President Donald Trump sent the nominations of Laura DiBella and Robert Harvey to be Commissioners of the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) to the U.S. Senate on Sept. 3, 2025.
As previously reported by Holland & Knight, two FMC Commissioner vacancies remain open following the departures of then-Chairman Louis Sola in June 2025 and Commissioner Carl Bentzel in December 2024.
The Trump Administration announced on Sept. 3, 2025, that it seeks to fill the Commission's vacancies with DiBella and Harvey.
DiBella is currently a government relations advisor at the law firm of Adams & Reese LLP in its Tallahassee, Florida, office. Previously, DiBella served in a number of state government positions in Florida, as well as prior maritime industry positions as president and CEO of Enterprise Florida; president of the Florida Opportunity Fund; executive director of the Florida Harbor Pilots Association; port director of the Port of Fernandina Ocean Highway and Port Authority; and executive director of the Nassau County Economic Development Board.
Harvey is currently the president and executive director of the Florida Opportunity Fund and as the executive director of Florida Development Finance Corp, and other state government roles. Harvey formerly served as general counsel of Enterprise Florida and was previously in private practice at the law firm Jenks & Harvey LLP, where he specialized in securities litigation, arbitration and regulation. Prior to entering private practice, Harvey served in the U.S. Navy.
Holland & Knight will continue to monitor the progression of these two nominations as they work their way through the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and a full Senate vote.
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