The search for an internal watchdog at Citizens Property Insurance Corp. was narrowed from 88 applicants to 13 candidates on Tuesday.  A short list following the interviews will go to the state Financial Services Commission — made up of Scott, Attorney General Pam Bondi, Chief Financial Officer Jeff Atwater and Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam — for a final selection.

The position, advertised as offering a competitive salary up to $200,000, was part of a new insurance law Scott signed May 29. The salary would be paid by Citizens.

The 13 who will be invited for interviews are:

  • Neftali Carrasquillo Jr.: Texas Department of Insurance, fraud unit associate commissioner.
  • Robert Cerasoli: Enhanced protection specialist with MSA Security, New York, also a former inspector general for New Orleans.
  •  Hector Collazo Jr.: Inspector general, Pinellas County Clerk of Circuit Court, former law enforcement officer.
  • Charles Faircloth: Executive director and chief of staff, Medicaid and Public Assistance Fraud Strike Force, Department of Financial Services.
  • Lester Fernandez: Deputy assistant inspector general for inspections, U.S. Department of Education.
  • John Grayson: CPA, with Grayson Accounting and Consulting, Tallahassee.
  • Christopher Hirst: Florida Department of Children and Families inspector general.
  • R. David Holmgren: Deputy inspector general for inspections and evaluations at the U.S Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.
  • Robert McNichols: Chief audit executive, SantaFe Healthcare, Gainesville.
  • Bruce Meeks: attorney, Law Offices of Roberts & Meeks, Tallahassee.
  • Thomas Raftery: Inspector general, Delaware River Port Authority, Camden, New Jersey.
  • Peter Williams: former inspector general for the Florida Department of Education, 2012 candidate for State Attorney in the 2nd Judicial Circuit.
  • Richard Woodford: Director, Office of National Talent Pool and Training, U.S. Department of Labor, Washington, D.C.

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