Glenda Hood Steps Down as Secretary of State

November 2, 2005
Source: Secretary of State Glenda Hood

Tallahassee — Florida Secretary of State Glenda E. Hood announced today that she will step down as Secretary of State effective November 21, 2005.

“It has been my distinct honor to serve the people of Florida as Secretary of State and I will always be thankful to Governor Bush for this incredible opportunity,” Hood said. “The time is right for me to return home to my family in Orlando, explore new opportunities, and focus my energy on a number of special projects that embody my passion for public service.”

Hood was tapped by Governor Bush to be Secretary of State in December of 2002, while serving her third term as Mayor of Orlando. She was immediately thrust into the international spotlight as the public official charged with ensuring the integrity of Florida’s elections system.

Secretary Hood spearheaded a highly successful voter education campaign which led to greater citizen involvement, higher turnout and increased voter confidence. She has been widely credited for overseeing the seamless 2004 election cycle, as well as for assisting counties in election preparation during hurricane recovery efforts.

"I am grateful to Glenda for stepping up to provide strong, courageous leadership for our state,” said Governor Bush. “Not only was she an extraordinary leader within the Secretary of State's office, she was an invaluable asset to my entire administration as she brought her perspectives on local government and economic development."

Secretary Hood was instrumental in crafting the State’s Strategic Plan for Economic Development which is now being implemented across the state in partnership with Enterprise Florida. She commissioned economic impact studies to assess Florida’s programs in the arts, historic preservation, and libraries. Under Hood’s leadership, the State’s 10-year cultural strategic plan – Culture Builds Florida’s Future - was developed. In the last legislative session, Secretary Hood, with the recommendation of the Governor and approval by the Legislature, obtained the highest arts funding in recent years. Also, contributing significantly to the Equity in Education component of the Governor’s One Florida initiative, the Department provided access to the most comprehensive, accurate and reliable information available through the Florida Electronic Library to the 2.7 million students in Florida’s 2,600 public schools.

Hood also took an active role in international business initiatives, leading missions to Japan, Korea, China, Peru, and Brazil, and helping establish the Florida/China business initiative. She has been a key player in building partnerships among 34 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean to secure the permanent Secretariat for the Free Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA) in Florida.

“None of our successes would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of professionals at the Department of State along with our many constituencies across Florida,” said Hood. “I look forward to continuing to serve our great state from my hometown and contributing to the communities that are the fabric of what makes Florida such a unique and wonderful place.”

Glenda Hood was the first woman elected Mayor of Orlando and served three terms. An active force in community and government for decades, Hood has served in a myriad of leadership roles at the local, state and federal levels. Shortly after September 11, 2001, Governor Bush appointed her to chair the Florida Domestic Security Advisory Task Force, and she currently serves on the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s State and Local Government Advisory Council. She has served as President of the National League of Cities and the Florida League of Cities, Chairman of the Board of the Florida Chamber of Commerce and serves on the boards of Enterprise Florida and the Council of 100.

Secretary Hood has recently been nominated to the National Academy of Public Administration, an independent, non-partisan organization chartered by Congress to assist federal, state, and local governments in improving their effectiveness, efficiency, and accountability. She will be inducted as a Fellow at a ceremony in Washington, DC on November 17th.