Florida CFO to serve as Distinguished Guest at Polk State’s 135th Commencement

Florida Chief Financial Officer Blaise Ingoglia will serve as the Distinguished Guest and speak at Polk State College’s 135th Commencement in December.

Polk State President Anastasios Kamoutsas made the announcement during a joint press conference with Governor Ron DeSantis and Dr. Henry Mack, Florida Commissioner of Education, at the Polk State JD Alexander Center in Lake Wales last Wednesday.

“We are honored to welcome CFO Blaise Ingoglia as our Distinguished Guest,” said President Anastasios Kamoutsas. “His commitment to transparency, fiscal responsibility, and serving the people of Florida reflects the kind of leadership and public service we want our students to understand and value. Commencement is a celebration of achievement and opportunity, and we are grateful that he will be part of this special occasion.”

“I am honored to join Polk State College in celebrating the accomplishments of its graduates,” said CFO Ingoglia. “These students are about to embark on their next chapter of their lives, entering the workforce and chasing new goals. Their hard work, perseverance, and commitment to creating better opportunities for themselves and their families represent the very best of Florida’s future.”

Polk State will celebrate its newest graduating class at the RP Funding Center in Lakeland on December 2 at 6:30 p.m. The ceremony will also stream live on the College’s website at polk.edu/graduation.

Ingoglia was appointed to his post in July 2025 and elected to remain in the seat on November 3. As CFO, Ingoglia oversees billions of dollars in taxpayer assets and also serves as the State Fire Marshal. Ingoglia previously served Florida’s 35th District in the Florida House of Representatives from 2014 to 2022 and the State’s 11th District in the Florida Senate from 2022 until his appointment as CFO.

Born in New York, Ingoglia moved to Spring Hill, Fla., in 1996 and found success as a mortgage broker before founding Hartland Homes, a homebuilding company focused on helping working families own a home. As CFO, Ingoglia also oversees the Florida Division of Unclaimed Property, which reunites residents with lost funds, and the Criminal Investigations Division, which fights fraud, arson, and public assistance abuse. In October, President Kamoutsas accepted nearly $2,500 in unclaimed property funds to support Polk State’s My Brother’s Keeper. This program provides critical support and wraparound services for students facing emergencies who need help with expenses such as food or rent.