Candidate: John R. Barnes

                       For more info please visit John's Website & Twitter Page

John R Barnes Bio

In 2016, John R. Barnes was appointed an Affiliate Member to The Duval Soil and Water Conservation District. Now, after four years of service, John is asking for your vote on November 3rd to make him a full member of the board.

John is the Vice President of Government Relations at Veritec Solutions here in Jacksonville, Florida. He moved to Jacksonville in 2005 to attend the University of North Florida. John fell in love with our city and has spent 13 of the last 15 years here on the First Coast. At UNF, John cemented his faith in Jesus, found his passion for public service, and fell in love with his wife Becca Barnes.

At UNF, John was elected and subsequently re-elected as Student Body President. John was also elected chairman of the Florida Student Association, a constitutionally recognized board that represents the interests of more than 330,000 students in Florida's public universities.

As chairman, John served as the student representative on the Florida Board of Governors, the State University System's gubernatorial appointed governing board. John also simultaneously served on UNF's Board of Trustees. 

John received a bachelor's degree from UNF before going on to receive his master's degree from the University of Florida. John spent three years working in Florida's public school system before moving back to Jacksonville in 2014. 

Upon moving back to Jacksonville, John served on the Jacksonville Chamber of Commerce as a trustee member. Additionally, he has volunteered and worked with local nonprofits in the southeast, including The Boys and Girls Club of America, First Tee, the USO, and the Builders Care Foundation.

Since being appointed an Affiliate Member to the Duval Soil and Water Conservation District in 2016, John has had the chance to see firsthand the impact the board has on our Jacksonville community. As a former substitute teacher, he couldn't be more proud of all the work the board does with our local schools.

Whether it be working with students through events like Envirothon, the speech and poster contest, or special events thanking teachers, it's been an honor for John to be a small part of a board that does so much on educating our students.

John is also very proud of our board's work to highlight our local farm and farmers. Through the board's annual workshop Start Farming, the board highlights local farmers and the critical role they play in our local economy.  If elected, John will continue to build the success of these events.

If elected, John will continue to:

Reach out to our community to increase awareness & be a voice for our city

Partner with local schools to honor our teachers and engage our students

Collaborate with local elected officials & agencies for the betterment of our citizens

                                       On November 3rd, Vote for John Barnes

                            For more info please visit John's Website & Twitter Page