Beat the Clock

Everybody wants to meet the president. Unable to be everywhere he is invited, Florida Gulf Coast University president Bill Merwin says, "When deciding what events to attend or which meetings to go to, I have to ask myself, is this something only the president can do?"

Merwin is known for appearing at many Southwest Florida functions. "We sit down every week and prioritize what events I will attend," he says. And of his numerous speaking engagement requests, he says, "When I know people will be really disappointed if they don't get the president, I usually try to go."

Multitasking, delegating and sticking to his constantly changing calendar help Merwin attend to the many demands on his time. "I have a clock in my brain," Merwin says. Even on a long commute, Merwin's time is spent making calls on his hands-free cell phone. "My assistant is like the old-fashioned telephone operator," he says. "I have one button I push and she connects me to all of my calls. Sometimes I talk to 15 people on a drive. I have gotten in a full day of work before I arrive."

In every busy day Merwin tries "to have some uninterrupted time to reflect and come to conclusions about decisions that have to be made" by closing the door and not taking any calls. And if Merwin isn't doing it himself, he isn't just telling someone else to do it. "I don't just delegate, I share the vision of what we are doing with the university," he says.

-Katie S. Betz