Candidate: DON BURGESS

RE-ELECT DON BURGESS

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Don was born and raised on a sugarcane plantation in Cuba.  He attended a one-room school up to the 8th grade.  He received a B.S. degree in Business Administration from Lehigh University before serving in the U.S. Army.  After discharge from the military, he began a 38 year active banking career with Chase Bank in N.Y.C., ending his career as President and CEO of Florida International Bank in Miami.  Don and his wife, Gail, have been married 59 incredible years, have two children, nine grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

Don was named Florida Community Banker of the Year for outstanding service to his community in the aftermath of Hurricane Andrew.  He also served as Chairman of Baptist Health Systems of South Florida and received recognition from the Rotary, Lions, Boy Scouts, MLK organizations, and more recently the 2015 Lake Sumter Metropolitan Planning Organization’s Horizon Award for Leadership.

In 1998, he and Gail retired to The Villages, where he served as President of the Villages Homeowners Association (VHA).  They are longtime members of Community United Methodist Church.  Don was appointed Sumter County Commissioner by the Governor of Florida and was re-elected three times.

Don feels that Sumter County is a great place to live, work and enjoy retirement.  He sees Sumter County as “on the move” due to the following:

-         Excellent County Credit Rating

-         Growing Sumter County Economy with Strong Job Creation

-         Efficient Government Services and Balanced Budgets

-         Excellent Healthcare Facilities

-         Steadily-rising Home Values

-         Strong Law Enforcement

Don champions open communication with the residents of the County, encourages attendance at County Commission meetings and participation in the new Government Citizens’ Academy.

Don well understands the complexities of one of the fastest-growing counties in Florida, along with the diverse needs of all sectors of Sumter County.  He advocates common sense, run-like-a-business government and working constructively with others to make our great community even better.

Don will continue to bring his proven management and leadership abilities and his conservative values to serve all the residents of Sumter County.