JACKSONVILLE, Fla — JEA Chief Administrative Officer Herschel Vinyard was put on paid leave Tuesday by interim CEO Paul McElroy in the latest shake-up to the executive team that led the utility during last year’s attempted sale of JEA.
McElroy announced in an email Tuesday afternoon to other senior leadership team members that he put Vinyard on administrative leave effective immediately.
The email did not elaborate on a reason for McElroy’s decision, and JEA said there is no document related to the matter. Vinyard, an attorney who was secretary of the state Department of Environmental Protection from 2011-14, earns a $350,000 annual salary at JEA.
Former CEO Aaron Zahn hired Vinyard in April 2019, shortly before JEA headed down the “strategic alternatives” review that resulted in inviting offers from private companies for the city-owned utility. Zahn created the position of chief administrative officer at JEA when he hired Vinyard.
Vinyard had been working as an attorney in the Jacksonville and Tallahassee offices of Foley & Lardner.
At JEA, Vinyard oversaw corporate compliance along with legal, environmental and governmental affairs. His Linkedin profile says he also served as a “strategic advisor” to JEA’s senior leadership team.
The JEA board ousted Zahn in December as CEO. Former Chief Financial Officer Ryan Wannemacher and former Chief Operating Officer Melissa Dykes, who served as interim CEO for several months after Zahn, were terminated without cause from JEA.
Vinyard was the last of the quartet still working at JEA, but his future status is unclear after being placed on leave by McElroy.
McElroy, who retired as JEA CEO in 2018 but came back on an interim basis, took the action on Vinyard in his second day as interim CEO..
Vinyard could not be reached for comment.
Like other members of JEA’s senior leadership team, Vinyard got an employment contract last July that city attorneys have said puts a high bar on termination with cause.
The former JEA board, which has since been entirely replaced, voted to terminate Zahn with cause after the Office of General Counsel compiled a lengthy report. That action prevented Zahn, who was on paid leave during the investigation, from getting any severance pay for post-employment benefits.
Dykes and Wannemacher both saw their JEA careers ended by terminations without cause, which gave them post-employment benefits such as severance pay.
McElroy is adding what he called “temporary additions to the senior staff” by hiring three former JEA employees as special assistants.
Vickie Cavey, who was in charge of JEA strategic planning development from 2013 until her retirement in 2017, will assist McElroy with external strategic affairs.
Gerri Boyce, who was JEA’s main media spokeswoman before her retirement in 2018, will help with external communications.
Angie Hiers, who was chief human resources officer at JEA from 2013 to April 2019, will advise McElroy on personnel issues.