Candidate: Kirby Locklear

Kirby Locklear has resided in Fort Walton Beach since 1992. He is a retired USAF Lt Colonel with 22 years of active duty. Kirby currently works as a Programming Engineer for Bevilacqua Research Corporation.  After obtaining his Master of Arts in Management from Webster University, he went on to acquire a Master of Science in Environmental Science from the University of West Florida. Kirby is actively involved in the community and stays busy spending time with his family.

Kirby and his wife of 26 years, Mary Ann, have enjoyed raising their family in Fort Walton Beach.  They have four children and 8 grandchildren. Running for City Council has become important to Kirby, he is very invested in the community and wants to help make Fort Walton Beach a great place to raise a family.

Kirby was born in Robeson County, NC and grew up in Baltimore, MD. His parents are both of Lumbee American Indian descent and Kirby became very involved in his American Indian heritage at a young age. After high school, Kirby was appointed to the United States Air Force Academy. He became a Navigator and his first assignment in 1980 led him to Fort Walton Beach.  He spent 6 years flying the AC-130H with the 16th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field. After being stationed in Alaska and Illinois, traveling the world on many deployments, logging thousands of flying hours, Kirby decided to make Fort Walton Beach his home. Kirby and Mary Ann moved back to Fort Walton Beach in 1992 and have never left. They raised their family here and they have watched Fort Walton Beach grow into the prosperous city it has become.

Active in our community, Kirby uses his leadership training and love for the area to guide him through a variety of volunteer efforts. His numerous volunteer activities include: leader of the Thunderbird Honor Guard; Vice Chairman of the Thunderbird Intertribal Council; Fort Walton Beach appointed board member of the Fort Walton Beach Historical Structures and Sites Board; American Red Cross of Northwest Florida Emergency Operations Center Coordinator for Okaloosa County (served for Hurricanes Ivan, Dennis, and Katrina). Kirby is also a Sunday School Teacher and Lay Leader at his church, Trinity United Methodist. He continues to support Hurricane Michael relief efforts with the United Methodist Committee of Relief.