Lin Watts Bio
Lin brings a broad background of business, association and legal expertise to the team where she handles the web and marketing work.
Previously, for the 13 years prior to moving to Ormond Beach in 2004, Lin was the Executive Vice President of the Association of Floral Importers of Florida (AFIF), an international trade association for a $1 Billion industry, Lin led AFIF’s advocacy, regulatory compliance, government/industry relations, tradeshow/conference, promotion, member and statistical programs. During her tenure, Lin served as chief spokesperson to Congress and the Executive Branch on international trade and industry issues and collaborated with Federal and State regulatory agencies to ensure the efficient, cost-effective and timely clearance of flowers. Prior to joining AFIF, as a degreed, certified Legal Assistant, Lin served for five years as a Business/Tax Legal Assistant for Thomson, Muraro, Bohrer & Razook, working with two name-partners and their clients on a variety of international business and tax matters. Lin’s previous positions included serving as head of the legal department for several public limited partnerships that owned and operated $500MM worth of commercial real estate and as Vice President of a commercial real estate franchisor. Lin has also held positions that included experience in personnel administration, finance, investment banking, admiralty law, patent law, industrial relations and television production. Lin is a high energy, self-motivated problem-solver with excellent negotiating, management, organizational and interpersonal skills and an extensive background of accomplishments in a variety of broad-based competencies:
Industry Relations and Communications/Media Relations/Promotion - Demonstrated success in tackling new challenges and bringing them to successful conclusions, e.g.
- Developed and managed first (plus two more) tradeshow/conferences with 50,000 square feet of trade show floor, educational programs and on-site and off-site social events.
- Created content and design for first website and continued site evolution (www.afifnet.org). Site now utilized as critical resource for Industry, Members and Media.
- Promoted AFIF Members through tradeshows and a video (developed with producer, including shooting and editing).
- Cultivated relationships with media, resulting in stories showcasing industry on CNBC, CNN and PBS.
Website Design and Updating and Marketing – Proven ability to design websites and responsible for keeping various real estate websites content current and evolving. Responsible for team print advertising, handling content and layout.
Advocacy/Regulatory Compliance/Government Relations - Proven ability to cultivate productive relationships with key congressional and regulatory decision makers, which resulted in programs saving Industry millions of dollars each year, e.g.
- Implemented USDA release program based on risk, reducing inspections by 50%.
- Doubled regular-time agriculture inspection hours to 16 hours a day, 6 days a week.
Legal (Corporate, Partnership, Real Estate, Securities, Franchising, Associations) - Responsible for variety of legal matters, both as management and a paralegal, e.g.
- Prepared and filed all SEC and State securities compliance reporting for 12 public limited partnerships in 50 states as well as State broker-dealer registrations. Designed, developed and maintained computerized calendaring systems for such filings.
- Worked with industry and counsel on antidumping and countervailing duty matters and participated in a process that resulted in the end of a 17-year antidumping action.
- Responsible for all lease work for $500MM worth of commercial real estate, hiring of local counsel and monitoring of all lease-related litigation,
Management and Organization
- Responsible for day-to-day operations for law offices, corporations and an association, including ability to set goals and priorities, handle the details and team-build with co-workers, executives, lawyers, board members, staff and volunteers.
Lin has served as Co-Chair for the Perishable Coalition for the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce; served on the Agriculture Subcommittee of COAC (the Advisory Committee to Commercial Operations for U. S. Customs & Border Protection). Lin is a graduate of U. S. Chamber of Commerce Institute “Association CEO Track”, a four-year program; has held a National Association of Securities Dealers DPP Principal License and Certified Legal Assistant. Lin’s education includes attending
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