Candidate: Joseph Kenneth Bryan

Joseph (Ken) Bryan

After graduating from high school, Ken enlisted in the United States Air Force during the Viet Nam Era and was trained as a B-52 Mechanic and Crew Chief.  While in the Air Force, Ken pursued his dream of higher education by attending Texas Christian University.  In 1971, he was honorably discharged and continued his education at St. Mary’s College of Maryland.  Ken was awarded his Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1974, and in 1978, earned his Master of Arts Degree from Central Michigan University.  Among his other accomplishments, Ken has also completed formal management training at the Naval Post Graduate School, in Monterey, California, the Federal Executive Institute in Charlottesville, Virginia and the George Washington University School of Business and Public Management.

Ken has never been afraid to take on a challenge to move up and advance.  He first started working at Patuxent River Naval Air Station as a janitor and was later selected to develop and manage a youth activities program for Navy dependents while working full time as a public school teacher.  With his Masters Degree in hand, Ken soon became a Supervisory Management Instructor, where he developed and taught over 15 different courses on supervision and management.  Next, Ken brought his leadership and experience to the Naval Ordnance Station in Indian Head, Maryland, where he worked as an Administrative Officer and Deputy Equal Employment Opportunity Officer.

 In 1988, Ken went to work for the United States Department of Justice as the Assistant Director for Payroll and Accounting, and was later chosen in 1996 as the Director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization, where he advocated for small, minority and woman-owned businesses.  During that same year, Ken was personally asked by the White House to serve on a special detail as the Deputy Director of the Executive Office of the President. 

Ken decided to retire from the Justice Department in 2004 and moved to St. Augustine with his wife. Being the kind of person that does not sit idle, Ken has taught Public Administration classes at Flagler College as an Adjunct Professor, served on several boards in the community, and became a certified mentor to young adults. 

In 2008, Ken was elected to the St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners for a four-year term and served as its Chairman in 2010 and 2012.  Today, he is still active in the community but spends most of his retired time fishing and working on his classic cars in Flagler Beach where he now resides.

Ken believes Experience and Leadership counts and served in the following capacities: 

Co-Founder, Preserve Flagler Beach and Bulow Creek; St. Johns County Board of County Commissioners (Chairman); Vice President, Northeast Florida Regional Council; Chairman, Strategic Regional Policy Planning Committee; Chairman, Transportation for Disadvantaged, St. Johns County; President Elect/Trustee, Florida Association of Counties Trust; Executive Advisor, Health and Human Services; Advisory Board Member, National Estuarine Research Reserve; Advisory Board Member, Legislative Planning Committees, NEFRC; Board Member, Tourist Development Council, St Johns County; Board Member, St. Johns County Education Foundation; Board Member, St. Johns County Cultural Council.

My goals are straightforward -- Preserve Flagler Beach and our quality of life; Continue advocating the 35' building height limit; Explore state and federal funding for water and wastewater systems; Reassess economic and business development initiatives; Support our police and fire departments; Advocate fiscal responsibility; Enhance and focus on a strategic master plan for short and long term infrastructure improvements; create a public/private arts and culture alliance.

I invite and welcome you to my  web site:     www.kenpreserve.com  

I  ask that you also follow me on Twitter and my  facebook page  kenpreserves where I post relevent information and events I am participating in as well as  events around the Flagler Beach area.