Dane Eagle, Former Senior DeSantis Official and House Majority Leader, Joins Ballard Partners

– Eagle Will Also Open Firm’s New Office in Fort Myers to Serve Southwest Florida –

Dane Eagle, former Secretary of the Florida Department of Economic Opportunity for Gov. Ron DeSantis,is joining Ballard Partners, one of the top government relations firms in the United States. 

“Dane’s experience as a state legislator and as Governor DeSantis’ top economic development official will make him an invaluable member of our firm,” said Brian Ballard, the firm’s President and Founder. “We are delighted to have Dane bring his extensive experience to serve the firm’s clients in Tallahassee and also open our new office in Fort Myers to serve Southwest Florida.”

Eagle was appointed by Governor Ron DeSantis to serve as Florida’s Secretary of Economic Opportunity in September 2020. In that role, Eagle assisted the Governor in advancing Florida’s economy by championing the state’s economic development vision. Previously, Dane represented parts of Southwest Florida in the Florida House of Representatives from 2012 to 2020 and rose to the rank of Majority Leader, where he was responsible for leading the Republican Caucus and ushering legislation to the Governor’s desk. Dane focused on supporting Florida’s families and small businesses by reducing taxes and regulations to further establish Florida’s business-friendly environment and further diversify Florida’s economy. During his tenure in the House, Dane also served as the Majority Whip and the Chairman of the Energy and Utilities Subcommittee.  

“I am honored to become a part of the exceptional team of professionals at Ballard Partners,” said Eagle. “I look forward to establishing a strong presence in Tallahassee and am particularly excited to help the firm expand into the fast-growing Southwest Florida area.” 

In the private sector, Dane has two decades of experience in real estate, most recently as a commercial real estate broker providing investment strategy, consulting, and sales and leasing services in the Southwest Florida market. Dane was born and raised in Southwest Florida and earned his bachelor’s degree in Economics with a minor in Business Administration at the University of Florida.