Candidate: Ronald Bowen

Councilman Ron Bowen was elected to the Port St. Lucie City Council in November 2012. This is the second time serving for Bowen as he previously served three terms on the City Council starting in 1992. Since first elected, Bowen has worked with nine fellow Councilmembers and four Mayors laying the foundation and moving the City to its current state. Together, they brought central water and sewer service to the city. They bought key properties for what is now the Crosstown Parkway. They gave the Police Department the resources to grow and become an accredited agency. The result: Port St. Lucie over the last twenty years has achieved the admirable status as safest city in Florida for its size. “We fought hard to prevent adult entertainment establishments from opening in our city,” says Councilman Bowen with limited incentives Bowen and the City Council were able to attract three major employers providing Five Thousand jobs. Since returning in November 2012 Councilman Bowen has learned the major issues facing the City and has been actively involved in shaping PSL’s future. Those issues include the completion of the Crosstown Parkway, the future of City Center, the sale of Digital Domain, the need to bring good paying jobs and major employers to the city while helping the small businessman or woman grow their business. Bowen believes that quality-of-life issues are the reason most people moved to Port St. Lucie. Councilman Bowen currently is a board member of the St. Lucie Transportation Planning Organization. The board deals with county and regional transportation issues while setting priorities for future growth and needs. As a private citizen, Bowen is an advisory board member for the Salvation Army of St. Lucie County. During his first three years in office Bowen was able to conceive two re-occurring community outreach projects. The first is the PATCHES Summer Sunshine Toy Drive. The toy drive benefits children with extreme medical conditions who receive daytime pediatric nursing care. City employees and community members donated hundreds of toys and the private sector makes cash contributions. The second outreach project is the inaugural Hometown Lunchfest. Lunchfest is an event that Councilman Bowen started to bring the city employees and the community together for a fun day at City Hall. Bowen appreciates all of the hard work city employees do every day, and the many contributions of the City’s Community. Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, Councilman Bowen moved to Port St. Lucie in 1977. He has been married to his wife Pat since 1972 and has two adult sons, Eric and Gavin, and two grandsons, Ayden and Camden. Councilman Bowen has been in the insurance profession since 1970 and is President of R.E. Bowen & Associates Inc., an independent insurance agency. He is a member of the St. Lucie County Chamber of Commerce. Bowen received his Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration in 1976 from Myers University. In 1974, Bowen received his honorable discharge from the U.S. Marine Corps. Councilman Bowen is a member of First Baptist Church of Port St. Lucie. As District 4 Councilman, Ron Bowen believes the best is yet to come for the city, and that preparing now for new growth will ensure the success of the city in the future.