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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">I worked with Brian Pierce in DNR/DEP 20 years ago. We were in the shellfish environmental assessment section. He took the technical consulting position when
I went into Manatee Protection, then he went to DACS as head of their GIS, then became a higher level administrator. Brian left Agriculture for a private position – and had a stroke (or aneurism?) about four years ago. Brian is about 55. We had gone
fishing together and had similar views of DEP administration. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Ironically both Brian and his wife Angela were body builders and super-healthy. I didn’t know about the illness. I called on a whim to see what he did in
the private world and to see if I could use his name in job hunting, since I will retire from FAMU at the end of this month. I did not notice anything was amiss until he told me about the stroke and recovery. I was stunned and completely unprepared. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:black">Brian has been through a lot of physical and speech therapy. He can’t work yet, but he has been bicycling to build stamina, so his coordination is returning.
For those who knew Brian and wondered why he vanished from the scene, this is the reason. If you knew Brian from his work with DNR, DEP or DACS it would be a kind gesture to contact him. Knowing his condition in advance will spare you the shock I felt.
In casual conversation it is not obvious. His cell is 850 510 6880. His daughter, Savannah Jane, is 21 and will graduate from FSU soon. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
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