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Wilhite, Passed Over For County Attorney, Resigns

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By JULIA FERRANTE, The Tampa Tribune

Published: January 15, 2008

NEW PORT RICHEY - Less than a week before County Attorney Robert Sumner is slated to retire, his chief assistant, Barbara Wilhite, has resigned to return to the private sector.

Wilhite, 38, said Monday that she has accepted a job with the Miami-based law firm where she started her career 14 years ago. She will leave her job with the county Feb. 1 and begin working out of the Stearns Weaver Miller Weissler Alhadeff & Sitterson.'s Tampa office Feb. 4.

Wilhite, who was intimately involved in revisions of Pasco County's revised comprehensive growth plan and numerous ordinances, was passed over to become Sumner's successor after a contentious debate among county commissioners. She said she was approached by several law firms after Jeffrey Steinsnyder was selected as county attorney.

In her new job, Wilhite will specialize in land-use issues and governmental affairs, she said. The firm represents many clients in Pasco, including Pasco Town Center, a large retail and outlet development planned southeast of State Road 52 and Interstate 75.

"I was interested in advancing my career," Wilhite said. "I have unique experience working with land-use and zoning matters and will be working to build a practice in Pasco. I'm excited about this opportunity and the next chapter in my legal career."

Wilhite, whose county salary is $131,250, said she will be paid more in her new position, but she would not be specific.

Sumner's last day as county attorney is Friday. Wilhite said she will work with Steinsnyder after he takes the helm Jan. 22.

Personnel director Barbara De Simone said the county attorney's office typically does its own hiring, but Steinsnyder may elect to have the county personnel office conduct a national search.

Pasco does not have a policy limiting or prohibiting former employees from taking jobs in the private sector that put them in an adversarial position with the county.

Wilhite, who grew up in Pasco, graduated from the University of South Florida with a bachelor's degree in finance in 1990 and received a law degree from Stetson University College of Law three years later.

She was hired as a law clerk with Clearwater-based Johnson, Pope, Boker, Ruppel & Burns. in January 1992. A year later, she joined Stearns Weaver Miller, also as a law clerk, and was promoted to associate eight months later. She specialized in mortgage foreclosures, environmental litigation and insurance defense.

In October 1996, she was hired as chief assistant county attorney in Pasco.

She and her husband, Terry, live in Trinity with their children Brooke, 7, and Dylan, 5.

Reporter Julia Ferrante can be reached at (813) 948-4220 or jferrante@tampatrib.com.

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