Candidate: Connie Benham

Cell-904-327-1178 email-conniebenham@gmail.com Facebook-Connie Benham for Mandarin Connie grew up and graduated high school in Solon, Ohio, on the eastern side of Cleveland. After graduation she enlisted in the US Navy and took her basic training at Orlando Navy Base, Fl. She attended school in Great Lakes Illinois to become a Mechanical Instrument Specialist to service Destroyers, Fast Frigates and Submarines. Her first assignment lasted four years on the USS Sierra AD 18, home ported in Charleston, S.C., then one year as Shore Intermediate Maintenance Activity (SIMA) at Charleston Navy Base. Connie’s duties included cost analysis, procurement, inventory control, warehousing, distribution, maintenance and repairs of special instrumentation and supplies as well as supervision of junior personnel. During this period Connie learned that disciplined attention to detail is a must for a job well done. In all, Connie served five years in the US Navy, was promoted to the rank of Second Class Instrument Specialist (E5), received the Navy Good Conduct Medal, was selected as Sailor of the Quarter over 500 other sailors, selected as female Athlete of the Year from SIMA Charleston and nominated as Athlete of the Year, and still found the time to attend classes at Trident Technical College to study Business Management. She was Honorably Discharged in April of 1990. While in the Navy Connie met and married Charles Benham, US Navy Chief DC (Ret). After her tour of duty they moved to Jacksonville and bought a house in Mandarin. Connie and Charles have been married for twenty seven years. They have two children: A son, Colton, 18 years old, just graduated from Mandarin High and enlisted in the Navy, and a daughter Cala, 14 years old who is entering ninth grade at Mandarin High. Connie has worked in the hospitality industry at Deerwood Country Club and Americas Best Inns, rising to the level of Assistant Manager. She also worked at United Parcel Service for more than five years. When her children came along she became a full time stay at home mom, but occasionally helping UPS as a seasonal holiday helper. During these years she also trained to become a Second Degree Black Belt at Paks Karate School in Mandarin where she was also chosen to be the lead S.T.O.R.M. Mom (Support Team of Role Models). Connie became a member of the Mandarin YMCA soon after her daughter was born. Membership led to becoming a volunteer. Connie spent numerous hours in this service role but is most proud of improving and developing much of the landscape there and at the Dupont YMCA. She donated plants and approached area businesses to contribute items at low or no cost for the YMCA improvements. Through her efforts Connie was invited and accepted an invitation to become a Board Member and served for 8 years. She has received many awards for her work. Today she remains an avid member and an “on call” volunteer. Connie was instrumental in saving four area high school JROTC programs in 2011 acquiring help from Mayor Brown and Congressman Crenshaw. She received three Distinguished Service Awards for her past efforts and to this day remains an activist for Duval County JROTC programs and instructors. Never idle for too long in May, 2012 Connie became a volunteer for Betty Griffin House Thrift Store and remains so today. Connie became involved in politics 4 years ago when the council was raising taxes. During her second address to City Council she promised to be a pebble in their shoe and has remained respectfully so ever since that time. She stays abreast of agendas, Charter Law and City Ordinances along with Florida Statutes. Mentored by Tony Bates, she has learned many of the ins and outs of local politics. She works tirelessly on behalf of the community and her work has already benefited the taxpayer. Connie is a regular at city hall meetings in all facets of the government and can proudly say she missed only 8 council meetings in the last 4 years. Connie’s accomplishments are wins for the whole community and she is ready to do more from the other side of the podium. Connie’s dedication to Family and Community service is underpinned by her faith in God and the teachings of the Bible. She and her husband have been members of Christ’s Church of Mandarin for more than twenty years where she taught Sunday School classes for about ten years. Foremost in Connie’s heart and mind is being a woman of God.