Florida Board of Governors, Gov. DeSantis appoint two new members to FSU Board of Trustees
Florida State University's Board of Trustees is gaining two new members who will help govern the institution.
While the Florida Board of Governors appointed FSU alumnus Brian Murphy – founder and CEO of the Tampa-headquartered cybersecurity technology company ReliaQuest – during a virtual meeting July 18, Gov. Ron DeSantis named business and real estate professional Tim Weisheyer to the university's board that same day.
Murphy's appointment is effective immediately, and he replaces former Merrill Lynch executive John Thiel. Weisheyer begins his term Aug. 30. It is not yet clear who Weisheyer replaces.
"I personally have had a chance to get to know Brian and speak with him directly," Board of Governors chair Brian Lamb said during the July 18 meeting. "I think he would be an outstanding addition to the trustee board at Florida State. Frankly, his business background could be a huge ally for the broader State University System when we think about our strategic priorities."
As ReliaQuest's founder, Murphy – who graduated from FSU in 2000 with degrees in accounting and finance – turned the startup business into what is now one of the nation's fastest-growing cybersecurity, AI-powered technology companies. It has a valuation of over $3.4 billion, over 1,200 team members and over 1,000 customers, according to the university.
In addition, Murphy has served on the FSU College of Business's governing board and was inducted into the business school's Hall of Fame in 2022.
"I'm very happy that Brian has agreed to serve on the Board of Trustees," FSU board chair Peter Collins said in a statement. "As an alumnus, he has a passion for the university and wants to work hard to make us better. I look forward to him joining a great group of people who are focused on moving the university forward."
Shortly after the Board of Governors' July 18 meeting, Weisheyer was announced as DeSantis' newest appointment to the FSU board, coming with a background of previously being elected to the Osceola County School Board where he served as the president of the Florida School Boards Association.
Weisheyer, who attended Valencia College in Orlando, is currently owner and founder of the real estate agency Dream Builders Realty – based in Osceola County – president and broker of DBR Commercial Real Estate Services, and chief executive officer of Strategic Advantage Consulting.
Weisheyer also sits on the board of the Greater Orlando Aviation Authority – which manages and operates both Orlando International Airport and Orlando Executive Airport – and was named the board's chair last year. He is also president of the Florida Realtors Association and chair of the Osceola County Chamber of Commerce.
Both Murphy's and Weisheyer's appointments are subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Tarah Jean is the higher education reporter for the Tallahassee Democrat, a member of the USA TODAY Network – Florida. She can be reached at tjean@tallahassee.com . Follow her on X: @tarahjean_ .
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Board of Governors, DeSantis make FSU Board of Trustees appointments
