2019 Person to Watch: The finalists

The News-Press editorial board Published 5:00 a.m. ET Dec. 16, 2018 | Updated 4:14 p.m. ET Dec. 26, 2018

Person To Watch

2019 Person to Watch

Gwynetta Gittens - Chair, Lee County School Board

How Gittens, the first African-American elected to the school board, directs the board over this next year will be one of the big stories of 2019. Under her watch will be a roll out of the recently passed half-cent sales tax and how that money will be used to build new schools and maintain existing facilities.

How she works with only the second all-female board in the school district's history also will be important in policy-making decisions.


Carmine Marceno - Lee County Sheriff

Marceno, 46, was appointed sheriff by Gov. Rick Scott earlier this year when then sheriff Mike Scott announced his retirement after 14 years in the top spot.

How he leads a division of deputies and other employees throughout 2019, plus establishes relationships with other law enforcement agencies in Southwest Florida to help reduce violent crime rates will be crucial during his first full year in charge. He will not face his first election until 2020, but Scott recruited him from Naples five years ago to begin grooming him for the top job.


Armando Llechu - Chief Administrative Officer, Golisano Children's Services at Lee Health

Llechu is responsible for the strategic direction and overall operations of the 128-bed Golisano Children's Hospital.

He will be asked to build on past improvements during his previous 18 months at Lee Health, including decreasing the number of patients transferring out of the hospital by 15 percent in 2017, while increasing the number of patients transferring in by 26 percent, expanding dialysis and burn care care services and improving patient satisfaction, which remains above the national average.

Llechu will lead the start of a young adult/adolescent oncology program, where patients up to age 29 will receive cancer care at the children's hospital. He will be directing efforts to form partnerships with other facilities around the state to keep care close to home.

Armando Llechu is a finalist for 2019 Person to Watch.