the Board remains committed to being accessible, engaged, and responsive to its licensees. Board meetings will continue to be open and available to our licensees and to the public, and we encourage engineers to attend. The Board will remain diligent in enforcing FBPE rules and statutes while also prioritizing education and outreach. Keeping our licensees informed of legislative changes and regulatory updates will remain a key focus.
Finally, I want to reaffirm the mission of the Florida Board of Professional Engineers: to safeguard the public health, safety, and welfare by properly regulating the practice of engineering in Florida. We do this by ensuring engineers are qualified, ethical, and held to high professional standards through licensure, enforcement, and public awareness of the profession. The Board remains steadfast in this mission, and we will continue to serve the state of Florida and its engineers with integrity and purpose in the year ahead.
Thank you for your continued dedication to the engineering profession and for the vital role you play in protecting the public we serve. I look forward to an amazing 2026.
James Gonzalez of Jacksonville, is a co-founder of Cobb & Gonzalez, P.A. He was appointed to the Board as a public member in 2022 and served as vice chair in 2025.
Article Link: https://fbpe.org/reflecting-on-2025-looking-forward-to-2026/